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May 1, 2020
I’m not usually up this early… but I woke up from a dream singing a song that I hadn’t heard for years – and had to look and see if I could find it. Here it is. Such a beautiful message. He ‑is‑ coming again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IzsF5F1xrI
Go ahead, drive the nails in My hands
Laugh at Me, where you stand
Go ahead, and say it isn’t Me
The day will come, when you will see
‘Cause I’ll rise again
Ain’t no power on earth can tie Me down
Yes, I’ll rise again
Death can’t keep Me in the ground
Go ahead, and mock My name
My love for you is still the same
Go ahead, and bury Me
But very soon, I will be free
‘Cause I’ll rise again
Ain’t no power on earth can tie Me down
Yes, I’ll rise again
Death can’t keep Me in the ground
Go ahead, and say I’m dead and gone
But you will see that you were wrong
Go ahead, try to hide the Son
But all will see that I’m the One
‘Cause I’ll come again
Ain’t no power on earth can keep me back
Yes, I’ll come again
Come to take My people back
Judy Roth
Powerful
God so loved the world
“The Light of Christmas” – Cook Baptist & Calvary Baptist
“The Light of Christmas” presented by the combined choirs,…
YOUTUBE.COM
This wasn’t easy to find – but this YouTube clip includes a song that I recently learned, starting at about minute 17, called “God so Loved the World”. I got to sing this song on Sunday evening with Silver Serenaders, and the beauty of the message really struck me – maybe the most concise expression in Scripture of God’s love for us, and what He has done so that we can be reconciled to Him.
The words are quite familiar, from John 3:16-17, but one thing caught my attention. It was one word that had tripped me up when we first began learning the song, so I had to give that word special attention to get it right. It’s the word *shall*. “That whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” What sometimes accidentally came to my lips in place of this was “should not perish.” Looking it up, I see that this came from my upbringing with the King James or Revised Standard versions of the Bible. Just a subtle difference in translation choices – but on Sunday night the difference to me in meaning went pretty deep, having to do with the degree of certainty that this gift of God is for real – that He really has promised it to me, and that what He has promised, that He will indeed accomplish.
Now, our certainty of this doesn’t have to hinge on this one subtle translation choice. As we read the rest of God’s word to us, and also as we walk the path that He lays before us in this life, beginning to see more and more clearly with our own eyes that He is indeed with us, smoothing the way, and getting us past those hurdles of sin which even now the enemy continues to try to put in our path, that same certainty rises up from within us, as an unquenchable faith that God is, that He is with us, and that He will accomplish all that He’s promised.
But still – to have this certainty expressed more perfectly in that song Sunday night, gave it deep meaning for me which otherwise might have just slipped past me.
Resting in the hands of our Father, until He brings us home
Longing to see, to know, to understand – I’m brought back once again to this especially fragrant glimpse that came to me 7 1/2 weeks after my accident –
Aug 26, 2014
Resting in the hands of my Father.
For so much of my life I’ve missed it –
Trying so hard to do and achieve and accomplish,
But when I succeed, missing the most important piece –
To know – Not just to guess and speculate,
But to know –
That He is the source.
That all I am and have been able to be
Is from His hand.
That without Him I would have nothing.
And even when I don’t yet see the answers,
To know –
That I can rest in Him.
There will come a day,
When the former things have passed away,
That we’ll see Him face to face,
And recognize all that’s been hidden from our eyes.
The veil will be lifted,
And we will be with Him;
Walking with Him,
Enjoying His presence,
Forever.
Revelation 21:1-4
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Revelation 22:1-6
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”
O come, O come, Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
I know, it’s not Christmas. But for some reason this song is what was on my heart last night and this morning.
Following faithfully in each step He places before me
Not sure why this thought has come to me today. But it seems the Lord is telling me to “expect the unexpected”. To lean hard on Him, not leaning on my own incomplete understandings of things, but looking to His guidance, following faithfully in each step He places before me, and in His name welcoming whatever I find unfolding on this path – on His path – on the path that He’s given me to follow.
Prov 4:18 “The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until the full day.”
The Path of the Righteous
Composed 1982–1984, Proverbs 4:18
The path I follow
Is the path that leads me home.
And guiding each step that I take,
My Lord Jesus holds my hand.
The path of the righteous
Is like the light of dawn.
The path of the righteous
Is like the morning sun.
That shines brighter and brighter
Brighter and brighter,
That shines brighter and brighter
Until the full day.
The sun’s arising
As the old things pass away.
The darkness is leaving my heart
At the dawning of the day.
The path of the righteous
Is like the light of dawn.
The path of the righteous
Is like the morning sun.
That shines brighter and brighter
Brighter and brighter,
That shines brighter and brighter
Until the full day.
Because He Himself came and redeemed us
Last night during a devotional at the office we were asked to just be quiet and think on the Lord for a few minutes. I did that. There was a lot on my mind, and I didn’t have a clear picture of specifics to pray for – to ask the Lord for – but I tried to just do what the leader was asking us to do. My mind was sort of in a disconnect mode for a minute or so, not sure now whether I was awake or asleep – but then as if to call me back to the meeting at hand, I heard singing. Nobody there in the room was actually singing – but what I heard in my mind was a group of people singing these words from a well-known song:
Let the weak say I am strong,
Let the poor say I am rich,
Because of what the Lord has done for us,
Give thanks!!
This morning I had to look up that song to refresh my memory of what it’s about, and to try to understand what the Lord was saying to me through this. The rest of the words are:
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son.
And the point – the main point – is the central importance of this one event about 2000 years ago – that He gave us Jesus Christ, His Son. If it weren’t for this – if He hadn’t loved us quite enough to go through with it – if He had called off this master plan because it was going to be just too difficult – this plan for our redemption which had been set in place even at the foundation of the world… then we would have had no hope. For us there would simply be no redemption, if He hadn’t provided it. He alone – no one else – had the capacity to bring about this amazing turnaround and utter defeat of the enemy of our souls.
And it’s because He did do this – because He did follow through with all that He had promised, redeeming us from the curse that had enslaved us since the time of Adam, that now we who in our own strength are poor and weak – because He has made a way for us to reconnect with Him and thus rely on His riches and strength, we can now truly say that we are rich, and that we are strong, because it is in His strength that we stand.
And then having given me this signpost, during the rest of the meeting the Lord proceeded to clear the way for success in completing a project that’s been strongly on my heart over the last several weeks – one which points to this very thing – the centrality of what He did 2000 years ago. Marked even in the signs that He placed in the heavens, as with deep precision He set each of the planets on its course back at the dawn of time. Thank you Holy Father for Your limitless power and depth of understanding – and that despite our inadequacy and failure – despite our rebellion against You – You see beyond our sin, beyond what we are now, to what we can be and will be – to what we are to become when Your work in us has been completed.
Don Moen – Give Thanks (with Lyrics)
No copyright infringement intended. Copyrights reserved by copyright owners. Give thanks with a grateful heart Give thanks…
Jesus loves me, even me!
I got to watch our grandson David this afternoon while his Mommy caught up on the work in the backyard – and once again he brought new inspiration to my singing. A new take on an old song. Same timeless message really – but this is the facet that came to light today –
Jesus loves me, even me!
He broke my chains and set me free!
Now I live for Him alone
Until the day He calls me home.
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
He gave Himself for me!
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Be thou my vision.
Not my wimpy understandings
of those things I think I know –
of what I think I understand about You,
and of Your judgements.
But You Yourself –
May I connect with Your heart each moment,
and hear all that You’re saying to me.
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Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
be thou my best thought in the day and the night,
both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word,
be thou ever with me, and I with thee Lord;
be thou my great Father, and I thy true son;
be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Riches I need not, nor man’s empty praise:
be thou mine inheritance now and always;
be thou and thou only the first in my heart;
The King of high heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of heaven, thou heaven’s bright sun,
O grant me its joys after victory is won;
great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.
Be thou my vision – Irish Tenors
Of the various version of this wonderful song, I feel this is one of the best. If you like, be sure to buy a copy somewhere. ^^ For me…
An unexpected peace
Holy Father, this day, in the midst of all that life throws at us – controversies, disagreements, uncertainties – may we also find an unexpected peace.
May we see your own hand at work, preparing a path through uncharted territory, bringing about resolutions that we wouldn’t have thought were even possible. May we rest in you, in full confidence, knowing that your wisdom is higher than the heavens, and your understanding deeper than the sea.
Somewhere High Above
Composed Feb 15, 2017 – from Dad, to Jennifer
Somewhere high above
in the Father’s love
He sees what you will be
when you have been set free
Though we don’t understand
ev’rything He’s planned
If we rest in his hand
He will show the way
Lord take us by the hand and lead us
guiding ev’ry step along the way
which even at the dawn of time
in wisdom You prepared for us
Lord fit us for the tasks to which You called us
even as You formed us in the dark
before our eyes had yet been opened
to see the light of day
Somewhere high above
in Your redeeming love
You see what we will be
when you have set us free
Though we don’t understand
ev’rything You’ve planned
We’re resting in Your hand
Lord please show the way
Somewhere high above
in Your abiding love
You see what we will be
when you have set us free
Though we don’t understand
ev’rything You’ve planned
We’re resting in Your hand
Lord please show the way
Your Goodness Oh Lord
“My goodness“. It’s an interesting phrase. I heard myself saying it just now, and it caught my attention. Holy Father, for the goodness that you’ve given me access to, and which I sometimes successfully allow to play out in my life, I am deeply grateful. The difference it makes in my life is like light shining in the darkness.
But Father, to be honest I have to confess, that it’s not “my” goodness. It’s Yours. “My” goodness has never measured up, and never will, to what’s needed to mend this world’s brokenness. You are the source, the author, of all that’s good.
Thank you – that in your lovingkindness you’ve granted us access to Your goodness, that we might let that play out in our lives. Truly your heart’s desire is that we would receive far more of it than we do. May we fully open our hearts to You, and receive all that you have for us.
Your Goodness Oh Lord
Composed May 24, 2011
Your goodness Oh Lord – so deep I can’t fathom,
I’m always amazed at the depth of your love.
The care that you show, as the path blooms before me,
And I feel the light of your smile.
The love that you show as we love one another,
The care that you show through the eyes of a friend,
They’re all glimpses of life as you meant us to live it,
Of life that is ours if only we’ll give it,
Glimpses of life as you meant us to live it,
The life that will fully be ours in the end.
Thank you Lord for the sunshine.
Thank you Lord for your love.
Thank you Lord for your whispers to each of our hearts,
May they fall like sweet rain on our souls.
Signs and Seasons, Days and Years 