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My Stronghold

July 14, 2005 - 5:52 pm 2 Comments

Bobby and I have been enjoying a few days here in San Antonio, Texas. We’re getting ready to leave here in a few minutes for a very early Friday morning arrival back home. Though we haven’t really loved the weather it has been great to spend time with his family and that we were able to come to our friend’s memorial service Wednesday. It was overwhelming to see pictures of all four of the family members and hear friends and family get up and share memories and characteristics they cherished in all four of them. It was a sad time of loss and sorrow but there was a distinct focus on the reality of where our friends are now, worshipping in the presence of the Lord.

After the service about thirty students from the Master’s College students came back to the Blakey’s home for dinner and fellowship together. I was so encouraged when one of the guys picked up Ben’s guitar and led the group in worship. People prayed and cried as we sang the bridge of “Blessed Be Your Name” which says, “You give and take away, You give and take away. My heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your name.” These words have taken on a whole new meaning as we mourn the loss of our friends. Every song seemed to have taken on new relevance as we worshiped the God who is enthroned on high and ruling over all circumstances in the lives of men. The song that struck me the deepest says, “My stronghold, My Savior, I will not be afraid at all. My stronghold, My Savior, I will not be moved.” This song is adapted from Psalm 62:

“Truly my soul silently waits for the Lord
From Him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense,
I shall not be moved.”

We so easily place our confidence and hope in family and future. We wrongly think that we can be sure of these things, depend on them and find meaning and fulfillment in them. But the Psalmist’s exclusive perspective of God alone as His hope, salvation and rest is a high call that we all should be striving for. We may not all suffer the loss that our friend Matt has in losing his whole family. We may not have to know what it’s like to live without loved ones or broken dreams. However this should not shadow the urgent need for us to depend and exclusively rely on God for strength and grace each day.
I can’t imagine what it would be like to go on without my family in my life or the hopes of spending the future with them. At the memorial Matt said, “Now that my earthly father is gone, I can see now that I only really ever had one father…the Lord.” His whole focus was not on his loss, but on the one who gives and takes away. He seemed sad and weak, but not hopeless. I was amazed when he stated with confidence that God is carrying him through each day, and that it is only by God’s grace that he is sustained. I pray that God will give me this same heart of trust and confidence in Him. Only in Him will my soul be at rest rather than settling for the temporal trappings of this world.

Posted blakeyblog |

2 Responses to “My Stronghold”

  1. stepontoliquid Says:
    July 14th, 2005 at 7:29 pm

    Sis-

    Yes, it was awesome having you and Bobby here, and I also was so encouraged by the worship time we had here last night. How amazing is it that even after such a tragic event, we can still sings praises to God. Blessed be his name, indeed!

    -Ben

  2. Spanish Morning Says:
    July 18th, 2005 at 12:02 pm

    ::crying:: Thank you for sharing some of what went on with the memorial service. I was so broken hearted when my Matt told me what had happened that Saturday…especially when I realized that Bethany was Matt R’s sister and that she was gone too. I’ve never had someone that close to me die. Sure I haven’t talked to her in a year, but she was very precious to me while I was at Master’s. She’s singing for Jesus now with an even more perfect voice than she had here on earth. Please keep Matt E. and I updated on how Matt and Kara are. We sent them an e-mail but it bounced back. We SO wish we could have come to the memorial, but I went to Guatemala that Sunday and Matt had to work. I love you.

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