Can We Really Say Blessed Be Your Name?

When you read the lyrics to Matt Redman's song, you kinda wonder what situation he was in or was it just another one of those worship songs?

Last year when I was on holiday with my family in Lake District, I realised the origins of this song. At the Keswick Convention, someone shared that Matt & Beth had just lost their child of a very tender age. It was a tough situation and he wrote this song because he still very much beleived in the God whom gave His life for us over 2000 years ago & was assured that God's plans were the best !

Tuesdays and Wednesday are very trying and difficult here for us in Wednesbury. We face a crowd of youths that are very different from your everyday average teenager. Yesterday, we had kids in school shouting sexuallly explicit comments at us continuously, using vulgarity of body parts and even graphically drawing them out. One kid actually pulled one my co-worker's skirt off. It was very embarassing for my friend & she was in tears so much that she has now decided to quit goin into this school with us on a Tuesday. I on the other hand came out of that session annoyed & disappointed with just how God could let all this happen....and how was I going to cope with seeing & workign with such kids for the next 10 months?

Talked to God and decided, ok, I'll move on from that & prepare for Wednesday...

Today, I went into youth club with a gospel message to preach after a nite of team challenging games only to find myself having to stop 4 physical fights ranging from slapping each other to throwing chairs to pencil stabbing.My spirit was just so disheartened...The evil one is battling with us for the lives of young people & I kept thinking to myself, man is he enjoying seeing what just took place!

Kids from their kind of background just go restless when u get them to sit down to hear u talk for abt 15 minutes especially since they've been stuck in school all day having to listen to their teacher....so my greatest fear was soon realised when I started uttering my first few words..noise popping all round the hall..kids annoying each other..and some genuinely were behaving until when I said the "God" loves you word, this real notorious kid who was trouble all nite shouted back, does he really? and laughed..and soon got the others to join him...I felt rather silly & stupid with my answer - I said ye-ah! He really loves you. Don't you know God is groovy? *wink*

Silence...just silence ..and I continued by saying, God can offer you things better than riches & I want to see all of you here in heaven with me! Played the Better than Life DVD track from Hillsongs Church...Guess what I really wanted them to grasp was that church wasn't about some boring ancient traditional building for old folk but like the many christians who were worshipping & singing praises to God in Australia in such a big convention hall, lifting their hands, dancing, jumping and playing MODERN instruments!!

This kid then kicked the chair right at me (literally) and he walked straight to the door at the back, opened it and slammed it hard till one side of the door actually was damaged.

Silence again...I thought to myself, that's it God. I just wrecked the whole nite. I have failed you. God, this people need you but they don't want you so why do we still bother week in , week out opening up ourselves to such abuse & disrespect to kids like these. I suddenly heard a still small voice in my head saying "Val, you must take each day as though you are prepared to me a matyr for Christ. They will stone you, spit at you, swear at you but the question is, can u still show them God's love?"

I continued my gospel message by using the example of a closing train door- the door being the barrier between us on the platform & the train. I knew I needed to finish...and I knew I needed to pray for them at the end despite how restless they were despite how l was feeling inside my heart and told them to come talk to us if they decide they want to remove that barrier so that those train doors will open & Jesus can be apart of their life.

Then I felt even more stupid for actually being so adamant that despite being a nite for team games, i felt a gospel message was needed. And no I thought I had heard wrongly from God. Perhaps a gospel thing was too much for them to take....I mean after all, none of them are Christians & its a voluntary youth club kinda thing they come to have fun despite us thinking that perhaps really some of them do minutely want to know more abt God...I mean who am I kidding?

What next ?

Miracle 1
Moments after I closed in prayer, one little girl came up and asked me, "where is GOd?" And me, being the Christian & adult conveniently said, "God is everywhere. He is here with you" Never in a million years would I have aniticipated any little girl replying me by saying, Val, God is in my heart! Now, how cool is that?

Miracle 2
Matt, this 16 year old came in tonight after being kicked out of his home by his mom. He had been walking the streets the past 2 nites (and its freezing cold & rainign here!) His had a tough family background & his mom is an alcoholic hence, she kicking him out seemed the norm when she's had a real bad streek. He had cuts on his arms, stained muddy clothes & a very wonderful smile. How could he smile at a time like this? My team leader instructed me to go bandage his wounds & give him some first aid treatment. I somehow dunno when God throws me a situation where he sorta sets up an divine opportunity until I am actually in it ;) As I was applying some antiseptic cream on his cuts, he said to me, Can you teach me how to play "Here I am to Worship" on the keyboard? I really like that song. I said, Sure. How do you know I play the keyboard? He replied " I dunno but I just do" Our conversation continued around football then on as Arsenal were playing tonite & of course, my belove Man Utd had just drawn last nite before I finally asked Matt, how do you still have that smile on your face despite all that is happening to you right now? And his answer was simple " Its cos its Wednesday today & I know I am with people who love me!"

Miracle 3
We were packing up & I was locking the front door as last group of kids were leaving & saying goodbye to me. One of the girls did not shake my hands and instead pointed her fingers at me and said " GRO--OOVY. So, God is groovy eh? I'll take you up on that!" And she winked at me.

Lesson point for me :
Just like with Paul, God can turn a massive shipwreck into a day of salvation :)

And yes, Blessed Be Your Name Lord when the sun shines and when the darkness closes in!

Please continue to pray for the work God is doing here in the lives of these young people in Wednesbury, which I sometimes feel is like the town of Nineveh!