Summer and winter
And springtime and harvest
Sun moon and stars
In their courses above
Join with all nature
In manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness
Mercy and love 

Great Is Thy Faithfulness (1923)
By: Thomas Chisholm (1866–1960)

Listen to this modern version of this popular hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

Everyone, enjoy this video, and the transcript below.

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

We continue our journey through this popular hymn which declares the faithfulness of our God, true in every season, experienced by hearts of faith. Let’s tune our hearts.

Cyclical Seasons

Do you have a favorite season?

Most people do. There are particular things about that season that just sets it apart, whether memories, activities, family celebrations or simply the weather itself. They are excited as it approaches and sad as it gives way to the next.

If you have lived in a place that has distinct seasons and you move to a place where they are more subtle, it can be disappointing. If you have lived in a place that has subtle seasonal changes and you more to a place where they are more severe, it can be shocking. I suppose at some level that makes your appreciation of seasonal changes subjective.

Either way, the seasons do change with great predictability, whether subtle or severe. Those changes, and the cycle they portray is a beautiful thing. The fresh starts of Spring, the heat of Summer, the crispness of Fall, and the deadness of Winter represent the very cycle of life: birth, maturity, aging, and death. God appointing a time for every purpose under heaven, whether for the earth as a whole or an individual life.

The hymn evokes this imagery in these opening words.

Summer and winter
And springtime and harvest

You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter. Psalm 74:17 ESV

I love the seasons and how they remind us that things change, but God does not. Reigning in faithfulness over all that He has made He demonstrates His faithfulness through their cycle. As surely as one ends another begins. He made them just like He fixed all the laws that govern His creation.

RESONATE!
Take a moment to look around and  allow the season you are in now to speak of the faithfulness of God. If the season you are in is making it difficult to do that, identify why that is. What is happening in your life in this season that God wants to use to prompt your praise? Even if you are in a rough spot and it seems like nothing is changing, take some encouragement from the seasons and rest in the fact that things will change, because God has built that rhythm into the fabric of this life. Thank Him through changing seasons you can praise Him for His changeless character.

Celestial Spheres

Looking around gives us the perspective that things are changing as the days pass, even though those changes may only be visible day to day on a very small scale. Looking up can give us a similar perspective of things changing, albeit a more expansive one. There is a rhythm to each.

As the seasons change, so does the orientation of the sphere we live on to those around us. The moon is the most obvious as it changes in appearance a little each day. The tilting of the earth on its axis causes seasonal changes as it effects our position relative to the sun, and even where we might find certain constellations in the night sky. Even so, day after day and night after night they are still there. Their rhythm is reliable when other things may seem to be anything but.

Sun moon and stars
In their courses above

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. Psalm 19:1-4 ESV

Not to be outdone by the seasons, the celestial bodies get in on declaring God’s faithfulness as well. As surely as the sun sets it will rise again. This proclaims His handiwork and invites us to respond with our worship.

When was the last time you went outside at night to simply look up and marvel anew at God’s glory? All you see will be declaring it, and inviting you to do the same. It is easy to loose perspective by getting to accustomed to looking down, but you can change that today, or tonight rather.

Spirit, help me pour forth my earthly praise to join the heavenly.

RESONATE!
Step outside and look up. It is an awesome display of God’s faithfulness, whether you can locate the North Star or not. Marvel at God’s power on display in the heavenly bodies and ask the Spirit to help you pour forth praise to add to theirs. Maybe something here below the stars is keeping you from joining the celestial praise? Maybe a little star-gazing will lift you eyes and you spirit.  Try it. 

Father, thank You for the way you put your faithfulness on display through cyclical seasons and celestial spheres. There is a rhythm in each of them that speaks to order, design, and patterns. Help me to develop my own rhythm of responding to Your faithfulness through these teachers and any others.  In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Rhythmic 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 46.2 Transcript, REFRAMED

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.

Summer and winter
And springtime and harvest
Sun moon and stars
In their courses above
Join with all nature
In manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness
Mercy and love 

I love the seasons and how they remind us that things change, but God does not. Reigning in faithfulness over all that He has made He demonstrates His faithfulness through their cycle. What season are you in as you read? How is that prompting your praise today?

God, through changing seasons I praise You for Your changeless character.

Step outside and look up. All that you see is declaring the glory of God. Is something here below keeping you from joining the celestial praise? Marvel at God’s power on display in the heavenly bodies and ask the Spirit to help you pour forth praise to add to theirs.

Spirit, help me pour forth my earthly praise to join the heavenly.

Not only do seasons and stars declare His glory, but also all nature. Every created thing proclaims the handiwork of God, in many and various ways. You are a unique expression of that witness. How will you exercise that privilege today? Ask Jesus to help you.

Jesus, please show me how to use my life as a witness.

His love is steadfast. His mercy is unmerited. His faithfulness is great. All around there are constant expressions of these truths but we often fail to recognize them, which leaves us incapable of declaring them. Ask the Father to help you see them all around you today.

Father, show me Your faithfulness, mercy and love.

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.

The post Developing a Rhythm of Looking Around, and Up REPOST appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Summer and Winter and Springtime and Harvest – https://pixabay.com/photos/seasons-of-the-year-summer-autumn-1127760/
Sun, Moon and Stars in their Courses Above – https://pixabay.com/photos/space-planet-earth-orbit-sky-1201086/

Great is Thy faithfulness
O God my Father
There is no shadow
Of turning with Thee
Thou changest not
Thy compassions they fail not
As Thou hast been
Thou forever wilt be

Great Is Thy Faithfulness (1923)
By: Thomas Chisholm (1866–1960)

Listen to this modern version of this popular hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

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 popular hymn which declares the faithfulness of our God, true in every season, experienced by hearts of faith. Let’s tune our hearts.

New Every Morning

I love being in the woods. Just walking quietly through the tress, hearing the crunching of the leaves beneath my feet, the wind rustling through the branches brings a sense of peace . This is especially true in the morning.

Morning often reminds me of how God’s mercies are new. I have made it through another night. The darkness is being chased away as the sun rises. The faithful rising of that ball of fire points me again to the real source of warmth and light and I marvel at His faithfulness anew.

Those familiar words from Lamentations often come to mind then, and every time I sing the opening line of this popular hymn. The rising of the sun and the morning it ushers in signal the entrance of new mercies. Each one is an example of the love and faithfulness of God my Father.

Great is Thy faithfulness
O God my Father

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV

These incredible words declaring God’s faithfulness come in the middle of a book of sadness. Jeremiah was lamenting the fate of Israel who finally had reaped what they had sown. God faithfully kept His promise by exiling them for routinely choosing to walk paths that weren’t His.

Amidst His lament, we read these words of hope. We can certainly learn something when we acknowledge these words emerge from a book of lament. Even in his great distress, the prophet pens these declarations of God’s faithfulness. Whatever you are facing today, recall God’s great faithfulness and declare it once again amidst your laments. 

He is a faithful Father, even when we are rebellious children. He can not deny His nature and that is a very good thing for us, for too often we fail to live up to ours. Where are you longing to see His faithfulness revealed today? Ask Him to simply act consistently with Who He is.

Father, please show Your faithfulness to me again today.

RESONATE!
What trouble are you facing today? Maybe it is a result of your choices, the choices of others, or some combination of the two. Whatever path led you here, you can still choose to trust in God’s faithfulness to see you through it. You may be tempted to deny His nature, but resist that temptation and declare again today. You can lament your troubles as well, for that would put you in good company, but do not fail to thank Him for His faithfulness, even as you invoke it over your sorrows today. Take a few moments and do that now. 

Among the Shadows

When I walk through the woods, especially early or late in the day, I am often captivated by the shadows. Trees cast very long ones, and they remind me there is darkness amidst the beauty. That simple reminder helps me to face my own darkness with a different perspective.

Things change. People change. Situations change.

God never changes.

The fact that He does not cast a shadow is evidence of that. He is a source of light, rather THE Source, so He creates shadows, but does not have one Himself. The illustration is meant to show that as a shadow reveals when something moves or changes, God does not. He remains the same, Faithful.

There is no shadow
Of turning with Thee

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17 ESV

Again, light creates shadows. Shadows move either as the lights move or as the object creating the shadow does. But our Father never changes like those shadows because He is the source of Light and every good thing.

Likewise Jesus is the Light of the World, so He has no shadow. This is also an illustration of His unchanging nature. Everything else may change, but Jesus does not.

What impact does that have on your life today? Things will change. You will change. Others will change. Situations will change. Jesus will not. Accordingly, you can depend on Him and His faithfulness through all those other changes.

RESONATE!
What good and perfect gift do you need today? Maybe a change in a perspective. Or a change in some circumstance. Maybe you need a change in your own heart. The Father of lights can bring it. Will you declare His unchanging nature again today and ask Him to bring about changes in you and your life? He is faithful. He will do it. Take a few moments now and step into His light. 

Father, thank You for your mercies which are new every morning. I am sorry that I often need them renewed because I have used up all of yesterday’s allotment. I declare Your faithfulness again today and ask you to change me and my circumstances in whatever way will most help me give You the glory You deserve. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Mercy-Responsive 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 46.1 Transcript REPOST

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.

Great is Thy faithfulness
O God my Father
There is no shadow
Of turning with Thee
Thou changest not
Thy compassions they fail not
As Thou hast been
Thou forever wilt be

He is a faithful Father, even when we are rebellious children. He can not deny His nature and that is a very good thing for us, for too often we fail to live up to ours. Where are you longing to see His faithfulness revealed today? Ask Him to simply act consistently with Who He is.

Father, please show Your faithfulness to me again today.

Jesus is the Light of the World, so He has no shadow. This is an illustration of the fact that He is the source of light and also of His unchanging nature. Shadows move as the objects or source of light which create them move. Everything else may change, but Jesus does not.

Jesus, thank You that I can depend on Your unchanging nature.

One of the expressions of the unchanging nature of God is that His compassion never fails, and that is not because we never put it to the test. We are often self-reliant and treat Him in ways that demand His compassion. Fortunately for us, it never fails. Praise Him.

Spirit, I praise You for Your unfailing compassion.

Nothing we do changes God. Or simply, nothing changes God. He is ever the same. He was, and is, and is to come, in every way, in every moment, everywhere. So even when we are not faithful, that’s right, He still is. Thank Him for being the same yesterday, today and forever.

God, thank You for being faithful eternally.

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.

The post Seeking Mercy Amidst the Shadows REPOST appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Great is Thy Faithfulness – https://pixabay.com/photos/yorkshire-autumn-sunshine-morning-2900064/
There is No Shadow of Turning with Thee – https://pixabay.com/photos/nature-forest-moss-landscape-trees-3801537/

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heav’n’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee
In life in death O Lord abide with me

Abide with Me 1847
By: Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847)

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

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

Please enjoy this video and the transcript below.

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

As we conclude our journey through this hymn in which we plead for the abiding presence of Jesus, ask Him to make Himself known. Let’s tune our hearts.

The Cross

If the last thing we see on earth is the cross of Christ, the first thing we see in heaven will be His face.

The cross is our hope when we face the end of this life, because it is also our hope in every moment until then. When we come to the end of this life we will be inclined to draw encouragement from the things that were dearest to us. The cross is dear to us not only because it gives us hope to face things in this life, but also is the gateway from this one to the next.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 ESV

The cross informs and instructs in every situation, be it waking or sleeping, living or dying. When we determine to associate with Christ and His cross in all things it transforms our perspective of everything. What are facing today that you need to see in light of the cross?

This is an interesting request. We are asking our Lord to hold His cross before our closing eyes. Though the setting of this hymn has been the approach of night, the scale seems even grander here, the approach of death. Will you make this prayer your own, now and then?

RESONATE!

Take a few moments and consider the cross. What does it mean to you? Do you think the cross will be the final thing you will want to see, or the last thing. Make this your simple prayer “Lord, keep Your cross before me.” 

The Skies

We know that Jesus path was through suffering, the cross, death, then resurrection. Our path will be the same as we look not only to the cross but through it to what God has in store for us beyond the gloom of this weary existence. Are you learning to rise above the gloom by the light of the cross?

Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies

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

He suffered, and so shall we. Our suffering is never the end but the gateway. Even death, the greatest suffering, is just a doorway into resurrection life. If we join Him in His suffering, we will join Him when He rises. We follow His example and look through the gloom to the skies.

It is the perspective of the cross that shines through even the gloomiest of circumstances and gives the hope of more, even beyond the grave. We are inclined to look down as death approaches but the cross invites us to look up. Ask Jesus to shine His light through your gloom.

RESONATE
Take a few moments to focus your gaze. There is gloom in this life but Jesus wants to shine through it by way of the cross. Pray a simple prayer like this one, “Jesus, shine Your light through my gloom.”  

Jesus, thank You for Your cross. It allows me to abide with You. It is the vehicle of my abiding as well as the road it travels on. Teach me to live moment my moment in Your presence. In Jesus’ name. 

Cross-fixed 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 45.5 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.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heav’n’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee
In life in death O Lord abide with me

This is an interesting request. We are asking our Lord to hold His cross before our closing eyes. Though the setting of this hymn has been the approach of night, the scale seems even grander here, the approach of death. Will you make this prayer your own, now and then?

Lord, keep Your cross before me.

It is the perspective of the cross that shines through even the gloomiest of circumstances and gives the hope of more, even beyond the grave. We are inclined to look down as death approaches but the cross invites us to look up. Ask Jesus to shine His light through your gloom.

Jesus, shine Your light through my gloom.

That upward gaze helps us to anticipate the dawning of Heaven’s morning and see through the fleeting vanity of the shadows of earth. We must cultivate this upward gaze. Is there anything that is discouraging yours? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you lift your eyes.

Spirit, help me lift my eyes.

Certainly we need God to abide with us in life because that is when we develop the confidence that He will also be with us in death. Do you need help developing that? Ask God to help you abide with Him now by learning to live in His presence moment by moment.

God, help me abide with You moment by moment.

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.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heav’n’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee
In life in death O Lord abide with me

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 The Cross Fixes our Eyes on the Skies, Not the Gloom of the Doom appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Hold Thou Thy Cross – https://pixabay.com/vectors/burial-cemetery-cross-dead-death-1299277/
Shine Through the Gloom – https://pixabay.com/vectors/the-walker-above-the-sea-of-clouds-7310714/