Day 8 "where Anguish meets Joy"

When I was a little girl, I was always afraid of the dark, and of being alone. I did not like sleeping alone and especially with the lights out.
One day, I remember coming to New Zealand for a holiday. We stayed at a farm and I slept with my sister in a strange, dark room. The beds were on each side of the room and I could not see my sister in the dark. I was terrified and called out to my sister a number of times to make sure she was still there. Unexpectedly, in her tired mumbling, she began to sing, and the lyrics went like this,

"Jesus, Lover of my soul,
Jesus, I will never let you go.
You've taken me,
from the miry clay,
You set my feet upon the rock,
And now I know,
I love you, I need you,
Though the world may fall I'll never let you go.
My savior, my closest friend,
I will worship you until the very end."
(By Hillsong United)

In that moment, I felt peace, and might I say, her voice sounded like an angel in my childish distress. This song has become my song of refuge, whenever I'm afraid or lonely I will sing this song out loud, whether I'm walking, unable to fall asleep, or facing daunting fears. I have other refuge songs too, but this one has the best memory attached to it.

In Psalms, David writes lyrics similar to my refuge song, and in that instant I remember what it felt like to sing to God in the midst of fear.

"I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD." (40:1-3)

I used to wonder why we sing to worship, also with the increasing debate about various forms of worship and the true definition of worship etc.
however, in Psalms, David said, "Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. 2 Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy" (33:1-3)

Does that mean that if we truly have a good relationship with God and have no condemnation of sin, then it is only normal that we praise Him in song? We're we truly made to worship? As a worship team member, I used to wonder if focusing on my skills and how well I play was really worshipping God, but here it says, "play skillfully!" And shout for Joy. So should worship be about Joy and freedom In Christ?

Job and David's writings seemed to me to have many similarities. The way they called out to God in Anguish for refuge, looking to God in dependence and trust.
So how does anguish and joy come together in worship? I believe that it is one of the only ways that anguish and joy can come together. It is the sanctuary where brokenness meets healing, grief meets comfort, fear meets peace, tears meet hope, guilt meets freedom, weakness meets strength, and anguish meets joy.

These are some other verses I enjoyed.

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. 31: 24

Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit 32: 2

No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.
33:16

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them 34:7