I fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness
Where is death’s sting where grave thy victory
I triumph still if Thou 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 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.
As we continue our journey through this hymn which encourages us to be amazed at God’s love for us prepare to respond and give Him praise. Let’s think about this.
Tombstones
As we near the end of October each year tombstones become a normal sight as decorations for the season of Halloween. Even with this common symbol of death and the grave most people give little if any thought of how to prepare for their eventualities. There is a tombstone, or at least a grave, in each of our futures unless Jesus returns first.
Not only have we considered death and the grave, but we have overcome them in Christ. When we choose to abide in Him, to find our hope beyond the grave in Jesus alone, the sting and victory death evaporates like the mist over the graveyard in the morning light. The gravestone did not mark the end for Jesus, and our tombstones will not mark our end either, but simply serve as a placeholder until we rise again like Jesus.
Where is death’s sting where grave thy victory
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:55 ESV
These are incredible rhetorical questions. Only the presence and power of God gives us any confidence when facing the end of life and the grave itself. Death may seem victorious, but in light of the resurrection it is not. We overcome, even in death, if we abide with God.
The Holy Spirit allows us to see beyond the painful sting of death and the fleeting victory of the grave as He reveals to us the breathless wonder of the resurrection. Though we may even die, we will live again as the Breath of God breathes life into our souls. Thank Him for that.
RESONATE!
Take a few moments and think about what your tombstone may look like. Unless Christ returns first, we will each have a grave, but that will not be the end. Pray the simple prayer, “Spirit, thank You for life.“
Triumph
In order to experience the joy of victory, a runner must endure agony of training. No one just shows up and wins the race. We prepare for our ultimate victory by enduring many things along our journey, culminating in the end of our temporal lives. That is not the ultimate end for us though because we have an eternal glory that is ours in Christ.
In Christ.
That is the key. We will triumph, even in death, if we are in Christ. If you have been called endure your suffering knowing it will last only a little while compared with the eternity of victorious bliss that awaits you in Christ.
I triumph still if Thou abide with me
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10 ESV
And we will suffer. We all have and do. Yet we have this confidence. The God of all grace who has called us to His eternal glory will transform all those apparent set-backs into set-ups as He turns us into conquerors. Rest in Him to restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us, Romans 8:37. There is no better expression of that love than giving us the presence that allows us to overcome all things, even death. This is the ultimate, eternal victory. Give praise to Jesus for His overcoming presence.
RESONATE!
Take a few moments and thank God you are more than a conqueror. We are able to conquer because we are loved and welcomed into His presence. Pray this simple prayer, “Jesus, I praise You for Your overcoming presence.“
Jesus, thank You for victory over death and the grave. That victory is ours because of your grace and love for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Victorious Thinking!
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Podcast 45.4 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.
I fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 ESV
There are plenty of adversaries that should strike fear in our hearts if the Lord were not on our side, but He is. So, we need not fear any foe with the Lord nearby to bless. He is our light and salvation. The stronghold of our lives. Thank Him for His presence which drives out fear.
Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV
We do suffer ills and shed many tears, but the weight of them is light and the bitterness absent when we see them in comparison to what God is producing in us through them. The key to this perspective is trusting God in the midst of them so you can see them clearly.
Where is death’s sting where grave thy victory
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:55 ESV
These are incredible rhetorical questions. Only the presence and power of God gives us any confidence when facing the end of life and the grave itself. Death may seem victorious, but in light of the resurrection it is not. We overcome, even in death, if we abide with God.
I triumph still if Thou abide with me
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10 ESV
And we will suffer. We all have and do. Yet we have this confidence. The God of all grace who has called us to His eternal glory will transform all those apparent set-backs into set-ups as He turns us into conquerors. Rest in Him to restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more, with the refrain.
I fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness
Where is death’s sting where grave thy victory
I triumph still if Thou abide with me
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 From Tombstones to Triumph appeared first on Resonant 7.
Image Attributions
Where grave Thy victory? – https://pixabay.com/vectors/tombstones-cross-graveyard-cemetery-151263/
I triumph still if… – https://pixabay.com/vectors/triumph-victory-win-conquest-3169602/
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