“God bless you.”
“God bless America.”
“God bless!”
The regularity with which we use these phrases leads us to not even consider what we’re saying. If you’ve used one of these phrases recently, then I wonder what you meant when you said those words.
Were you responding to someone’s sneeze?
Were you praying for the flourishing of the place you call home?
Were you sending someone good vibes and well wishes?
I watched a video a couple of years ago, which threw me off guard. The artist asked a question, “Which one is more present in our lives - God Bless or Bless God? Are we more concerned with the blessings of God or blessing God with the way we live our lives?”
I thought of this question when I heard Brooke Ligertwood’s new song, "Bless God." In the chorus, she sings the following:
“Bless God in the sanctuary
Bless God in the fields of plenty
Bless God in the darkest valley
Every chance I get, I'll bless Your name”
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Now, I know there are many songs about praising and worshiping God everywhere, including Brandon Lake’s new song, "Praise God Anywhere." But, I don’t think I’ve ever considered the concept of blessing God in both prosperity and adversity.
In a recent interview with Air1, Ligertwood talked about why "Bless God" is her favorite song from her library as of late, written originally in partnership with Cody Carnes and Brandon Lake. (The song “Bless God/Every Chance I Get” originally appeared on Carnes’ record)
Ligertwood said, “I didn't know what I was about to walk into. So, we wrote this song and then within a few months, we had some huge upheavals in our family's life - an across-the-world move and some family sickness and a bunch of things. That song really kind of saw me through the season….it's a song that's meant a lot to me. For me, it's a moment of invitation into joy and a season of lament, which is something that I'm learning.”
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Once again, there’s a surprising twist in how many of us view the world. We think “God bless” when Ligertwood is inviting us to “Bless God.” We think of joy or lament. Here Ligertwood is describing an invitation to joy and lament.
When we’re in seasons of adversity, loss, grief, or lament, the idea of joy or blessing can seem so ludicrous that it feels insulting. “How dare you suggest that I should be joyful amidst this pain?!”
John Ortberg once wrote that "people who doubt God's existence often list suffering as the primary reason for their objections. People who follow Jesus often list suffering as the thing that most transformed them into a Christ-like person.”
Many of us have heard someone tell us that they can’t believe in God, because “how could a God allow something like that to happen in the world?” But, many of us also know that our moments of deepest intimacy with God and the sources of greatest transformation by God have been the hardest times of our lives.
In 1 Samuel 17, David is treated skeptically by King Saul when he wants to face the giant named Goliath. To justify his readiness, David cites the scary and dangerous moments he’s endured.
“I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God!”
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David is not primarily concerned with God blessing him. Instead, he’s concerned with this giant who is defaming God and now he’s prepared to stand up for the name and fame of God.
While not nearly as violent nor intense, Ligertwood shares a similar passion for the name of God. In the bridge, she sings,
“Bless God for He holds the victory
Bless God for He's always with me
Bless God for He's always worthy
Every chance I get, I'll bless Your name”
In a culture that values wealth, health, success, and other blessings in life, we’re invited to be a counter-culture as followers of Jesus. Instead of living for the blessings of God and seeking for God to bless us, we are invited to make blessing God our top priority. Every chance we get and every day we live is an opportunity to bless God to a world that neither knows Him nor recognizes His care for them.
If you haven’t heard it, check out Brooke Ligertwood’s song “Bless God” and seize the opportunity to praise God no matter what season of life you are in today!
Scott Savage is a pastor and a writer with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps you laugh, challenges you to think, and invites you to grow. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and watches lots of football with his wife and three kids. You can learn more about Scott’s new free resource, The Gratitude Muscle Challenge, at scottsavagelive.com.
