Praising God in all Things
February 3, 2008
Gerry Doerksen
Text:
Psalm 150
It is October 20, 1988 – game 5 of the World Series of baseball. It’s an all-California series: Los Angeles Dodgers versus the mighty Oakland Athletics. The Athletics are heavily favoured to take the series. But somehow, the Dodgers have managed to win 3 games to Oakland’s 1. With one more victory the Dodgers will win the pennant, but they are playing in their opponent’s home field. Oral Hershiser is pitching for the Dodgers. He has had a record season: he led the league with 23 wins, most innings pitched, won the Cy Young award, a Golden Glove award, Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the National League Championship Series and now is pitching in Game 5 of the World Series. He pitches a brilliant game – all 9 innings – to win the World Series for Los Angeles. He is named the MVP of the World Series. Oral Hershiser has reached the pinnacle of baseball, sports and athletics!
Several nights later I recall watching The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. I seldom watched that late night TV program, but did so that night. One of his guests was Oral Hershiser – presumably to celebrate his staggering athletic achievements that year and, of course, the Dodgers’ win. Toward the end of the interview I remember Johnny asking Oral about how he had kept his focus on those last few pitches to win the World Series in that frenzied environment. In modest fashion, Hershiser said that he sang a song to himself to maintain his focus and perspective. Carson was intrigued, and on live television, coaxed Oral to sing that song. I was NOT prepared for what I heard. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below ….” Oral went on to sing that hymn in front of Johnny Carson, Ed McMahon, and millions of TV viewers. Carson, probably expecting a silly little ditty, was so moved by this athlete’s hymn of Praise that he wiped tears away. I did the same. Here was an athlete praising God, in public, at the pinnacle of his achievement!
Fast forward 19 years to June the 12th , 2007, 7:30 in the morning. My wife, Lisa, is in a surgical room, in the Toronto General Hospital, undergoing exploratory surgery for potential ovarian cancer. I am not alone in the surgical waiting room. Other spouses or family members are there, presumably waiting for the outcomes of surgery for their loved ones as well. The room is very comfortable but, upon looking around, you can see the visceral concern in the eyes of family members awaiting good news. Some are pacing around … others are quietly talking … still others are staring into space. I am simply trying to maintain my composure amidst the underlying fear.
An hour into Lisa’s operation and the surgeon comes into the waiting room. “Good news” he says. “The surgery is going very well so far. I’ve removed the ovarian cyst and it does NOT look like cancer in my opinion. The pathologist is looking at it right now, but if all goes well we should close up in 15 minutes or so”. And with that he’s off … back to finish the operation. I’m ecstatic! “Thank you Lord” and I can breathe again!
But 15 minutes go by … then 30 minutes … and no word. My mind begins to race through different scenarios. 45 minutes … now I am starting to worry. I look at my watch … now 60 minutes have gone by.
Panic sets in … I can feel my blood pressure rising … I’m breathing quickly to the point of hyperventilation …. What should I be thinking at this point? What can I do?
Amidst this chaotic situation – one that is completely out of my control – inexplicably, I start singing! I hope it was more like humming. And what am I singing to myself? “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly Host. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.”
It’s an hour and 15 minutes past the surgeon’s visit in the waiting room. I have no idea what has happened to my wife, and I am singing to myself “Praise God from whom all blessings flow”?
This is either lunacy, and I’m in serious need of counseling, or it is God interjecting and interceding at this lowest point in my life. My spouse could be lying dead on the operating table, and I am praising God.
Now, as I reflect on that time some 7 months later, I am struck by several things. Lisa’s full recovery from what was, in fact, ovarian cancer was a miracle from God. No chemo, no radiation, no annual checkups needed! Indeed a miracle!
But God was also looking after me. In that waiting room, in the midst of that chaotic, frenetic, out-of-my-control situation, I was praising God. That act of worship had the effect of calming my thoughts, relaxing my body, and concentrating on positive things rather than worst-case scenarios.
On a deeper level, praising God at that critical juncture speaks to me of God’s transcendence. God is to be praised in all things, above all things, even the surgery of a loved one.
Praising God – at the high points of human achievement like the World Series and at the lowest points of the human experience and presumably at all times in between.
In my teenage years I came across a poster that reads: “The whole of life, without any exception, may be an act of worship, if man makes it so”! This premise has resonated with me my whole life, and I still have that poster mounted in our basement. In Bible School, a few years later, I recall the Reverend Major Ian Thomas, founder of the European Christian organization called The Torch Bearers and Capernwray Bible Schools worldwide, told us that, as he understands the Bible, it is the sole purpose of humankind to worship God. God’s design for us is to praise God – first and foremost! In Psalm 150 we read: “let everything that has breath praise the Lord”. Perhaps this is easy to do at the high points in life. Can we praise God through the low points as well?
TUMC is shortly entering a time of “future visioning”. This will be an exciting process, but it may also be a difficult one. It is my prayer for you that we remember to praise God in all things. When the road is smooth … praise God. But when the road bends and dips, we must, even more so, both individually and collectively, praise God.
Keep the focus on praise and worship and God will surely bless TUMC into the future!
I will end with those wonderful words of praise that are so very much more than “grace” before a meal. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost”.
Amen.