Resonant 7

You are here: Home / Blogs

by Leave a Comment

Future Rest Informs Present Sweetness

But Sweeter Far Thy Face to See

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.

Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee (Early 12th Century)
By: Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 – 1153)

Listen to this version with a single solo voice as you prepare to ponder this hymn. 

Please make certain to enjoy the podcast below.

Here is podcast 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 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 ancient hymn originally written in Latin, but still true today. There truly is no name like Jesus, no matter the century. Let’s think about this.

Present Sweetness

While just the thought of Jesus fills our hearts with sweetness, imagine how much sweeter will be those moments when we finally see him face-to-face! The brightest and best moments of this life are but a shadow compared to the light of that coming encounter, and yet each of them points to it. Even in this darkness God has begun to make Himself known through the person of His Son.

But sweeter far Thy face to see,

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV

Did you ever consider the fact that God could have simply chosen to reveal truths to us. Ideas, philosophies and concepts. But instead He chose to reveal Himself, out of which flow His ways and purposes.

How kind of God to reveal the sweetness of the knowledge of Him as we look to the face of His Son, the Light of the World. He pierces our darkness as He shows us the glory of God. That work begins in our hearts, and then shines from there with an unmistakeable and unquenchable brightness. Praise the Father for revealing His glory through Jesus Christ!

RESONATE!
Where there was darkness, rot and decay Jesus brings a vibrant and dynamic renewal and refreshing until sweetness displaces everything else. Is there anything threatening the filling of the core of your being with His unmatched brightness today? Ask Jesus to give you eyes to see His face so the light of the knowledge of the glory of God may shine into your heart again right now. Speak the name of Jesus in your heart and experience His fullness, asking Him to fill you with the sweetness of His presence.

Future Rest

That kind of sweet knowledge of Jesus opens the reality of a rest in Him that begins now and culminates in eternity. The future rest we are promised in Him has implications for the way we live today. This is true even in, maybe especially in, the weariest days.

And in Thy presence rest.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 ESV

These are the words of Jesus. The clear invitation of our Master is to come and find rest in His presence. Thinking about Him brings a sweetness indeed, but it is superseded by the rest of simply being in His presence. That rest begins the moment we accept His invitation to come. It also continues to consume us as we learn to live with a constant awareness of His presence. 

When we first have eyes of faith to see Jesus His rest becomes a present reality. Even better though will be that day when we finally see Him face-to-face. The sweetness of His unveiled glory in those moments will be sweeter than anything we will have ever experienced, by far.

RESONATE!
What we need to continue to grow to realize is that the reality of that “someday” rest can influence our lives “every day”. That way the someday rest becomes and everyday rest. Sound too good to be true? Maybe, but it actually is true. Ask the Spirit to help you long for that day, as you learn to practice the rest it promises even today.

Jesus, thank You for the sweetness we find in Your presence. Though we only know it in part now, that knowledge makes us long for more. Help me set my heart on You today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sweet 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 21.1 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.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8 ESV

Jesus is all these things, and thinking of Him ushers them into our minds and our lives. We should endeavor to think about Him often everyday so our thoughts reflect the beauty of our Savior. Ask Him to help you think on Him regularly.

With sweetness fills my breast;

My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 24:13-14 ESV

Feasting on His words brings a sweetness into our minds that can transform us from the inside out. His wisdom is indeed so sweet because it assures us of a future and a hope. Thank Him for His sweet words.

But sweeter far Thy face to see,

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV

How kind of God to reveal the sweetness of the knowledge of Him as we look to the face of His Son, the Light of the World. He pierces our darkness as He shows us the glory of God. Praise the Father for revealing His glory through Jesus Christ.

And in Thy presence rest.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 ESV

The clear invitation of our Master to come and find rest in His presence. Thinking about Him brings a sweetness indeed, but it is superseded by simply being in His presence. Accept His invitation and come again to rest in Jesus today.

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.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.

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 Future Rest Informs Present Sweetness appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
But Sweeter Far Thy Face to See – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9pbOddjdfM
And in Thy Presence Rest – https://onwardchurch.org/2016/03/07/meeting-jesus-face-to-face/

by 1 Comment

You Are What You…Think

Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.

Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee (Early 12th Century)
By: Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 – 1153)

Listen to this version with a single solo voice as you prepare to ponder this hymn. 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 ancient hymn originally written in Latin, but still true today. There truly is no name like Jesus, no matter the century. Let’s tune our hearts.

Thought Processes

So what do you think about when you aren’t thinking about anything else? What you daydream about? The answers to these questions reveal a lot of information. Let me give you an example.

Today my oldest son turns 21. I can remember the first time I held him on my lap over two decades ago. The days leading up to his arrival, and those first few days with him, I could hardly focus on anything else but his arrival, and then his care. Another way of putting it. I was preoccupied.

Do you know that feeling? Sometimes it is a wonderful thing, and other times a dreadful one, but there are things that simply captivate our mental capacities at different points in our lives. They consume our thought processes.

What is that thing for you today?  A new job? An old wound? A broken relationship? You name it.

Truth be told, Jesus wants to be that preoccupying thought for you. He knows that a preoccupation with Him will resolve many of the struggles of your life, or at least give you a very different perspective on them. He is absolutely worthy of such undivided attention.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8 ESV

Jesus is all these things, and thinking of Him ushers them into our minds and our lives. We should work to cultivate a mindset that is fixated on Him. Thinking about Him often everyday allows our thoughts to reflect the beauty of our Savior.

RESONATE!
Thinking about the name of Jesus changes things. We often cry out to Him in desperation, but we should also set out minds on Him in delight, because these two extremes and everything in between them is impacted by our perspective on Him. Think about His name for a few moments right now. Then consider setting a timer to go off every hour through the rest of this day and when it goes off take a minute to think of it again. This is one way to develop a mindset that is filled with Jesus.

With Sweetness Fills My Breast

Reinforce Desires

All of us know things that are good for us, yet we sometimes lack the diligence to seek them as we should. When we think about things, our thoughts can influence our actions and even guide our appetites. Let me offer another example.

When I am watching my calorie intake managing my weight becomes a much simpler process. When I eat fewer calories than I need every day, I will loss weight. When I eat more than I need, well you the idea.  Counting calories influences and even constrains how I act on my appetites.

Could the same be true in other areas of our lives besides the physical? Absolutely.

What I think about, what I ponder in my soul, what I long for will indubitably affect the direction and fervency of what I desire. I what I desire has an impact on the quality of my life, so best to long for good things. And what better thing is there than the wisdom of knowing God?

With sweetness fills my breast;

My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 24:13-14 ESV

When we think on the things from the passage above they set our minds on Christ and His words. Feasting on His words brings a sweetness into our minds that can transform us from the inside out. His wisdom is indeed so sweet because it assures us of a future and a hope.

 

RESONATE!
Are you pursuing things that will bring sweetness to your soul? Jesus wants this for you, and frankly is that for you, but we must diligently seek. Thank Him for His sweet words and commit to feast on them everyday, trusting they will fill you with the sweetness of His presence.

Jesus, thank You for the sweetness of Your presence. Help me to experience it more and more everyday by filling my mind with your words. Give me a desire for more of You. In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Thoughtful 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 21.1 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.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.

Just the thought of the name of Jesus does something for the true follower. Many times we cry out in desperation, but evenin delight, uttering His matchless name changes things. There truly is no name like the name of Jesus. Think about it for a few moments.

Jesus, fill my thoughts with Your name.

Where there was rot and decay He brings a vibrant and dynamic renewal and refreshing until sweetness displaces everything else. Is there anything threatening the filling of the core of your being today. Speak the name of Jesus in your heart again right now and experience His fullness.

Jesus, fill me with the sweetness of Your presence.

Even better will be that day when we finally see Him face-to-face. The sweetness of His unveiled glory in those moments will be sweeter than anything we will have ever experienced, by far. Ask the Spirit to help you long for that day.

Holy Spirit, help me long to see Jesus face.

The rest we will find in His presence that day will be overwhelming. So glorious will it be that for the balance of eternity we will never grow weary of marveling at its radiance. Peace promised by Him finally ours when we arrive in His presence. What an inheritance is ours! 

God, thank You for the promise of rest in Your presence.

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 You Are What You…Think appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Jesus, the Very the Thought of Thee – https://pixabay.com/vectors/thought-bubble-think-comic-blank-305053/
With Sweetness Fill My Breast – https://pixabay.com/vectors/bee-jar-pot-honey-food-dessert-5069152/

by Leave a Comment

Gleaning Guidance Through Peril and Pain

At the River I Stand, Guide My Feet, Hold My Hand

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:
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 conclude our journey through this great gospel song which voices our desire to have God take our hand. More often than not, we need some help to make it through. God is always there waiting to give that help if we will only ask. Let’s think about this.

Slippery Rocks

Growing up in the mountains I have always loved putting my feet in the refreshingly cool, crisp waters of a stream. But you must be careful. The stones along a moving body of water can be treacherous due to moss and moisture. On many occasion I have had to contort my body in awkward positions so as not to tumble onto those slippery and very hard rocks.

As a father, I have many memories of introducing my four boys to the simple joys of this experience, but not without a degree of drama. See I know how treacherous those slippery rocks can be, but they did not. I would hold their hands tightly, the younger they were the more tightly I held, as we made our way along the stones sometimes to the middle of the stream. They would try to pull away, sometimes successfully, but I would always take hold of them hands and guide them to the best places to step in my attempt to keep them safe.

Our Heavenly Father does the same for us.

Life presents us with any number of very tempting and slippery situations. We are often unaware of the peril they present. Our Father is not He is willing to walk along the edge of the water with us, guiding our steps and holding our hands. When we yield to His care, He keeps us safe, even though there may be some twists and turns.

This is never more true than in the final passage through the transition from this life to the next. Our learning to trust Him through smaller, simpler perils will give us an increasing measure of confidence in Him as we approach that last one. This is imperative as we long to see our soul delivered even through death.

At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:

For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. Psalm 56:13 ESV

We will all face death, but God is able to deliver us even through that peril. He will keep our feet from falling, and guide us through safely so we may walk with Him in the light of life eternal. He is a good Father and wants to keep your soul safe. Will you let Him?

RESONATE!
God’s care through the perils of this life can prepare us for the last, great one at our passing into eternity. Are you trusting Him with your perils? Maybe like a child you have pulled your hand away wanting to face it on your own. Maybe you have realized that is often not a great idea. Ask the Spirit to reveal if there are any perils you are facing today where you are not putting your hand in God’s. Confess whatever He reveals and determine to put your hand back into Your Father’s again today. 

Excruciating Circumstances

Take My Hand, Precious Lord, Lead Me Home

Trusting someone through perils can be challenging for a self-reliant child, and many a self-reliant adult, and the maturity that when demonstrate in those moments is not easily gleaned. Even still, those are often not the situations that test our trust the most. Whether physical, emotional, spiritual or relational, pain affects us even more than the rush of adrenaline caused by peril.

There are probably many reasons why but they can be grouped in one of two larger areas: the acute nature of pain, and the lingering effect it has on our trust in God. We will consider the simpler, former reason first, then move on to the more complex, latter one.

Let’s use an example. You are rushing around doing some tasks and you drop something. In your hurry you bend over without realizing their is now something in the path of our your head as you raise up. You hit your noggin so hard that you get an immediate headache and your vision blurs, partly because of the tears. You totally forget everything else you were doing because you are so fixated on the pain.

Pain effects us first because of the acute nature of it. Even after the fact there is a reminder of the injury. Sometimes this makes other things difficult because whenever you do not have anything else to think about, you go back to this incident.

While that is problematic to our trust in God, the lingering effects on our hearts and minds can be even more troublesome. Sometimes we wonder why God would allow that pain. We question why we are not healing faster. This line of thinking effects our trust in Him, when we probably should be asking questions that affirm our trust. Questions like, “I wonder what purpose God has for this pain in my life?” Not easy, but essential.

We can develop that kind of trust when we ask Him to lead us, and then remember His promises.

Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

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

Think of it this way. If we can trust God to lead us home, that is to lead us through death into His promised rest, certainly we can trust Him for everything else that leads to our passing into eternity. If you love God, you are responding to His call. You are likely to have demonstrated that by trusting in Christ and becoming His child. You can trust that God works all things together for your good, even your death.

If we grasp that perspective, it changes how we think of the pains of this life. Rather than blaming God for them, we can grow to trust that He has a purpose in them that is higher than ours. This is not an easy truth to practice, but doing so is essential to our faith, and prepares us for that final pain at the end of this life.

RESONATE!
Are you trusting God to use everything, including your pain, for your good? Ask the Spirit to reveal if there is anything you are struggling with when it comes to past pains in your life. As He reveals anything, ask Him to turn those things into opportunities to grow your trust, through every twist and turn of life, until you arrive at the final one.

Jesus, thank You for always being with me in the perils and pains. Give me the faith to put my hand into Yours again today and trust You to lead me through all things for my good and Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Restful 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 20.3 Transcript

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

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,

Give glory to the Lord your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness. Jeremiah 13:16 ESV

Here darkness is used as a representation of the end of this life. God is the one who has appointed that time for every soul and for that reason we need not fear it. That time will come for us all but we can find rest in God even in the passage that darkness will be. Thank Him.

And the day is past and gone,

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15 ESV

Precious, not tragic, or sad, or final. Why? Because when we pass through the darkness of death we enter in earnest into the inheritance of the saints, eternal rest in the presence of God. He welcomes us Home. Give praise to God for His precious perspective on the passing of His own.

At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:

For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. Psalm 56:13 ESV

The river is an illustration of passing from one shore, this earthly existence, to another, our eternal abode. We will pass through the river, just like we will pass through death. It is not our destination, but only a necessary part of the total journey. Ask the Spirit to show you this.

Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

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

God works even our death for good. Having been called according to His purpose, this world is not our home. He is leading us through this weary world to the place that is. Ask Him one more time to take your hand and lead you through every twist and turn, until He finally leads you home.

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 the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:
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 Gleaning Guidance Through Peril and Pain appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
At the River I Stand, Guide My Feet, Hold My Hand – https://pixabay.com/photos/man-wilderness-nature-river-1246233/
Take My Hand, Precious Lord, Lead Me Home – https://pixabay.com/photos/slap-hand-open-fingers-4379830/

by 10 Comments

Guide me River of Life

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 Being Lost in Darkness and Found in the Light of God. This week we will investigate being Guided through the darkness by the River of Life.  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: Psalm 30:5 Common English Bible 

Weeping may stay overnight, but by morning, joy!

 

 

 

 

PSALM: Precious Lord Take My Hand

When the darkness appears and the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
At the river I stand
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

Thomas Dorsey, the author of this hymn, knew that when darkness appears and the night grows near and days have past and gone, God is near. In the midst of the dark night of the soul Dorsey leaned into the darkness, pleaded for God to guide His feet, and Hold his hand and sought the river of life to guide him home.

PARABLE:   Unexpected and debilitating grief can leave us in despair and try to convince us that nothing good can come from this place. I confess that I have believed this several times in my life, including recently.  I have struggled with an endless season of grief for over three years.   I have cried enough tears to form a river. I have cried out, “Lord, here I stand at the river.”  I have lost words and had nothing but utterances. Yet, the Holy Spirit interceded within those groans too deep for words. 

From the drought in my heart, the Holy Spirit guided me to the rivers of living water that flow within my soul. Yes, in the dark night of the soul, there is a transforming river of life within us. Darkness is never so dark that we are lost. God’s light will always find us and in the mourning shine His light and trade our spirit of heaviness for a garment of praise, and move us from a stumbling crawl to a stance as strong as a mountain. 

God did not remove the darkness but He did meet me in it. He chose to have me seek a glimpse of the SONshine. Over the last few months, God has been leading me to moments on my mat, stretching my mind, body, and soul past my comfort zone into the stretch zone of new possibilities. Some of these transforming moments were done in silence, solitude, and Holy Listening. Some were done in crises, clutter, and chaos.

Perhaps you are living through a dark night of the soul, have just come out of one, or are headed into one. No matter which is appropriate for you, in your times of darkness, God’s present to you is His Presence. To feel His Presence we may have to attune our ears in the chaos–through the chaos like a hunting hound who hears the silent whistle. We may have to turn our tear burning gaze to God. We may have to choose to be mindful that the Holy Spirit–in the darkness–will guide us to the River of Life whether in solace, clutter or chaos. Standing in our river of tears we can invite Him to lead us home to the safety of His arms.As we surrender, weeping may stay overnight but by morning joy will come.

PONDER and WANDER:  Can we find God in the darkness? Yes and the Holy Spirit will GUIDE us to the river of life.

Soul care training exercise:  Whatever is present in your life that is hindering the SON from shining, the Holy Spirit can GUIDE you through it. If you choose, when you are ready, invite the Holy Spirit to GUIDE you through these steps.

  • First, Give room for Holy Listening.
  • Next,  Unclutter your mind, body, and soul.
  • Then, Invite God’s Presence
  • Now, Do nothing but be with God.
  • Finally, Engage your mind, body, and soul in the process.

Whether in silence, solace, or solitude or crisis, confusion, or chaos, we can find God in the darkness. As we follow the guidance of The Holy Spirit we will not walk in darkness because we have the light of life.

PRAYER: Father, you are light in the darkness. When I am experiencing a drought, you are the river of life that floods my soul. Keep me walking toward your light. In the promises 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 Guide me River of Life appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions:
Weeping may stay: Bible Gateway Psalm 30:5 image
River of Life and Guide: photos by Tia Cifferno with text added

BONUS REFLECTION: If you choose, take five minutes to do this bonus reflection and contemplate which direction the River of Life is taking you.

by Leave a Comment

Of Fair Sunsets and Final Stanzas

When the Darkness Appears and the Night Draws Near

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:
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.

Lovely Sunsets

I love sunsets. Not only are they often breathtakingly beautiful reminders of our God’s infinite creativity, but they also signal the end of what has often been a long, busy day and that rest is coming. When you have finished your labor for the day, the break of night is a welcome friend. But there is something else.

They also signal the imminent approach of darkness. That can be scary if you are not prepared for it, right? Imagine yourself alone in a remote part the woods and the batteries in your flashlight are failing. Or you are in a strange part of an unfamiliar town and the roads seem abandoned and just a little spooky. You can create your own scenario, but you get the idea.

Death can be viewed in both respects as well.

If you have completed your labors and are at rest with the living you have done in the eyes of God, the promised rest you are about to enjoy can be welcomed with peace and gladness. It may hold some uncertainty for the newness of that part of your journey, but you receive it gladly because of all that God has told us is in store for all His saints.

If you have a sense some things are unfinished and are not at rest with God, the approach of death can be fearful. The uncertainty can be overwhelming when you are not confident you are prepared for it. But that can be easily settled, friend.

Simply give glory to God for the light of knowledge of Him revealed in the face of Jesus Christ. Turn your trust from your labors to His. Find rest in Him and His finished work. And let Him lead you through the darkness of death’s door into the light of eternity. What a beautiful picture!

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,

Give glory to the Lord your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness. Jeremiah 13:16 ESV

RESONATE!
Whether you are facing some darkness right now or the final, great darkness at the end of life, God can lead you through it. Bring your fear and uncertainty to Him, and allow Him to gently take your hand and guide you through it. He is so kind in His leading that if you will simply surrender to Him, a peace will be yours not matter what darkness you are facing, and you can trust that even should you stumble, He will keep you safe. Take a few moments and ask the Father to give you His perspective on your present darkness as you place your hand in His again.

Final Stanzas

And the Day is Past and Gone

A common characteristic of many of the great hymns is a dealing with the reality of life beyond this temporal plane. Whether they speak of the transition or simply the hope that is ours in Christ for eternity, they often go there. This gospel song is no exception.

It gives us hope, as we live our final stanza, that the darkness we face is not the end of it all, simply the end of this part of our sojourn. What an incredible promise it reminds us of as it points us to all that our precious Lord has in store for us beyond this life. So incredible is it that our passing from this life to the next through death is actually precious in His sight.

And the day is past and gone,

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15 ESV

Allow me to make this personal. My father died last March. I had often thought of this verse and shared it as I served families at funerals for their loved ones. It gives us the Lord’s perspective on the death of his saints, which is so important as we are grieving.

Precious was on my mind and in my heart, and flowed in and out of my soul as my feelings overwhelmed me at times in those days following his passing. Other words like painful, sad, and peaceful ebbed in and out as well as I processed this heart-wrenching loss, but I kept coming back to this word, precious.

You see, the “day” of my dad’s life was past and gone. Dealing with that for those of us who remain requires a grieving process, but for not for Him, and certainly not for our Lord. His passing was precious because God welcomed Him into His eternal dwelling. This is an incredible truth that effects the way we approach death ourselves and process it for and with others.

I am grateful to God for His promise and perspective, and the way it has helped me grieve my dad’s passing. I hope you can find some rest in that promise today for yourself and those in the Lord you may have already lost. Peace be yours today and whenever your final stanza is written.

 

RESONATE!
Are you approaching death with the confidence that yours will be precious in the Lord’s sight. Your final stanza has already been written, and it is precious to God. Ask Him for the perspective to see it as such and draw peace from it today for your journey and as you grieve the loss of your loved ones who have gone on to their eternal rest before you.

Jesus, thank You for eternal perspective. Help me to develop mine today, by giving me a bit of yours for my journey and the particularly the final stanza. I want to approach that with the peace only You provide. In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Peaceful 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 20.3 Transcript

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

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

Without question, we all face dark nights in our souls. The question is how will we choose to deal with them. What are you facing in this season that may be casting a shadow over your soul? If you know, ask God for help dealing with it. If you don’t know, ask Him to reveal it.

God, help me to deal with my darkness or reveal it.

Now we approach that moment when we close our eyes the last time and the end of life as we know it approaches. That day is coming for every one of us. If you have walked with Jesus, you will be able to trust Him to guide you. Are you ready for the end of your journey?

Jesus, help me prepare for the end of my journey.

The river here marks the passage from this life to the next. Whether we walk over on dry ground or on top of the water matters not, only Who holds our hand. Ask God to take your hand today, then rest in the fact He will never let go, come what may.

God, take my hand.

And here we are once more asking Him to take our hand. I think we keep asking because we know we are at times like the child who tries to shake loose from their parents in the parking lot.  Ask the Spirit to help you surrender to God’s leading through all the dangers of life and all the way home.

Spirit, 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 Of Fair Sunsets and Final Stanzas appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
When the Darkness Appears and the Night Draws Near – https://pixabay.com/photos/sunset-over-the-lake-sunset-lake-2157641/
And the Day is Past and Gone – https://pixabay.com/photos/night-sky-moon-stars-midnight-315204/

Connect With Us

Tuesday Tunings LLC
E: support@resonant7.com