I was sent the address of a video clip to watch the other day; it was of two young children with superb singing voices and great confidence, performing before a crowd of people. Not only was the tune very catchy, but the harmony they sang was beautiful. But the words were what caught my attention most of all. What a great message they held, and I couldn’t help wondering how they would fit into a Christian context. They certainly brought a raft of thoughts to me…
“When I am down, and my soul is weary, When troubles come and my heart burdened be,” the young boy sang in a voice as clear as a bell. I thought of the verses from the book of Psalms…”I am weary with my groaning; all the night I make my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears” (Psalm 6:6) How many times we have been in this situation!! Unable to sleep, tossing and turning with one’s mind going round and round in circles over the problem.
The small girl picked up the thread of the song….“When I am still and wait in silence, Until you come and sit a while with me”…. Sometimes there is no person on earth who can give a solution, but if we turn the matter over to God, the Heavenly Father, and wait for Him, He will come and sit with us if we will only take the time to be quiet and listen for His voice….” Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
The boy picked up the melody, and his voice soared high and precise….
“You raise me up so I can stand on mountains,” and these words brought to mind the fact that those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31)
The girl chimed in, pure and clear… “You raise me up to walk on stormy seas”, and I remembered the story of Peter being able to walk on the sea while he kept his eyes on the Lord, but sinking as soon as he took them off Him. “Oh you of little faith”, said Jesus, “Why did you doubt?” How often we doubt and sink back into the waves of fear and worry!
The song continued in perfect harmony with the two voices together, “I am strong when I am on Your shoulders”; God said to Israel, “I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself” (Exodus 19:4)
“You raise me up to more than I can be”. What more can we hope for than to be with God the Father, and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, for the ages of eternity!
Jesus prayed before His crucifixion, “Father, I will that they also whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world”. (John 17:24)
The verse of the song came to an end for a moment with the music continuing on, and then the two voices repeated the song in harmony, finishing off with a crescendo of sound to the prolonged applause of the audience.
“When I am down, and my soul is weary, When troubles come and my heart burdened be,”
….“When I am still and wait in silence, Until you come and sit a while with me”….
“You raise me up so I can stand on mountains, You raise me up to walk on stormy seas”,
“I am strong when I am on Your shoulders, You raise me up to more than I can be”.
These two young people have no idea of what lies ahead in life for them, but they can rest assured that there will be some of those stormy seas and times of trouble for them to go through. If they learn to trust the One Who promised to bear His people on eagles’ wings in times of stress and trials, then they will indeed find that they will be strong when upon His shoulders and will be raised up to more than they would otherwise be. As they learn to trust Him, they will find themselves stronger and more able to bear what life throws at them as they take the time to be still and see what God will do for them.