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Are You Preparing for Your Perpetual Praise?

Then I Shall Bow

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
  And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
  And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”

How Great Thou Art
By: Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940)

Listen to this trumpet version as you read.  Subscribers and Free Members please be sure to experience the worship-cultivating podcast below.

We close out this final stanza with some thoughtful reflection on our response at Christ’s return.  Philippians 2:10-11 tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, but what great joy is ours to choose to worship Him now.  Even still, take some time today to ponder what those moments will be like, and how you will respond. Let’s think about this.

I Shall Bow

Having acknowledged Christ’s return, the text now turns to our response.  This is a Biblical pattern, in that God always initiates and gives us the opportunity to respond.  Whether in creation, redemption, or now here in the consummation, God does something to which we react.  I like to define worship as sincere responses to God’s self-revelations.

There are two very distinct responses portrayed.  The physical and spiritual.  We will deal with the physical first, as the text does, though I would contend it tends to be the latter of the two and an outward expression of an inward reality.

The worshipper takes a posture to demonstrate they are aligning themselves under the greatness of God.  Have you ever bowed down in the presence of God?  Maybe it was in a service, or maybe you were alone with Him and you simply decided to take a knee to demonstrate your surrender to His authority.   If you have never done that, why not?  Let’s change that right now.  Kneel down before the One who is coming back one day.

Jesus, I kneel before you as an outward expression of the inward reality that I desire to submit my will and my way to you today, as surely as I will on that coming day.  I want this to be true in every way, every day, so even when I am standing up and walking around my heart sustains a humble adoration.  Help me please.

Humble Adoration

In Humble Adoration

The physical is but a representation of what has transpired in the spiritual.  This posture, one of deep love and respect, begins in the heart, which Scripture teaches is the seat of our intellect, emotions and will.  Scriptures like this one.

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, Hebrews 12:28 ESV

When Christ returns He will establish that unshakable kingdom, and though we are grateful now, our current gratitude indubitably pales in comparison to our future gratitude.  Likewise our current worship pales in comparison to our future worship, when we will be in the very presence of our Lord.

We will not feign humble adoration, but enter into it fully.  Our reverence and awe will consume us, burning away all of our former lessor pursuits and revealing hearts ablaze for His glory.  What a day that will be!  We rehearse for it every time we worship, but our performance of it then will be truly inspired!!

Ask Jesus to help you prepare for those moments of humble adoration by empowering you to humble yourself now.   Ask Him to give you a heart to worship Him, one filled with gratitude for all He has done, and the inheritance that affords.  Adore Him right now.

How Great Thou Art

And Then Proclaim

Then.  The End of Time.  The beginning of eternity.

Revelation paints an incredible picture of what that end of days worship will be like.  Angels and elders, saints and living creatures, fully engaged in declaring with due emphasis the greatness of our God.  We will think more about His greatness next week, so I want to focus here on our part of the proclaiming that will take place.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. Psalm 29:2 ESV

Though the Psalmists would have had the structure of the Tabernacle or the glory of the Temple to inspire their praise in their day those were mere shadows of what will inform our praise on that Day.  Still they instruct us as to what we should do, attribute the glory that is due the name of God, and render Him the honor that is due no other.  And render we shall.  We will be overwhelmed by the spender of His holiness.

That was and will be then, but this is now.  I hope you are not waiting until then to fully engage in the proclamation of His greatness.  Sure, you will be more equipped and more inspired to offer it then, but don’t let your current capacity hinder you.  He is just as great today as He will be then.  Determine to proclaim here and now, “How great You are!”

What tools are at your disposal?  Maybe you want to just shout it out, or sing it loud.  Maybe you want to grab a guitar or sit at a piano.  Maybe you want to write a poem or a note.  Maybe you want to sit in silence or call someone.  Use whatever you have right now to rehearse for that final, eternal performance!

Jesus, thank You for the promise of Your return.  I long for that Day and the praise I will offer You then.  As I wait for it, help me to prepare by offering You praise every day in every way and to put Your greatness on display! In Jesus’ name.   Amen.

Worshipful Thinking!

Are these thoughts helping you to develop greater spiritual awareness?  Sign-up in the form to the right above to get updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, and sometimes to Free Members.  Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library, click here.  Or check out some other samples at our Free Member Content Library.  We have lots of tools and lots of options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today!!

Subscribers and Free Members enjoy this podcast!  Everyone else the transcript below! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures shared.

Podcast 10.4 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,

1 Thessalonians 4:16 ESV

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

The day is coming when Christ returns.  Can you imagine it? The trumpet resounds and the Lord descends with archangel announcing it all.  Are you longing for it? Ask God to stir your heart to long for it even as you echo the prayer, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

  And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 ESV

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

What a comfort that when this happens we have a place.  Our Lord will call us to join Him in the air. Are you ready to fly?  I can hardly fathom how overwhelming this will be. He returns and then calls us to HImself, where we will spend eternity.  Thank Him for giving us this hope.

Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,

Hebrews 12:28 ESV

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

Bowing in humble adoration, with reverence and awe, we will express our gratitude to Christ for the inheritance that is ours.  A kingdom that cannot be shaken. Unlike the kingdoms of this world, this one is eternal, and we get to live in it. Worship Him now, and forever!  

  And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”

Psalm 29:2 ESV

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

Oh how we will praise Him on that day!  It will be worship in His glorious holy presence.  As we look forward to and long for those moments of praise, determine to praise Him even while you wait.  He is just as worthy now so instruct your soul to sing of His greatness today.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
  And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
  And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
Then I Shall Bow – https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/seeking-god?sort=best&mediatype=photography&phrase=seeking%20god
Humble Adoration – https://stream.org/power-seeking-gods-face/
How Great Thou Art – https://mylordmyfriend.com/2013/03/20/the-throne-room-of-god/

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Going Home, But What Does That Mean?

When Christ Shall Come

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
  And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
  And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”

How Great Thou Art
By: Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940)

Listen to this trumpet version as you read.  Please check out the video log below which will guide you through a worshipful reflection of this stanza, often only available to Subscribers and Free Members.

If His work in creation and His re-creation of life on the cross were not enough to convince one of His greatness, our author turns the consummation of the ages in Christ’s return to make His final appeal.  Are you ready for it?  Take a few minutes today to prepare yourself for eternity, ushered in by the second coming of Jesus.  Tune your heart to be ready to join the song of praise that will ring across all time and space.

When Christ Shall Come

We are His people between His advent’s.  He came once.  He will come again.  And when He does He will take us to be with Him forever, never to be separated again.  That after all is the definition of heaven, eternal bliss in the very presence of our Lord.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 ESV

There is an interesting trinity here.

  1. A Cry of Command
  2. The Voice of An Archangel
  3. The Sound of the Trumpet

The latter two are more straightforward.  An archangel will lift a voice to declare His return.  The angel is not named but what a privilege that will be.  Angel voices are often compared to trumpets in the Scripture.  I believe this is because there are so powerful and unearthly, that the writers struggle to adequately describe them.  This will be a heavenly trumpet blast announcing Christ’s return.  Again every trumpeter of faith would love to have the privilege to sound that call.

This leaves “a cry of command”. I think it may be tied to the last part of the verse.  Maybe it is Jesus’ call for the dead in Christ to rise, similar to the authority He demonstrated with Lazarus.  After all, the old quip was that if Jesus had not said, “Lazarus, come out” that all the faithful who died in faith would have been resurrected then and there.

No matter how you look at it He is coming back.  The writer says “When”, not”If”.  Our confidence declares He is coming back.

Are you convinced He is coming back?  Do you live like you are convinced, or is it just an idea?  Take a few moments and ponder if you are truly ready to hear the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet blast.  Ask Jesus to help you prepare for His cry of command.

Shout of Acclamation

With Shout of Acclamation

I think this is a great reference to the voice of the archangel.  Actually I was fascinated as I was searching the Scriptures at how well these first two lines parallel these two verses from I Thessalonians 4.  He is coming back, announced by the archangel voice, and we will be with Him forever.  What joy!

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.  1 Thessalonians 4:17 ESV

Acclamation is an unusual word.  Here it means loud and enthusiastic approval, welcoming and honoring Jesus.  You probably knew that.  What you may not have know, and I will be honest I did not, was that it can also mean “an overwhelming affirmative vote by cheers, shouts, or applause rather than by ballot.”

What struck me about that was the fact that there was no ballot.  Though I understand that means that the approval is so significant a counting of ballots is unnecessary, I first read it to mean simply that there was no ballot.  This made sense because it is not as if earth get a vote.  While we long for His return since it will be such a wonderful day for people of faith, it will be a dreadful day for the faithless.

All the same, they do not get a vote.

We have the incredible privilege of being among those who will be joining that acclamation, but not because of anything we have done.  It is a gift of grace.  Thank Jesus that you can look forward to His return because it will be a joyful occasion for you.

Take Me Home

Take Me Home

I think believers often imagine that when we get to our eternal home, heaven, we will sit around on clouds singing and and playing harps forever.  That is actually not a very Biblical view.  Though the Thessalonian passage says we will be caught up in the clouds and meet Him in the air, it does not say we will stay there.

It is clear in revelation there will be a wedding celebration, with feasting.  We know that God will create a new heaven and new earth.  I would contend why would we need a new earth if we are going to reside in heaven alone?

Do you see my point?

When Jesus takes us “home” I imagine there will be earthly qualities to that place, albeit perfect.  That is why I chose the image which portrays heaven and earth because both will be a part of that existence.  I have my own little, personal take that.

What Joy

I am from West Virginia and we have a song that expresses what it feels like to have been away from home and be returning.  If you are not familiar with it, it is called Take Me Home, Country Roads, by John Denver.  Of course my capacity to understand heaven is limited by my experience of “Almost Heaven, West Virginia”, but it is also informed by it.

What I mean by that is as much as God will create a new earth, I believe the best of this one will be somehow present there.  Or to say it another way, the very best of this life is a shadow of what it to come.  You can not completely describe something if you have only seen its shadow, but you have some idea at the very least.

I am not encouraging you to fashion heaven entirely in your own mind, but use your sanctified imagination and let the Spirit lead you.  I believe that is part of the joy that will fill our hearts, the fulfillment of our deepest longings, in terms of the place of our home, not to mention the company we will keep, which is ultimately what make it heaven in the first place.

Your sin has been taken away, but do you chase after it sometimes?  You can die to sin and live righteousness, but you will need the help of the Holy Spirit to do so consistently.  Ask Him for that help right now.

Jesus, thank You the promise that You will one day return and take us to be with You.  Help me to long for that coming today.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

Joyful Tuning!

Keep coming back and we will work help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence.   We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

 

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Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, often to Free Members, but here to everyone.  Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library, click here, or the Free Member Content Library with some examples of the complete Subscribers content, click here.

Everyone enjoy this video and transcript below!

Video 10.3 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
  And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
  And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”

He is coming back.  Just as certainly as He came as the babe in the manger, He will come back as the Lord of all.  And it will not only be angels expressing loud and enthusiastic approval, but all of creation. Will you tune your heart today in preparation for that day?

He is coming back, not to make His home in us, but to take us to our eternal home with Him.  The joy that will fill our hearts that day as we realize in full the hope we have today is impossible to imagine.  Ask Jesus to help you long for that day.

I like to imagine what that will be like when I am finally in the presence of my Savior and my God, including what my response will be.  Bowing in humble adoration seems like an appropriate one. Humble yourself before Him today, so you are ready for that one.

But I will not only bow, I will also declare “My God how great You are!” amid many other expressions of praise and worship.  I am so thankful I can practice for those moments by choosing to worship now. Are you regularly practicing your praise?

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
When Christ Shall Come – https://stephensizer.com/2016/01/speeding-christs-return/
With Shout of Acclamation – https://escapetoreality.org/2016/11/24/when-is-the-second-coming/
Take My Home – https://pixabay.com/photos/cliff-adventure-above-hiking-1822484/
What Joy Shall FIll My Heart – https://pixabay.com/photos/country-road-forest-road-country-1149667/

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Why Didn’t I Think of That?

And When I Think

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
  Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
  He bled and died to take away my sin.

How Great Thou Art
By: Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940)

Listen to this interesting violin arrangement as you read.  And EVERYONE please be sure to experience the worship-cultivating podcast below.

We continue our gaze at the cross where God put His greatness on display through the willing sacrifice of His Son. We saved the first half of the stanza for today because it expressly talks about thinking about the cross.  We want to help you love God with all your mind.  That’s part of why Resonant 7 exists.  May God enable you to ponder His cross in a way that inspires your praise today.  Let’s think about this.

When I Think

We are thinking about the cross.  Now let us be careful not to make the cross itself the object of our worship.  For it but is a symbol of God’s love for us and must not become the focal point of our adoration.  That place belongs to Jesus alone, because of what He did for us.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16 ESV 

But we should think about this.  This is such a foundational truth that we can be guilty of taking it for granted.  Instead we should reflect on Jesus’ work routinely and let it shape and reshape our love and our life.

Maybe you have a cross somewhere nearby, or an image saved on your phone that is meaningful to you.  Do not worship it, but look at it and allow God to fill your heart with gratitude for what Jesus did for you on the cross.  Take a few moments now and do that.  You can use the image below if you do not have another one handy.

Sent Him to Die

God, His Son Not Sparing

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 ESV 

I am a father of four boys.  It is hard for me to imagine sending my son to pay the penalty of someone else’s wrong.  Even if that person was remarkable and their life was otherwise an incredible influence on others it just seems like there is no way I would do that.  Let alone if the person was a trouble maker, liar, thief, rebellious, foul, wretched and mean.  But that is exactly what our Father did.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:6-8

Think of that moment in history when Jesus climbed that hill to Calvary carrying His cross.  In that moment you and I were still sinners.  We had not sinned yet, but we were doomed to do so as children of Adam.  Even still the Father did not spare Jesus the pain of the cross, but sent Him there to die for us.

Though He was God, Jesus was also man.  He endured the cross, scorning it’s shame, but it was still agonizing.  He was not spared that misery.  Think on that for a moment, and then thank Him for His obedience and sacrifice.

Almost Unfathomable

Scarce Can Take It In

I know it is true because I have felt the effects of it in my own life, and seen it in the lives of others.  I have witnessed transformation of countenance and character.  I have watched as sorrow over sin was turned into joy for justification.  I have beheld miraculous healing and been overwhelmed by grace.

Still, I scarce can it in.

I can barely fathom the greatness of grace displayed in Jesus and His cross.  Barely, but I do believe.  And even that gift is but another expression of His greatness, to bridge the chasm that my waywardness and yours had created, and reinforced.

We really should think about this more often.

So how about you?   Can you “take it in”?  Is it easy?  If so, maybe you need to step back a bit and look at the cross again.  The humility to say “I can barely wrap my mind around this” is an experience of grace in and of itself.  Ask the Holy Spirit to take you to the brink and your understanding and reveal anew the marvel of the cross which puts God’s greatness on display.

Spirit, thank You for enabling me to take in the wonder of the cross.  Without such capacity, I would never have yielded my life to Jesus, for I would not have understood my need of Him without it.  Keep that wonder fresh through the seasons, and start by making it fresh today. In Jesus’ name.   Amen.

Marvelous Thinking!

Are these thoughts helping you to develop greater spiritual awareness?  Sign-up in the form to the right above to get updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, but today to everyone.  Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library, click here.  Or check out some other samples at our Free Member Content Library.  We have lots of tools and lots of options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today!!

Everyone enjoy this podcast and everyone the transcript below! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures shared.

Podcast 10.3 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;

John 3:16 ESV 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

And here is maybe the most well-known, often-quoted single verse in all of Scripture.  But I wonder how many really know this truth well among the many that hear it. If you do, give Him praise because knowing this, and believing it, changes everything. 

  Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;

Romans 8:32 ESV 

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

The Father gave up His only Son for all of us.  That fact alone is difficult to grasp. When coupled with the truth of this verse which speaks of what Christ has then graciously made available, it truly defies imagination.  Give thanks to our Father for His gracious gifts to you.

That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus became the founder and perfecter of our faith when He endured the cross, despising the shame, but gladly bearing our burden of sin.  Look nowhere else but to Jesus! The One who became our sacrifice and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  

  He bled and died to take away my sin.

1 Peter 2:24 ESV

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed

Jesus bore our sins for a purpose. So that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.  We have been healed by His wounds. Are you making the most of this new opportunity to live rightly, or are you still injuring yourself with sin?  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you die to sin and live to God.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
  Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
  He bled and died to take away my sin.

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
And When I Think – https://pixabay.com/photos/woman-mood-cross-windows-reflect-1245788/
Sent Him to Die – https://pixabay.com/photos/jesus-cross-faith-crucifixion-3476251/
Scarce Can Take It In – https://pixabay.com/photos/thinking-thinking-work-man-face-272677/

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Who Bears a Burden Gladly?

That on the Cross

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
  Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
  He bled and died to take away my sin.

How Great Thou Art
By: Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940)

Listen to this awesome electric guitar version as you read.  Subscribers and Free Members make sure to check out the video log below which will guide you through a worshipful reflection of this stanza.  Everyone else check out the transcript at the end.

This week we look to the cross where God put His greatness on display through the sacrifice of His Son.  Not sure how the Father sending His only Son to the cross displays His greatness?  Read on.  It is truly a remarkable demonstration.  Since the first part of the stanza focuses more on the reflective thinking aspect we will save those lines and the pondering they welcome for Thursday.  Let’s turn our eyes to the cross and tune our hearts.

The Cross

The cross has become such a familiar symbol of our faith I fear we often fail to realize the significance of it.  When you think of the cross of Christ, what comes to mind?  Sacrifice?  Obedience? Cruelty?  It is difficult to see the cross with fresh eyes, but we need to try just the same.  Look to Jesus…

Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:2 ESV

What an expansive perspective!  He founded and perfected our faith.  Joy was before Him, but it required Him to go through the cross to reach it.  He went there even though He possessed a deep disdain for the humiliation He would endure.  And then at the end we see what exactly that joy is which was mentioned at the start, the glory and honor of being seated in a place of honor at the right hand of God.

Let me offer you some other words that have helped to shape my view of the cross.  They are taken from the song “All I Have is Christ”.  I have always felt that even the title elicits a strong response.  From the believer a hearty “Amen!” with the full knowledge that He is all I need.  From the unbeliever an awkward “I’m sorry” fueled by an ignorant pity for us thinking we have lack.

And I beheld God’s love displayed,
You suffered in my place.
You bore the wrath reserved for me,
now all I know is grace.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ.

You may listen to “All I Have is Christ” here.

Jesus, thank You for going to the cross.  Your obedience on it not only changed the course of history, it transformed my eternal destiny.  You are all I have, and that is all I need.

My Burden Gladly Bearing

My Burden Gladly Bearing

The sin of the world.  What a burden!

My sin.  What a Savior!

Carried, but undeserved.  How unfair!

Gladly?  How can it be!?!

While each word of this short phrase is rightfully worship-inducing, the use of the word gladly is truly remarkable.  That Jesus would bear my burden is unfathomable without the work of the Spirit convincing me of such.  But gladly?  That is just too much!

It reminds me of the word joy from Hebrews 12:2 above and points to another layer of the honor received when He takes that seat beside God.  Certainly there is joy in having fulfilled His Father’s will, but what exactly was that? Redeeming a people from the penalty of their sin, by taking it upon Himself.  His joy includes the fact that He bore my burden and in so doing freed me from it.

He was glad to do so because He knew I never could.

Praise Jesus for the gladness He modeled in laying down His life.  Consider how you might reflect that today.  You will likely not be crucified, but can you choose to die to self and let Christ live in you today.  Can you do so gladly?

He Bled and Died

To Take Away My Sins

Twice in this short stanza we declare that Jesus died.  First that the Father sent Him to die, and later that He bled and died.  And His death, commanded by the the Father and endured by the Son, accomplished this.  It took away my sin.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24 ESV

He died so we would not have to.  But He also died so that we could choose to, and then really live.  We die to sin, and live to righteousness.  We make this choice, and make it over and over again, and yet there is a sense of finality in what Christ has done in to taking away my sin.

It is an interesting concept espoused here, my sin being taken away.  It is a Scriptural one though.

as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:12 (ESV)

That whole section of the Psalm eludes to God’s grace demonstrated in the removing of sin.  But interestingly it never clarifies how that is accomplished.  Jesus work on the cross satisfies the wrath of God toward our sin and His justice in dealing with it through His shed blood.

Your sin has been taken away, but do you chase after it sometimes?  You can die to sin and live righteousness, but you will need the help of the Holy Spirit to do so consistently.  Ask Him for that help right now.

Keep coming back and we will work help you remove the things that may hinder your living in righteousness by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence.   We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

Glad Tuning!

Jesus, thank You for going to the cross, bearing my burden, and taking away my sin.  Cause Your cross to stimulate my praise afresh today that I may die to sin and walk in righteousness.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

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Subscribers and Free Members enjoy this video! Everyone else the transcript below!

Video 10.3 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
  Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
  He bled and died to take away my sin.

I am a dad. The thought of offering the life of one of my boys for someone else is incomprehensible, let alone if that someone is a sinner.  Think about what that decision must’ve been like for our Father.

But to think the father sent his son to die.  Wow! I can easily echo the words of the writer, barely able to even fathom this sacrifice.  Can you imagine this transaction?

But Jesus had to die for me, because only he could bear my burden on that cross.  And He did so gladly, honoring the Father and giving His life for me. Though I honestly lack the capacity to fathom His selflessness, or express my gratitude, I must try.  Join me in praise.

He bled and died.  He took away my sins, your sins, and the sins of the world.  Is there a better expression of His greatness? I think not. Thank Jesus for laying aside His greatness for you and simultaneously demonstrating His greatness to you.  

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
That on the Cross – https://pixabay.com/photos/cross-christ-faith-god-jesus-2713353/
My Burden Gladly Bearing – https://pixabay.com/photos/christ-cross-faith-jesus-passion-3484141/
He Bled and Died – https://pixabay.com/photos/jesus-cross-jesus-christ-christ-1478454/

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Grandeur in Brooks and Breezes

Lofty Mountain Granduer

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
   And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
   And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

How Great Thou Art
By: Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940)

Listen to this interesting violin arrangement as you read.  And Subscribers and Free Members be sure to experience the worship-cultivating podcast below.

The greatness of God is always on display around us, but we seldom take the time to appreciate it.  I pray today’s blog helps you create a few minutes to cultivate a greater awareness of the greatness of our God.  That’s why Resonant 7 exists.  May He give your the perspective you need to see, hear and feel His power on display all around you today.  Let’s think about this.

When I Look Down

I had the opportunity to drive to the top of Pike’s Peak with my oldest son two years ago.  Some of those switchbacks would put the fear of God in just about any honest soul.  As we stood out near the edge at a couple of the stops on the way down it was truly breath-taking.  My heart filled with praise.  Lofty mountain grandeur indeed.  It was a sight to behold!

For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!  Amos 4:13 ESV 

One of my favorite words is perspective.  Years ago as I prepared to head off to seminary a dear friend took me up a mountain to the foot of a large cross outside of Uniontown, Pennsylvania in the Allegheny Mountains.  He encouraged me to look over at the town, miles and miles away.  He then challenged me with the thought of how small a problem can become with different perspective.  You see, as you walk the streets of town a problem can seem enormous, but when you get a few thousand feet above it suddenly it becomes smaller.

The One who made the mountains also made me.  He knows what I am made of, and is familiar with my limitations.  If I am willing to get His perspective on anything it can inform my response.

What do you need a different perspective on today?  What situation right now has you overwhelmed by it’s magnitude? Are you willing to see it in light of the greatness of God?  Maybe getting a few thousand feet above it will change how you see it.  Take a moment to do that right now.

See the Brook

What Do You See?

So the mountaintop perspective can be very helpful.  But you can not live there.  It is too sparse.  You need to come down from it’s lofty grandeur and live in the place where your life flows freely.

You need to get down where you can see the brook in the valley.  Appreciate its refreshing nature.  Be calmed by the tranquil trickling of its water.  Find restoration in its life-giving flow.

What restores you?  I am referring particularly to your soul.  When your soul is weary and parched, what brings you refreshment?

  He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
  He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Psalm 23:2-3 ESV

I find restoration in being alone.  Part of it is the quiet.   Another is the solitude.  I think more clearly, and ultimately find myself, in my deepest places, more in tune with God there.  I see Him in other ways, places and times, but none quite like those quiet ones.

There are many paths to this place of rest renewal.  Do you know yours?  If not, ask God to help you identify your streams of living water.  If so, have you been there lately? Get there today even if only for a short time.

Feel the Gentle Breeze

Feel the Breeze

There are a couple that really stand out to me.  Those sweltering days when there is no air moving and suddenly to of nowhere comes the relief of a little moving air.  Then there are those days when winter is still holding on but you hear a rustling of the wind and as it engulfed you the warmth and scent of spring seem to overwhelm you.

When have you noticed that gentle breeze?

The imagery of the wind here reminds me of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3 that ‘The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from or where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  The gentle breeze of the breath of God, the Holy Spirit.

I heard this illustration years ago.  You can not see the wind, but you see the effects of it.  You see the leaves swaying and the tress bending.  The same is true of the Spirit.  You see the impact He has, but can not trace His form.

And you can feel Him.  You may not be able to explain it with words, or even teach someone else how to identify it, but when the Holy Spirit is moving in your life, like the wind through the trees, you can not deny it.

Ask the Holy Spirit to blow through your life today.  When you do, be ready.  As you see the evidence of His moving, first identify it, then join Him in it.  Our Great God wants to put His glory on display in your life today.  Open your life to see and feel it.

Father, thank You putting Your greatness on display in creation, and in my life.  Help me to hear, see and feel your activity all around me.  Forgive me for the times I have been inattentive to Your creativity and activity.  In Jesus’ name.   Amen.

Sensitive Thinking!

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Subscribers and Free Members enjoy this podcast and everyone the transcript below! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures shared.

Podcast 10.2 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,

Psalm 96:12 Living Bible (TLB)

Praise him for the growing fields, for they display his greatness. Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise.

I love the way this is paraphrased.  Fields displaying His greatness, trees rustling with praise.  Creation declaring His worthiness. When did you last just wander along in God’s handiwork? Recall it and make it a point to do so again soon.

    And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.

Psalm 104:12 ESV 

Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.

When was the last time you got quiet enough to just listen?  Chances are when you did you could probably hear the singing of some birds, and maybe some insects too.  What an ordinary reminder of the extraordinary creativity of our God.  Ask Him to help you learn to listen.

When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur

Amos 4:13 ESV 

For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!

Few things in creation make me feel so small as the majestic mountains.  How kind of God to form some clay into them, other clay into us, while all of it displays His greatness.  Tell Him, “Thank You for making mountains and me!”  

  And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Psalm 23:2-3 ESV

  He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
  He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

The power in the previous line and the gentleness in this one juxtaposes two of God’s greatest qualities.  Creator God made it all. Shepherd God cares for it all. One and the same God, for you. Praise Him for the restorative properties of still waters and gentle breezes.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
   And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
   And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
Lofty Mountain Granduer – https://pixabay.com/photos/adventure-altitude-backpack-climb-1850912/
Hear the Brook – https://pixabay.com/photos/stream-river-water-brook-nature-541707/
Feel the Breeze – https://pixabay.com/photos/grass-white-breeze-field-spring-520912/

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