I listened to my daughter humming as she rocked my grandson, Thomas. The sweet, sleepy tune repeating was so very familiar. As she hummed, the words came back to me.
“I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice to worship You, O my soul, rejoice!
Take joy, my King, in what You hear and let it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.”
(Laurie Brendemuehl Klein, 1978)
On Sunday, we say we’re going to worship, as if it’s a place or an event, but worship is a state of mind and a matter of the heart. It’s a 24/7/365 attitude that acknowledges Jesus as Lord to the glory of God the Father by the power of His Holy Spirit. Worship is anything I think, say, or do that aligns my heart, mind, and soul to my Heavenly Father’s.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was confronted by the angel, Gabriel with an impossible announcement. Though only a young girl, Mary’s attitude was one of complete surrender and her response to the Lord was pure worship. That’s how I long to respond.
“Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things!”
Luke 1:46-55 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.1.46-55.NLT
Many things could fall under a blog entitled A Fitting Reply, and in truth, I’m still amazed the .com was available. While searching for just the right umbrella under which to blog, I came across Proverbs 15:23.
“Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!”
Proverbs 15:23 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.15.23.NLT
During the most unlikely time in my life, two-thirds of the way through eight rounds of chemotherapy, driven by an urgency I’ve never experienced before, I started blogging. I had mentioned the idea to my eldest, a computer programmer by trade, a week or so before my cancer diagnosis. When I called to tell him the unexpected news, I asked him to put a pin in the website idea for the time being. Doctors’ appointments would take precedence at the moment.
My twenty-eight radiation treatments spanned the holidays. Thanksgiving was eclipsed by my youngest son’s marriage to my newest daughter-in-love and Christmas by my daughter and son-in-love’s announcement that they were expecting. Radiation was much more manageable than I’d imagined, so when the new year ushered in my chemotherapy, I was optimistic. My husband and I had been walking the Danes, Jake and Ella, together twice daily. He promised I was preparing my heart for surgery but we both hoped against hope that chemo wouldn’t halt us.
My third cycle knocked the wind from my sails. My blood levels dropped dangerously low. Twice my oncologist lowered the dosage, yet still I was able to continue my treatment. By the fifth round, I was thankful to be able to walk outside on the driveway to the mailbox and back by the fourth day after my infusion. I pushed myself to find some semblance of normal.
One of those mornings, I woke up with a wild idea which I shared with my husband over breakfast. We’d owned a little getaway at the coast for nearly eleven years and he’d threatened to sell it pretty much every fall when the insurance and taxes came due. I had always resisted the idea, but in the current real estate market, I suddenly felt sure the time was right. He promised to make the arrangements and drive me down at the end of my chemo cycle to gather our personal belongings. He made me promise not to overdo it, saying I could give directions and he would pack for me. Two sleepless night and two UHaul trailers later, the house was staged for showing and we were home, awaiting a contract.
That was Sunday and by Wednesday morning at 4:00 am, the website was built and my first post was live. I was running on pure adrenaline. As I closed my eyes to try and sleep on Wednesday evening, the reality of all that had happened settled in on me and I was sorely tempted to panic. I closed my eyes and addressed my comments to God.
“This is all Yours from start to finish, Lord. I can’t sustain something this big. If You started this then I trust You to carry it on to completion.”
Before I had finished praying, I had the outlines for the next five posts in my mind. I typed as quickly as I could to capture them in my Notes app. Mostly I don’t work that far ahead. I find that if I capture thoughts today and try to frame them for next week, I leave less room for God to work. Writing feels forced. When I read God’s Word, He speaks. When I’m listening, really paying attention, He’s faithful to teach me, just like He promised! (John 14:26) And what you read, A Fitting Reply, is my response to God.
Like Mary’s Magnificat, the Bible records the responses of others to the mighty works and great faithfulness of God. Many of the Psalms record David’s worship. Moses, Aaron, and Miriam teach the newly freed nation of Israel to sing a new song to the Lord. (Exodus 15:1-18) Deborah and Barak sang a victory song after the Lord’s defeat of Israel’s enemy. (Judges 5:1-31) Jesus entered Jerusalem during the Passover of His crucifixion to the worshipful praise of the people.
They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!””
John 12:12-13 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.12.12-13.NLT
Isaiah prophesied, “Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other. I have sworn by my own name; I have spoken the truth, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.””
Isaiah 45:22-23 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.45.22-23.NLT
Solomon entreated, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/pro.3.6.NASB1995
“Praise the Lord! Let all that I am praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.”
Psalms 146:1-2 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.146.1-2.NLT
“I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice to worship You, O my soul, rejoice!
Take joy, my King, in what You hear and let it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.”
(Laurie Brendemuehl Klein, 1978)
A Fitting Reply 
It is so awesome to see God’s plan unfold in your life! Thank you Lord for your great works. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20.
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What God has done in you and in your family this past year is an amazing inspiration. When I spoke to you on the front porch of the church about a year ago about something, I had no Idea of the whirlwind of a year you and your family were facing. God is good and he has brought such joy in the midst of pain. Thank you for sharing.
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