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What To Do in Gray Days and Black Nights

Gray Days

When my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call,
Hold my hand lest I fall:
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

Precious Lord, Take My Hand (1932)

By: Thomas A. Dorsey (1899 – 1993)

Listen to this version featuring Mahalia Jackson 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 for 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 this great gospel song which voices our desire to have God take our hand. We all face depressing times in our lives, times when we need help to make it through, and our precious Lord offers that help. Let’s tune our hearts.

Gray Days

We all have them. Days when the bright luster of life in Christ is clouded by the circumstances we are facing. Think of these words: dull, bleak, lifeless, and depressing. Whether you are feeling that today, you have felt it before and will feel it again. It is a part of life.

The real variable is what you will choose to do when that feeling comes over you.

When my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, linger near,

Think of your most recent gray day. Maybe today is one. If not, recall what that felt like. What was your response? Be honest. Don’t feel guilty about it, just admit it. The first step in making a better choice is to acknowledge the one you have previously made.

Was your first inclination to reach out to God, to acknowledge His abiding presence with you, to rest in His purposes? That can be a difficult perspective to maintain, but when we are confident that even the dull and dreary days are working together for our good, it makes them a lot easier to endure. Are you convinced of this promise?

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 ESV

Do you know that? Maybe you do, but the weight of that gray cloud just makes moving forward too much on your own. It’s alright to confess that. But follow it up with a plea for a clear sense of our Lord’s presence with you, working those things together for your good. That is not always easy to do, but it will transform your view of the circumstance, and God’s care in it.

RESONATE!
Determine to ask for a sense of God’s nearness the next time the gray clouds gather in your life. Depression is a very foreboding feeling, and we all need help to deal with it. The bright light of His presence can pierce those clouds, but we have to ask just like the hymn does here. Prepare now to ask your precious Lord to help you draw encouragement from His presence the next time the grayness presses in.

Black Nights

Black Nights

Sometimes things get so dark we would be glad to see a blanket of gray clouds instead. Seeing anything but the enveloping blackness of our most difficult nights would be a welcome relief. Anything to give us a sense of hope when all our resources are depleted and we are struggling even to lift our head beyond our navel.

Thomas Dorsey knew what that felt like. While away from home at the time his wife was due to deliver their first child, he learned by way of telegram she had passed after giving birth. His emotions swung between grief and joy as he raced home only to discover his newborn had passed as well.

I can not imagine what he must have felt in those days after he buried them in the same casket. As he struggled in his faith in those dark days, a friend found a room with a piano. God met him as he plunked at the keys and he penned the words of this hymn. One can not help but think his wife and son were very much on his mind as he wrote these words in particular.

When my life is almost gone,

You may never face something as tragic as Dorsey, but you have known darkness pressing into your life. You have felt the last bit of fight and resolve slip away. You can empathize with Dorsey as he echoed the words of the psalmist.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26 ESV

We live in a fallen world so dark, blackness is unavoidable. Even still, God wants to show Himself as our strength and portion in those moments especially. Our strength will fail us and there will come a day when all we will have left is our standing in God. On that day, we will be very needful of God’s care to face the end of life as we know it, that of our loved ones, and ultimately our own.

God is our portion, forever. Not just for this life but also for all that He has in store for us beyond it. Where will you turn when you face the black certainty of death. Going to the One who holds life in His hands is always the best decision, but will be a more difficult one if you wait until this last day, and you will forfeit the hope you can have in Him along your journey even in the darkest ones.

RESONATE!
Are you ready to face the blackest nights of life? Where will you turn when death rears its inevitable head? God is always with us, but when the blackness presses in, it can be difficult to feel it. When your flesh and heart are failing what we need more than anything else is to rest in the fact the God is our strength and our portion forever. That awareness will be everything you need to face even the blackest nights. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you walk daily with a growing awareness of the nearness of God. 

Jesus, thank You for being my strength when my life is almost gone. Cause me to become more aware of your presence every day so when my flesh and heart fail me, I will have learned to rest in You forever. In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Attentive 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 20.2 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 my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call,
Hold my hand lest I fall:
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

Every one of us has faced times that our journey has become very dreary. We can still move forward, but the weight of everything at times simply seems to be too much. Ask the Lord to help you draw encouragement from His precious presence in those moments especially.

Lord, help me draw encouragement from Your presence. 

He is always with us, but sometimes we do not feel it. When the end of this life approaches we are especially needful of a keen awareness of God’s nearness, but we should not wait until then to develop it. Ask Jesus to help you walk daily more aware of His nearness.

Jesus, help me walk daily with more awareness of Your nearness.

If we have failed to walk daily with Him, we can still call on Him or cry out to Him when we sense we may be about to fall and hurt ourselves and/or others. He is gracious and will answer us if we will humble ourselves. Ask the Spirit now to help you be ready to cry out to Him not if You need Him, but when.

Spirit, help me be ready to cry out to You when I need You.

When we do cry out and call on Him, He will take our hand and keep us from falling, or help us up. But He does not stop there. He wants us to stay attuned to His leading so that He can lead us through those dangers and ultimately all the way home.

God, take my hand and lead me home.

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 What To Do in Gray Days and Black Nights appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Gray Days – https://pixabay.com/photos/storm-clouds-clouds-thunderstorm-426271/
Black Nights – https://pixabay.com/photos/starry-sky-star-galaxies-andromeda-1654074/

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He(re)’s the Remedy for Your Darkness

Through the Storm, Through the Night

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

Precious Lord, Take My Hand (1932)

By: Thomas A. Dorsey (1899 – 1993)

Listen to this version featuring Mahalia Jackson 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 great gospel song which voices our desire to have God take our hand. The last few weeks we considered the importance of holding to God’s unchanging hand, now we rest in the fact that He holds ours. Let’s think about this.

The Many Forms of Darkness

Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:

Darkness takes many forms. Whether it be storms within or without which assail our souls, the the grim cloak of night ushered in with the setting sun, or any other darkness delivered to us by others or invited in by our own thoughts, words, or behavior we must all deal with these harbingers of heaviness. How we choose to deal with them determines just how likely we will be able to walk through them.

Think for just a moment what comes to mind with the word darkness. That first impulse is likely the thing that you fear, dislike, to struggle with the most. Name it. You know what it is, don’t you? Maybe a few things come to mind.  That’s ok. Name each one, but let’s keep it to those things that come quickly to mind for now.

The reason being there is in some sense to end to the things that can assault our tempest-tossed souls, but for our purposes here we want to put some things in place which will help us deal with them. We want to be able to talk to Jesus about them. He is the One who can help us find our way through them better than anyone or anything else. That’s what He promised us.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 ESV

So the things that came to mind are your darkness. You may be tempted to question Jesus’ words because you feel like there have
been times when you were absolutely walking in darkness, maybe you even feel that way today, but I assure you, the light of Jesus Christ can illumine even the most pervasive darkness. Consider the words or Corrie Ten Boom about the situations we find ourselves which ultimately reveal to us that God is there. “There is no pit so deep, that God’s love is not deeper still.”

Though we all have sources of darkness, they do not have to be what characterizes our walk. If we walk in the dark we are likely to get injured. Jesus promises that we do not have to face our darkness that way. He has promised He will be light so we can see where we are going, and see the dangers for what they are, all against the backdrop of His light of life.

RESONATE!
What are those pits? What are those things in your life that are sources of darkness? Storms, night, illness, loss, grief, pain. Bring them to Jesus right now. You may have brought them before. You may have been bringing them for years. Bring them again. Name each one as it comes to mind.  We are going to take each of those to Jesus today.

Lead Me on to the Light

The Remedy for it All

Do not be overwhelmed by the darkness you have just named. That darkness is going to be overwhelmed by the light of Jesus Christ. Let’s think for a moment how that light brings life by becoming the hand which guides us through the darkness.

When a ship is battling against a storm and trying to make it to shore it can be very dangerous. The lighthouse becomes a beacon that first of all helps the crew to find their way to shore. It gives them a point of reference. They focus on the light, not the storm, as they make their way to safety.

Once they get close, the lighthouse assures they do not crash into the rocks. It warns them that there is danger nearby and gives them a context within we they can navigate any from the perils of the open sea to the safety of the harbor. It helps them find their way home.

Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:13 ESV

When we ask God to take our hand it is often first to receive comfort from His presence. In His presence we find hope and our fear begins to dissipate, like those at sea when they first see the light in the darkness. But also like them we are often far from danger.

We trust the surety and strength of His hand to lead us safely home. He holds us through the danger and helps us to safety, again like the lighthouse to those at sea. It is important for us to focus on His hand, the light, rather than the dark dangers so we are going to practice that as we close out today.

RESONATE!
Recall those sources of darkness you names earlier. Now let’s focus instead on the light of God’s presence. Bring each one before Jesus and His light of life. They will begin to become a little less bothersome in His light. Whenever they come to mind after these moments drag them into the light of His presence again and find comfort to face them. He will help you. He is for you. He is holding your hand. He is your light and so you do not walk in darkness.

Jesus, thank You for being my light in the darkness. I do not know how people find there way through the storms and night seasons of this life without you, and ask for Your forgiveness for times I have been guilty of trying. Take my hand and lead me home as I learn to trust You along the way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Illuminated Thinking!

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Podcast 20.1 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.

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV

How precious is the comfort we receive when we ask Almighty God to take our hand in His! He banishes fear and dismay. He strengthens us, helps us and upholds us. Thank Him for all He does when we simply ask Him to take our hand.

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Isaiah 40:29 ESV

Unfortunately sometimes we wait until we are at the end of ourselves before we even reach out to God. We can end up tired, weak and worn when we may have avoided such circumstances if we had asked for His help. Even still, give Him praise that He comes to us and supplies every need.

Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 ESV

And here is the embodiment of the Godhead, our Incarnate Lord promising us that even in the night and the darkness He will be our light! Thank You Jesus that You are that light and we have that light if we will but look to you. Teach us to do so every day.

Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:13 ESV

Here is the promise to hold our hand. The Lord our God tells us not to fear and then explains why. Because He will help us. If we determine to trust Him, we have nothing to fear because He has all the resources to deal with every difficulty we will ever face. Ask Him to take your hand.

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.

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

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 He(re)’s the Remedy for Your Darkness appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Through the Storm, Through the Night – https://pixabay.com/photos/flash-thunder-forward-nature-4244923/
Lead Me On to the Light – https://pixabay.com/photos/lighthouse-evening-abendstimmung-4846855/

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Lost in Darkness but Found in the Light

Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is biweekly and 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 Trusting God. This week we will investigate Being Lost in Darkness and Found in the Light of God.  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.”

PROMISE: John 8:12

12 Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said,
I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me
will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life.

PSALM: Precious Lord Take My Hand

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I’m tired, I’m weak, I’m lone
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

Thomas Dorsey, the author of this hymn, like others also wrote from a heart of despair. History tells us that he was in St. Louis being featured as an artist during a revival meeting when he received the telegram announcing that his wife died and soon after, his newborn son also died. Receiving this announcement in this manner was enough to bring him physically and spiritually to his knees.

Take hold of a light-bearing hand

PARABLE: Grief, loss, guilt, pain, and other life circumstances can lead us to dark nights of the soul. If we are not careful, they urge us to turn away from God. Depression can become our companion as the inner talk of “could of, would of, and should of” invades our sanity. The feelings associated with grief and loss are natural. Depression is when we experience persistent sadness and loss of interest.

Our brain’s natural tendency to focus on the negative can draw us into a physically, emotionally, and spiritually draining tsunami and numb us from experiencing the pain. I understand sorrow being so heavy that you want to escape. I know what the dark curtains of depression can do to our spiritual light. Trying to run from the pain can exhaust us. To heal, we have to confess that we are tired, weak, feel alone, and are lost in the darkness. To overcome the difficult thoughts, feelings, and sensations associated with our tragedy we must recognize, acknowledge, and investigate the darkness and allow Jesus, the Light of the World to nurture the pain.

God never leaves us but in times of loss, isolation, and depression, we can feel alone. It is during these times that spiritual warfare is occurring and the evil one is coercing us to keep our emotional distress a secret. This is when we must do the opposite and ask for help! From our fallen stance of sadness and hopelessness, we must seek God’s hand to lead us to the light. We must also recognize God has equipped some of His children to lead you into the light of God’s Healing Presence. He has placed someone in your life to walk with you on your journey toward hope, healing and health. When you find yourself in the darkness, invite God to take your hand, lead you out of the darkness, and to help you stand.  

PONDER and WANDER:  When you find yourself in the darkness, how do you get to the light? Who has God placed in your life that will be your designated flashlight one step at a time as you walk towards Jesus?

Soul care training exercise: If you choose, when you are ready, invite the Holy Spirit to help you to ponder these questions:

  • First, consider the question, Am I secretive about my emotional distress?
  • Next,  reflect on the question, Do I seek support from others in times of distress and how?
  • Then, consider if you are currently experiencing emotional distress, isolation, and/or dark thoughts (click here to take a depression survey).
  • Now, Ask God to take your hand and to lead you to help that you may see His light in this darkness.
  • Finally, share your distress with a friend, family member, spouse, or counselor.

God has a plan for you to walk in His light. It may include allowing someone else to be the flashlight to your recovery. Hold on to His hand, with His guidance, you can stand. If you are not experiencing any darkness, ask yourself who in my life may need me to shine light? Do you have a friend who lives alone, someone experiencing a challenging time, someone who needs you to listen? Allow God to direct you to that person lost in darkness and direct them to The Light.

PRAYER: Jesus, sometimes the circumstances of life are dark and I get tired and too weak to see past the current moment. BUT… You are the Light of the World. Help me to be transparent with my emotional distress. Surround me with light-bearers who light my path toward healing by shining their lights on You. In the healing 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 in and let the work of your wandering fill you with His healing light.

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 Trust in Him appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions:
Light bearing hand: Pixabay 
Take my hand: Belovedwomen.org photo with added text

BONUS REFLECTION: Take a moment to let in the light of Jesus. You will find healing and hope in Jesus, the Light of the World.

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Offering Your Weary Hand to God

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

Precious Lord, Take My Hand (1932)

By: Thomas A. Dorsey (1899 – 1993)

Listen to this version featuring Mahalia Jackson 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 for 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 great gospel song which voices our desire to have God take our hand. The last few weeks we considered the importance of holding to God’s unchanging hand, now we rest in the fact that He holds ours. Let’s tune our hearts.

Starting with Humility

Over the last four weeks we have been pondering holding to God’s unchanging. If you are just joining us, feel free to go back and consider some of those ideas. This gospel song takes a slightly different look at the same concept. Instead of holding to God’s hand, we ask Him to take ours.

There are really two parts to that acknowledgment. First, we must realize that we need to be held, carried, supported, assisted. Many people are aware they need some help from beyond their own capacity. That is not easy, but it is the easier of the two parts.

Second, we must ask for the help. Before you dismiss the ease of this part, think of the last time you asked God for help. You probably needed it countless times today, but have you asked. Do you think we should only ask when we are really desperate or more often? Consider the heartfelt words of Thomas Dorsey.

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV

We tend to be better at asking for help when we realize we need it. And we need if much more often than we ask for it. Difficult circumstances reveal our needs quicker than normal every day ones, but we must learn to ask not only at the end of ourselves, but way before then. We must learn to ask for the Lord’s direction in all the smaller decisions in life, not just the big ones. We need to learn to stand in His strength in every situation, not just the really heavy ones.

So how accustomed are you to placing your open hand out in front of you and asking your Lord to take it? Over these next few weeks I pray each of grows in the realization of our need and the willingness to ask. He is waiting to strengthen, help and uphold you.

RESONATE!
When was the last time you asked Him to take your hand? Think about the next hour. What is before you that could not benefit from your having asked God to take your hand and lead you, helping you to stand? How about tomorrow? What can you do to practice this simple and tender prayer with greater regularity? Thank Jesus for all He does when we ask Him to take our hand, and then ask Him to take your again today, repeating often.

Tired, Weak and Worn

Asleep at the Wheel

The problem many of us have is that we have fallen asleep at the wheel.  What wheel? The wheel of faith. Because God is so benevolent we are quick to forget that we need to stay alert to circumstances that need His presence.

Living can lull us into an auto-pilot mode that can actually be very dangerous. This is especially true when we consider how haphazard our spiritual growth can become. We must be diligent in our care for our souls, but when we are weary that is difficult.

Let me ask you this. Have you ever fallen asleep while you were praying? It has happened to most if not all of us at one time or another. In one sense it is a beautiful thing, finding rest talking to God about something which ends in slumber. But the downside is when we only pray when we are tired, weak and worn so we struggle to give it the attention it deserves.

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Isaiah 40:29 ESV

Coming to the end of ourselves is a good thing because it reveals our need of God, but we can not live a the end of ourselves. We must learn to cry out at other times as well. We add to the child-like simplicity of “Lord take my hand” the more seasoned experience of “I am tired, weak and worn” which adds import to the prayer that follows.

So two things. Maybe you need to wake up and ask God for some help to walk closely with Him. Maybe you need His help simply becoming more diligent. Either way take a few minutes here or in the video above to ask for His help. He is ready to give it.

RESONATE!
Lord, help me to wake up to my spiritual life passing me by, to more diligently talk to you about my needs. Help me to be honest with you every day. Maybe doing so will help me avoid being so tired, weak and worn. Either way, I place my hand in Yours again today asking You to lead me.

Jesus, thank You for taking my hand every time I place it in Yours. Your care for me is so precious to me. Help me to walk with a greater awareness of it today. In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Willing 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 20.1 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.

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

There is such a tenderness in this prayer. It reveals the child-like faith with which Jesus admonished us to approach Him. Before we can be led, we must be able to stand. Ask Jesus to give you the strength to do so in Him today, so you are ready to be led.

Jesus, give me the strength to stand.

And coupled with the child-like faith is a more seasoned experience. Tired, weak, and worn, all three. Sometimes we are hesitant to acknowledge to God how we are feeling, but we never need to be. Ask Him to help you be honest with Him every day.

Lord, help me to be honest with you every day.

Regardless of the cause of the darkness, each of us faces periods when it is hard to see which way to go. We need to discern God’s light in those moments so we can be led to it. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify God’s light so you can find your way through the darkness.

Holy Spirit, help me see the light of God, even in the darkness.

We ask God to take our hand, not only to stand and to be led through the dark seasons, but ultimately so we can find our way home. We are on a journey and this world is not our destination. Ask God to help you set your sights on your eternal home.

God, help me set my sights on my eternal home.

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 Offering Your Weary Hand to God appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Precious Lord, Take My Hand – https://pixabay.com/photos/hand-hold-reach-place-846092/
Tired, Weak, and Worn – https://pixabay.com/photos/boy-male-man-young-sleeping-828850/

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Setting Our Sights Toward Home

Fair and Bright the Home in Glory

When your journey is completed,
When the valley you pass through,
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.

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.

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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 conclude our journey through this hymn that challenges us to build on the certainty of God in uncertain days. Looking forward to what God has in store for us impacts how we journey through these days. Let’s think about this.

Home

I have said many times before that it is sad how little time we spend thinking, talking, and teaching about heaven, especially considering how much time we are going to spend there. So let’s change that for at least the next few minutes.

When was the last time you thought about it? Heaven. The place where we are planning to spend eternity. I guess one could argue, I already have my inheritance there and it is my reward for following Christ, nothing more needing to be done to earn it. And while all that is true, thinking about where we are going to spend the rest of forever has an impact on the quality of life in these days.

Fair and bright the home in glory

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:3 ESV

Jesus promised not only that He was going to prepare a place for us, but that He would return to take us there. We have a home in glory. It will be fair and bright. We will see it with our eyes one day, but for now, we need Jesus to give us eyes of faith to see, even if only with our mind’s eye, our eternal home.

So what do you imagine it will be like? Clouds and harps? Maybe, but I do not think that will be all. I think we will enjoy God and each other. Think of the things you do in your home. Rest and relate with a smaller group of people. Prepare for the activities which take you beyond your home.

Some of us have spent a lot more time at home these past few months. At times I am sure that has driven you crazy, wanting to get out and do other things, but I hope you have also made the most of the quarantine to spend it enjoying those who were with you. It has probably also caused you to long for the experiences that home is not designed for, gathering in larger groups.

RESONATE!
We can enjoy our homes here, but we must also be careful to long for that which is coming. All the good things here are a shadow of what is to come. Are you longing for that home in glory, fair and bright as it will certainly be? Take a few moments before you read on and simply ask the Holy Spirit to give you an even deeper longing for your home in glory.

Gaze

Your Enraptured Soul Will View

Your enraptured soul will view. 

There’s an unusual word, enraptured. If something enraptures your soul, it is giving intense pleasure or joy to you. Certainly that will be the effect viewing our eternal home will have on us, in all its fairness and brightness.

When we finally see that place Jesus has been preparing for us, our souls will be consumed with intense pleasure and unimaginable joy. I can hardly wait. But even still, sometimes it is difficult to lift my gaze enough to allow it to be filled with that longing for my eternal home.

How about you? When was the last time you looked into the skies and hoped the return of Christ would happen soon? If it has been awhile, take a few moments right and do so. Maybe you can even get outside and look up. If not, look at the image above and utter a simple prayer like this. Thank You, Jesus, for promising to return to take me to the home You have been preparing for me.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6 ESV

We look forward to that eternal dwelling in the house of the Lord, but let us not forget the promise of goodness and mercy following us either. I would argue that knowing we will dwell in the Lord’s presence forever allows us to receive and extend mercy and help create an atmosphere where goodness is left in the wake of wherever we trod. What are you doing to cultivate goodness and mercy where you are so there can be a residue of them left behind even after you leave? May God give us the grace to build our hopes on things eternal, and live is such a way that anticipates them while inviting others to do the same.

RESONATE!
Ask God to help you to evaluate if your living is leaving goodness and mercy behind you. Ask Him to show you if there are ways you are too focused on daily living and how you can adjust your thinking to be more eternal. We all need to keep our gaze up, ever mindful of where we will spend forever, without losing sight of today. Help us, Lord.

Jesus, thank You for leading me through these days and filling my life with goodness and mercy. Help me to leave a residue of these two qualities behind everywhere I go, and help me to always build on the eternal hope I have on You as I endeavor to do so. I long to dwell with You forever and long for the day when my enraptured soul will view my home in glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Eternal Thinking!

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Podcast 19.4 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 your journey is completed,

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 ESV

Sometimes while you are holding on to God’s unchanging hand, it seems like you will not be able to make it through everything you are facing. Even then, take comfort in the fact that God will finish the work He started.  There will be an end. Thank Him for completing what He has started in You.

When the valley you pass through,

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Psalm 23:4 ESV

We all walk through valleys at some point, but there is no need to fear for God is with you. When death is casting a shadow over you, it can be very difficult to recall this simple fact. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you today, and whenever you need it in the future.

Fair and bright the home in glory

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:3 ESV

Jesus promised not only that He was going to prepare a place for us but that He would return to take us there. We have a home in glory. It will be fair and bright. We will see it with our eyes one day, but for now ask Jesus to give you eyes of faith to see your eternal home.

Your enraptured soul will view.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6 ESV

We believe with David that goodness and mercy are with us every day, but we will know it completely on that day. Our souls will find a rest we only dreamed was possible. That is the hope we build on, and long for. Ask God to help you hold to His unchanging hand as you wait.

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.

When your journey is completed,
When the valley you pass through
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.

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 Setting Our Sights Toward Home appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Fair and Bright Your Home in Glory – https://pixabay.com/photos/cloud-sky-yellow-sunshine-sunset-143152/
Your Enraptured Soul Will View – https://pixabay.com/photos/summerfield-woman-girl-sunset-336672/

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