I could not love Thee,
so blind and unfeeling;
Covenant promises
fell not to me.
Then without warning,
desire, or deserving,
I found my Treasure,
my pleasure, in Thee.
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.
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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.
Unloving
There are any number of things that can impair our ability to discern the faithfulness of God. It can be challenging for us to see it plainly in a normal year, but one marked by a pandemic and social unrest certainly adds to the the difficulty. The pains and problems of our lives can cover or cloud God’s work in us in the midst of them.
This struggle is real for those who have found rest with God, but especially for those who have not. The former may struggle to see and feel it, but the latter simply can not. Until that moment of surrender and the epiphany which follows, we lack the capacity to fathom the work and wonder of the Lord.
Can you recall what that was like? The before, as well as the after? The writer refers to our state before God as blind and unfeeling. Sounds about right to me.
I could not love Thee,
so blind and unfeeling;
As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. Romans 3:10-11 ESV
It is both painful and needful to acknowledge this reality. We were blind and cold toward God, so was our disposition in sin. We could not love Him, nor did we care to. We must acknowledge this in order to receive by grace His faithfulness to us. Have you done so? If not, take a few moments below to walk through that confession.
If you have done that before, rekindle that flame. It is hard to admit that not only did we not love God, but we possessed no capacity to do so until He gave it to us. We were incapable of seeing or feeling His love. That is our state apart from Him. It is important to remember that sometime.
RESONATE!
We must start with that humble confession. If you have never acknowledged your desperate need for God and how separated you were from Him do it today. Your desire to do so alone is evidence of His work in you for you could not ever seek Him on your own. If you have acknowledged that before take a moment to recall what feeling was like by simply asking Him, “Lord, help me recall my helpless state apart from You.” We will address that feeling or lack thereof as we go through this stanza.
But Not Unloved
My lack of capacity to love God was solely based on my lack of knowledge that He had first loved me. How kind of Him to reveal that love to me, and in that moment also the capacity to respond to it. Until then I did not even realize what I was missing.
Covenant promises
fell not to me.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23 ESV
Our sin had separated us from God and accordingly all the promises that He offers to those who believe and place their faith in the substitutionary sacrifice of His Son. You too were once outside of this covenant, outside of His glory.
Hopeless. We were hopeless before God made His promises known to us. Oh, we may have tried to find some hope in our abilities or resources, but true, lasting and eternal hope was unattainable. Can you remember what it felt like to only have the fleeting hope of this life?
He loved the world so much that He gave His only Son to create a path of faith. A path that leads us into a place where His promises fall on us. That place is a place of hope and rest.
RESONATE!
Again take a moment to allow the Spirit to remind you the feeling of this life’s fleeting hope. Then ask Him to show you anew eternity’s lasting hope. Finally, thank Him for revealing that hope to you.
Spirit, thank You for Your work in opening my blind eyes and warming my soul to the hope that is found in Jesus Christ alone. Help me to walk in that hope everyday, and use me to help others see it and feel it as you work through me. I want as many as possible to see and feel what You have shown to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
Grateful Tuning!
Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence. We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.
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Video 46.5 Transcript, 23.3 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.
I could not love Thee,
so blind and unfeeling;
Covenant promises
fell not to me.
Then without warning,
desire, or deserving,
I found my Treasure,
my pleasure, in Thee.
It is hard to admit that not only did we not love God, but we possessed no capacity to do so until He gave it to us. We were incapable of seeing or feeling His love. That is our state apart from Him. Take a moment to recall what that was like.
Lord, help me recall my helpless state apart from You.
Hopeless. We were hopeless before God made His promises known to us. Oh, we may have tried to find some hope in our abilities or resources, but true, lasting and eternal hope was unattainable. Can you remember what it felt like to only have the fleeting hope of this life?
Spirit, remind me of the feeling of this life’s fleeting hope.
Before we could even become aware of how desperate our situation was Jesus made a way for us to receive His great and precious promises. We had not desired them and certainly did not deserve them yet He offered. Thank Him for taking the initiative in redemption.
Jesus, thank You for initiating redemption.
He has become our Treasure and our pleasure. How? Simply by inviting us into His life through His death and resurrection. Are you pursuing a soul-satisfying relationship with Jesus or are other things distracting You? Ask Him today to help you see Him for the Treasure He is.
God, help me see You for the Treasure You are.
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 Can You See God’s Faithfulness? REPOST appeared first on Resonant 7.
Image Attributions
I Could Not Thee So Blind and Unfeeling – https://pixabay.com/photos/coronavirus-mask-corona-virus-5154115/
Covenant Promises Fell Not To Me – https://pixabay.com/photos/bible-hand-designate-read-1089968/
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