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Get a Grip!

Build Your Hopes

Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand (1906)

By: Jennie B. Wilson (1856 – 1913)

Listen to this instrumental version as you prepare to ponder this hymn. Please make certain to enjoy the podcast below.

Here is podcast content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, and occasionally 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 options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today!!

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

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

We begin our journey through this hymn which challenges us to build on the certainty of God in uncertain days. We must be careful to build on things that will last, so when the storms come, we have a sure foundation. How’s your foundation? Let’s think about this.

Intentional

Have you ever tried to build something and realized part way through that you lacked something essential? Maybe you started, and it became clear later that you were not at all sure the completed project was what you really needed. Or maybe when you finished, it was obvious you had wasted your time.

All these scenarios can be extremely disheartening. But there is a way to avoid them, at least to some extent. That requires a diligent intentionality to make sure the plan -from the beginning- is going to accomplish what is most important to you.

Build your hopes on things eternal,

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Matthew 7:24 ESV

Jesus teaches the truth we are singing in this line. We must be careful what our foundation is. If we build on things that last, like God’s eternal word, then we are wise builders, and our lives will be strong. Seems pretty obvious right? Still, many of us struggle to build on that foundation, though it is literally within our grasp to do so.

There are so many things that get in the way of our being routinely in God’s word. 

You can not build on eternal things if you do not know what they are. You can not know what they are if you are not in God’s word reading about them. You can not read God’s word if you do not open the book, or the app.

Reading them is only part of the battle, though. Once you read them, you need to ask God how to structure or build you life on them. The Holy Spirit is the best teacher, and He wants you to know God’s words so you can build your life on them.

RESONATE!
If you are not reading God’s word regularly, will you commit today to ask Him to help you plan and carve out time to do so? Just reading is not enough though. When was the last time you simply asked the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and give you understanding of God’s eternal word? Read a verse or a passage today, but first ask the Holy Spirit to bring it to life so you will know how to build on it. That exercise will give you hope.

God’s Unchanging Hand

Yet Childlike

Even when we do develop the intentional discipline of getting into God’s word and building our hopes on its truths, we must always maintain a childlike posture before Him. It can be tempting to oversimplify spiritual realities when we see a truth, build on it, and see the positive outcome. God’s ways are higher than ours and keeping a right perspective on how limited is our understanding is always healthy.

I love the picture here. We must choose to cling to our Father’s hand even when we begin to figure some things out because that humility will keep us out of trouble. It will keep us from running off into mischief. It will also limit how much we put our hands on because we are somewhat occupied simply with the thought of staying close to Him by not letting go.

Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:8 ESV

Does that image, that line, and this verse describe your relationship to God? If not, you are probably feeling the effects of that on your soul. While getting out of those messes is not easy, the first simple step is righting wherever we may be failing. Grab, hold, and cling to His unchanging hand today, whether you think you need to or not. It will uphold you when the weight of life is too much.

 

RESONATE!
Often our failure to cling to God can be traced to pride. We thought for a moment, or a decade, we could handle things. When we finally realized we were wrong, the humility required to reach for and hold to God can be sorely lacking. Will you receive the challenge of the song-writer and hold to God’s unchanging hand today? You may be very surprised to find He has been holding you all along.

Jesus thank You that You uphold us when our strength is simply not enough. Forgive me for times I have convinced myself I could handle my circumstance. In humility I turn my heart to you again today and determine to let go of everything that might tempt me to hold to it instead of You. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Clinging 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.

Podcast 19.1 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.

Time is filled with swift transition,

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. Ecclesiastes 9:11 ESV

Time and chance are the great equalizers. They happen to every one of us. Since there is no avoiding them, the only alternative is to find a way to deal with their effects. Thank God that He has revealed this truth to You, and provided hope in Him.

Naught of earth unmoved can stand,

When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah Psalm 75:3 ESV

With the swift transitions and the shifting landscape, it is hard to stand unmoved. Actually impossible, but for God. He is the One who holds the earth steady and is able to steady us as well when things come shaking our lives to their core. Praise His steady hand!

Build your hopes on things eternal,

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24 ESV

Jesus teaches the truth we are singing in this line. But we must be careful what our foundation is. If we build on things that last, like God’s eternal word, then we are wise builders, and our lives will be strong. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any ways you may be building on anything else.

Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:8 ESV

We must resolve this issue before the storms of life come. If we wait to cling to God only when peace slips away, it may be harder to sense His presence and His holding us. Let go of anything that may be keeping you from clinging to God. Ask Him to help you.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more, with the Refrain.

Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

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

The post Get a Grip! appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Build Your Hopes – https://pixabay.com/photos/book-bible-religion-reading-study-2617987/
God’s Unchanging Hand – https://pixabay.com/photos/hands-child-s-hand-hold-tight-1797401/

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Dealing with the Shifting Sands of Life

Sands of Time

Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand (1906)

By: Jennie B. Wilson (1856 – 1913)

Listen to this instrumental version as you prepare to ponder this hymn. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, often to Free Members, and sometimes 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 the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

We begin our journey through this hymn which challenges us to build on the certainty of God in uncertain days. All of us are facing a greater degree of uncertainty than we were months ago, but holding to God gives us far greater certainty than not. Let’s tune our hearts.

Sands of Time

Time. There is no stopping it. Like a great hourglass that has been overturned and is both slowly and swiftly sifting along, time halts for no one.

That indiscriminate plodding is no respecter of people great or small. It simply keep s moving forward and each of must find a way to deal with the effects it has on us universally. Have you felt the shifting of the sands of time in your life lately? Whether COVID-19, the social unrest, the upcoming election, or something else very intimate or personal, you are probably well aware that things are swiftly transition to some different state.

Time is filled with swift transition,

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. Ecclesiastes 9:11 ESV

If you have lived for very long at all you know the reality that things in life can change very quickly, and often without any input from you. Time and chance are the great equalizers. They happen to every one of us. Since there is no avoiding them, the only real alternative to simply becoming a victim of them is to find a way to deal with their effects.

Holding to God’s unchanging hand is unquestionably the best way to deal with them. I say unquestionably because ever other means of coping will fail you at some point, but God will not.

RESONATE!
What is that circumstance that you are tempted to hold and not release to God? If you are holding it with both hands, how do you suppose you will be able to hold to God’s hand? Determine today that you will let go of the things that otherwise would keep you from holding His unchanging hand. Time brings swift transitions but holding to God is your best source of help. Ask Him to be that source again today.

Shifting Sand

Shifting Sand

Those swift transitions of time unsettle every one of us at some point. We often try to struggle against the shifting under our feet trying to find some sure footing. This hymn puts it bluntly. “None of us is able to stand through all those transitions.”

Naught of earth unmoved can stand,

Taken as a singular truth that would be pretty disheartening. We should always be careful when considering a declaration like this whether in a song or Scripture to examine the context. In our song, the writer is going to quickly point us to where to find hope in the midst of that uncertainty.  The Scripture always does the same.

When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah Psalm 75:3 ESV

With the swift transitions and the shifting landscape, it is hard to stand unmoved. Actually impossible, but for God. It would be like struggling against the shifting sands of a desert landscape, or even a spot of quicksand. But we find hope in God. He is the One who holds the earth steady and is able to steady us as well when everything we have been standing on seems to erode. 

RESONATE!
What has shifted under your feet recently? You probably do not have to think much about that. Finances, relationships, health, so many things have been effected these last few months. But God has plans even for those unsettling experiences. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you listen to what God is saying when the sands of change shift under your feet. Take a few moments right now to let Him interpret the shifting you have been going through lately.  Then give Him praise you never have to do so alone.

Jesus, thank You for being a steady constant when every other thing in our lives is shifting. You are so faithful and so good. Help me to trust You as time brings transitions into my life and I am unable to stand. In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Solid Tuning!

Keep coming back, and we will work to 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.

Like what you’re finding here?  Fill out the form to the right to get an email with each fresh post and updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

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

Video 19.1 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.

Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

If you have lived for very long at all you know the reality that things in life can change very quickly, and often without any input from you. Whether you are in the midst of a transition right now or not, thank God that you never have to face them alone.

Thank You God that I never have to face transitions alone.

Those transitions unsettle every one of us at some point. We can say “I shall not be moved”, but sometimes God has other plans which He does not reveal that ahead of time. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you listen to what God is saying when the sands of change shift under your feet.

Holy Spirit help me to listen to Your voice.

Even when everything else is shifting we can still choose to build our hopes on eternal things, things that last even in the storms of life. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you today how you can build on the foundation of God’s word and His love for you.

Holy Spirit, help me build on God’s word and love for me.

Sometimes in order to hold onto God we need to let go of something else. It can be so painful and fearful to release something into His unchanging hands, especially something you thought you would always hold, but you can trust Him. Ask Jesus to help you trust Him more today.

Jesus, help me trust you more 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.

Sing

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

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

The post Dealing with the Shifting Sands of Life appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Sands of Time – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/hourglass-time-sand-run-out-3308818/
Shifting Sand – https://pixabay.com/photos/arid-barren-dawn-desert-dry-hot-1866541/

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What Are You Listening For?

The Trump Shall Resound

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It Is Well with My Soul (1873)

By: Horatio G. Spafford, (1828-1888)

Listen to this beautiful version as you prepare to ponder this hymn. Please make certain to enjoy the podcast below.

Here is podcast content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, and occasionally 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 options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today!!

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

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

We continue our journey through one of the most beloved of all hymns, with one of the most poignant, yet inspiring, stories. If you do not know the story, you may watch more about it here. Jesus is our blessed hope and we find rest for our souls in Him and His promised return. Let’s think about this.

The Sound of the Trumpet of God

Trumpets are powerful instruments. Throughout Scripture we see them used to signal important moments and events, in both battle and worship. I am certain there is no coincidence there, but that is another blog for another day.

The voice of angels are often compared to the sound of a trumpet I believe because it is the instrument that seems to sound with utmost authority. It is clear and loud. That final trumpet that will call the dead in Christ to rise will certainly be that.

Think of it. A trumpet sounding so magnificently that it is heard by those long dead. The only appropriate response is that they will rise even before those who are alive in Christ. Remarkable! Why do you suppose that is? Maybe those living will be in shock or overwhelmed, but the dead in Christ will virtually be like, “That is the sound I have longed to hear!”

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

But not only that, the Lord Jesus Himself will descend at those moments. Wow! The dead in Christ rising to meet Jesus in the air will create the backdrop of our rising to meet Him as well. The hope of this spectacular promised and coming event is what allows our souls to be well, no matter what we have to face in this life.

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

RESONATE!
On Tuesday I asked what you are looking for? The same is true of your listening. Your mental preoccupation influences how you deal with your circumstances. If you are listening for something, if effects how you hear everything else. Are you listening for this incredible resounding of the trumpet. Undoubtedly, you will hear it either way, but if you are listening for it you will face everything differently. Take a few moments and sincerely ask, “Jesus, help me to be ever listening, watching and waiting for Your return.”

The Lord Shall Descend

Really?

 

Even so, it is well with my soul.

Well I guess if you are ready it is. But what if you are not. The skies rolling back, the trumpet resounding, Jesus descending, the dead in Christ rising: even so, it is well with my soul. HOW!?!

Though it is hard to fathom what the events of His return will actually be like and how we will ultimately respond, we can choose to echo John’s words and desire to see Jesus’ come quickly. Why? Because it is well, and will forever be well, with our souls.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 22:20 ESV

What Jesus has already accomplished through the shedding of His blood creates the opportunity for our souls to be made well. His presence with us in all things allows our souls to remain well. And the revelation of how this will all end allows our souls to anticipate being well then also.

RESONATE!
Is it well with your soul? It can be! Right now, no matter what comes until His return, and when He finally does. If it is not well, ask Jesus to show you what is effecting your soul, and when He reveals it ask Him to help you deal with it so you can experience the wellness of soul Jesus offers to all who believe.

Jesus thank You that it is well with my soul. Thank you for the promises and the warnings of the things of the end of this age. Thank You for declaring Your soon return. So be it! Help me to be ready as I wait for You to come and take us home with You forever. It is, and will be, well with me soul. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Well 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.

Podcast 18.5 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 Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 ESV.

We long for the day to come when what we have hoped for is realized, what we have longed for is before our eyes. Faith becoming sight. Hasten that day Lord, but help us to be ready for it. Father, give us the conviction, hope, assurance and faith we need to get there.

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Revelation 6:14 ESV

At the opening of the sixth seal the day of the Lord’s wrath will have come. We long for this day for our souls are well, but woe to those whose souls are not. May we live in such a way that others join us resting in God. Ask the Spirit to show you how today?

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

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

As if the descending of the Lord, His cry of command, the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God were not enough, can you imagine the dead in Christ rising first? That will be a sight that is impossible to imagine. Give thanks to God for the promise of resurrection life!

Even so, it is well with my soul.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 22:20 ESV

Jesus thank You that it is well with my soul. Thank You for the promises and the warnings of the things of the end of this age. Thank You for declaring Your soon return. So be it! Help me to be ready as I wait for You to come and take us home with You forever. It is, and will be, well with my soul.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more, with the refrain.

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

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

The post What Are You Listening For? appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Trump Shall Resound – http://dedication.www3.50megs.com/rev_trumpets6a.html
The Lord Shall Descend – http://www.choosingjesuseveryday.com/2018/12/14/heaven-48/

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How to Maintain Perspective in the Middle

Wednesday Wanderings is a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.

Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.

Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the journey with Jesus.

PREPARATION: In our last Wandering with Dr. Sherri, we examined While You Wait to Return to Normal. This week we will investigate how keeping the end in mind helps you maintain perspective in the middle.  When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive, and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you.”

Judgment Seat

PROMISE: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 ESV 

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

We await that day when we will be with the Lord with peace in our souls for Christ has tipped the scales in our favor. His righteousness has been imputed to us. We must work to please Him, not to satisfy the laws demands, but to demonstrate our hope  in Christ, even though we do not yet see Him.

PSALM: It Is Well with My Soul (1873) By: Horatio G. Spafford, (1828-1888)

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

I love how so many of the great hymns have this final upward look near their end. Spafford’s here is no exception to that. We are able to maintain our perspective amidst conflict and chaos, fear and even death, because our trust in how this all ends gives us hope. We will no longer be away from the Lord, but with Him forever.

PARABLE: Through COVID-19 and now the unrest caused by social injustice each of us has had the opportunity to come back to some compass that informs our perspective by helping us to see bigger truths in the middle of these troubles. It is easy to allow fear and anger to seep into our souls, but there is no place for the first, and the second must be held in an open hand before our God. How are you handling all this stress?

Chalkboard
  • Quiet yourself for a moment. Think of an empty chalkboard. For those of who who are more comfortable with a smart-board feel free to envision that instead, but make certain it is empty. Imagine it for a moment. Blank. Nothing there.
  • Now, in your mind, think of these last few months and write on your blank board the first word or phrase that comes to mind.
  • There is no right or wrong, just what is. Think about what is on your board. How have you been dealing with that? Honestly. Whether just in your thoughts or prayers, or if those have translated into words or actions, what have you done?

Each of us has been trying to find a plan to deal with these things, but the influences in our lives can either push us toward or away from God. In the next section, I want to take a few minutes to help you cultivate and maintain perspective here in the middle.

We have hopefully all started the journey with Jesus, and none of us reading this post have ended it. For the purpose of this exercise and your journey through the rest of this middle part between salvation and eternal rest we want to encourage you to think about how you are dealing with what you wrote on your chalkboard. There is a perspective, should we endeavor to keep it, that allows the journey to be marked with wellness of soul, even in the middle of life’s most challenging moments and seasons.

I hope you have begun your journey with Jesus. If you have not,  your spiritual journey may be a blank chalkboard.  If that is the case, you can resolve that today by asking Him to forgive you of your sins, accept His gift of eternal life, surrender control of your life to Him, and commit to follow wherever He leads.  Once you have settled that issue these next steps will be even more helpful to you.

PONDER and WANDER:  If you choose, Ponder the question: How is my eternal perspective impacting the way I deal with temporal challenges?

The soul training exercise HERE can assist you in deciding how to deal with our now in light of the your then.

Soul care training exercise: If you choose, complete the H.E.R.E. exercise.

  • When you are ready, clear your mind and invite the Holy Spirit to help you grasp the Hope you have in Christ which is yours now in part, and will be yours one day in full. 
  • Next,  Envision your current challenge in light of your eternal reality.  In the moment things can be so overwhelming, but if we can learn to develop some perspective they begin to shrink in magnitude.
  • Then, Remember we are promised a much better future than any of us are currently experiencing and it is important to recall that routinely.
  • Finally, Enlist the help of the Holy Spirit to keep this perspective until the day you finally see Jesus face-to-face.

PRAYER: Jesus, help me to broaden my perspective when things here in the middle seem to threaten to crush my soul. I know better, but sometimes I forget. Thank You for the promise of Your return and an eternity with you. In the eternal name of Jesus I pray, Amen. 

PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to breathe and let the work of your wandering fill you with strengh.

Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.

Until next time, be Resonant.

The post How to Maintain Perspective in the Middle appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions:
Judgment Seat – https://pixabay.com/vectors/justice-silhouette-scales-law-147214/
Chalkboard – https://pixabay.com/vectors/blackboard-chalkboard-education-307799/

BONUS REFLECTION: Over the next few weeks we will be pressing into this great hymn, but it makes a nice companion to our thoughts today as well.  Be resonant and hold to God’s unchanging hand.

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What Are You Looking For?

Faith Shall Be Sight

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It Is Well with My Soul (1873)

By: Horatio G. Spafford, (1828-1888)

Listen to this beautiful version as you prepare to ponder this hymn. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, often to Free Members, and sometimes 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 the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

We continue our journey through one of the most beloved of all hymns, with one of the most poignant, yet inspiring, stories. If you do not know the story, you may watch more about it here. Wellness of soul is for today and eternity. Let’s tune our hearts.

Faith = Sight

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,

Philippians 2 speaks of the humbled and exalted Christ. It declares the powerful words that every follower of Jesus longs to experience. “every knee shall bow…every tongue confess”. This stanza makes me ponder another aspect of that reality.

Every eye will see. And not only eyes of eyes of faith, but every eye. So what is it about eyes of faith that the hymn writer is trying to emphasize if indeed every eye is going to see Jesus’ return?

I believe it is the impact eyes of faith have on our soul while we wait. Because faith gives us an assurance of what we hope for, it is well with our souls. Because faith imparts to us a conviction of things we have yet to see, it is well with our souls. Because we have eyes of faith, it is well with our souls.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 ESV.

We have this assurance and conviction, but it is easy in our waiting to allow that confidence to waver. Think of something in your life that you are confident will happen, but you have waited a long time for it to come to pass, and it still has not happened. That very feeling is akin to our confidence in Christ’s return, and is also hard to overcome.

This is at least a part of why the line starts with a prayer for God to hasten that day, or cause it to happen soon. We want the day of Christ’s appearing, when our faith will become sight to occur quickly, but we must continue to watch the sky with eyes of faith. Our faith equals sight in some measure now, but we long for that day when that partial “sight” becomes 20/20.

RESONATE!
Maybe our faith sight becomes 20/20 in 2020. If not, we will need spiritual stamina to continue to hope for that which we have not yet seen. Ask God to hasten the day of Christ’s return, but should it be awhile still follow that with a  pray asking Him for all we need as we await Christ’s return, faithfully.

Eyes Will See

Clouds Be Rolled Back

And then one day, that prayer will be answered, and the hope fulfilled. We will see Him coming through the sky. Our victorious and conquering King.

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The writer here says the clouds be rolled back as a a scroll, but the Scripture actually seems to indicate in a couple places that it will actually be the skies which are rolled back. Though is it difficult to imagine the clouds rolling back, it is even more challenging to imagine the skies themselves entirely being rolled up like a scroll. What will be left when the sky is rolled back?

The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Revelation 6:14 ESV

This is one of the verse which explains what will happen at the opening of the sixth seal. It will be a day when our faith becomes sight. It will be a wonderful day.

But it describes the coming  of the Lord’s wrath. So for many it will also be a terrible day.

We are looking forward to this day, but it will still be overwhelming to us. Consider for a moment what it will be like for those who are not ready. We long for this day for our souls are well, but woe to those whose souls are not.

RESONATE!
As we await this day, may we live in such a way that others join us resting in God. In the midst of the chaos and confusion of these days, does your soul exude a calm confidence of one who is well. We must be God’s people of peace in the conflict, rest in the uncertainty. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to be that kind of influence today as you learn to rest in God, and invite others to do the same.

Jesus, thank You for the promise of Your return and the wellness it offers my soul even when the world appears to be coming apart at the seams. When You roll the sky up to make Your entrance my faith will be sight. Help me continue fix my eyes on the skies in hope until that day. In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Hopeful Tuning!

Keep coming back, and we will work to 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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Video 18.5 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 Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Oh to see with eyes of faith! Lord may that day come quickly when we are no longer hoping to see Your return, but we actually witness it. We are no longer simply assured of your coming, but we finally get to experience it. Hasten that day Lord!

Father, give us all we need as we await Christ’s return.

Do you imagine the clouds rolling right and left or up and down? Either way, like the Red Sea parted for Israel, the clouds will part for Jesus at His return. What a grand entrance! He had one star at His first advent, but Isaiah 34:4 says all the starry host will acknowledge His return.

Hallelujah! With clouds and stars I will give You praise.

Can you imagine what that will be like to hear the trumpet of the angel? How about seeing our Lord Jesus descending? I am not certain we can truly prepare for that but ask the Lord to prepare your ears, eyes and soul for that glorious day!

Jesus, help me to be ever listening, watching and waiting for Your return.

Though it is hard to fathom what the events of His return will actually be like and how we will ultimately respond, we echo John’s words and desire to see Jesus’ come quickly. Why? Because it is well, and will forever be well, with our souls.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

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

It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

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

The post What Are You Looking For? appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Faith Shall Be Sight – https://pixabay.com/photos/jesus-christ-god-holy-spirit-eye-4517245/
Clouds Rolled Back – https://pixabay.com/photos/clouds-gathering-closing-in-195064/

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