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A Promise Which Prompts Our Praise

I’ll Sing

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
  I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
  If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

My Jesus, I Love Thee
By: William Ralph Featherston (1848–1875)

Listen to this simple piano arrangement as you read.  Members, be sure to experience the worship-cultivating podcast below.

As we close out our look into how we love Jesus in different moments we consider the ones that will go on forever.  It is the last great “ever”, and like every now before it, this one will also be filled with our response of love to Jesus.  Tuesday we considered the place this will happen, (read that here) and today we consider the promise.  Let’s think about that.

I’ll Sing

In the previous stanza we committed to speak our love to Jesus as we came to and beyond the end of our life.  We find ourselves in this stanza breathing in the celestial air of our forever home and exhaling not in a speech but a song.  We will sing.  Oh, how we will sing!

When we finally find ourselves walking the hallways of those eternal mansions, realizing the fullness of our inheritance come to pass, we will sing as never before.  I have often remarked at how different our lung capacity will be in our glorified bodies, not to mention the fact that our musculature will be able to control that breath with much more efficiency.  All that joined with overwhelming desire to glorify our Lord which will consume our entire being will bring us to an utterance of praise beyond imaging.

If you have been on this journey with us for long, you know that our desire here at Resonant 7 is to remove the hindrances in our lives to our reverberating with God’s praise.  When we get to heaven every single thing that inhibited our praise in any way in this life will be gone.  We will unhindered be!

I am sure you are looking forward to that day, but I want to encourage you to consider what those first moments of praise will be like.  Imagine that scene as you are confronted with the awe-evoking presence of Jesus, when you can finally take a breath and then begin offering your adoration.  Ask the Spirit to help you render that in your mind.

Glittering Crown

Glittering Crown

As if the place and the presence of Jesus were not enough to stimulate your worship, imagine this.  Jesus walks over to you with a crown in His nail-pierced hands, a crown which has been prepared for you, not because you earned it but because you are a child of God through faith in Jesus.  As He draws near He lifts it up to gently place it on your head.

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.  2 Timothy 4:8 ESV

If you were not singing before, you must be by then.  But not only you.  Your voice echoes with all who have longed for His appearing.

Before we move on I want you to wrap your mind around one more reality.  Two stanzas before another brow is mentioned.  In that second stanza as we considered the sacrifice of our Lord, we declared our love for Him which was prompted by wearing a different crown on His brow, a crown of thorns.  Juxtapose that against the image created in this last stanza at you are left with a startling truth: you will wear a glittering crown because Jesus wore a thorny one.

Are you longing for His appearing?  That is the criteria mentioned in Timothy to be able to be awarded that crown.  Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal how strong your longing is, then ask Him to make it even stronger.

If ever…it’s now!

My Jesus

From the first moments of our walk with Jesus, and then over time as we understood better what that even meant, we love Him.  We have already committed to speak in the previous stanza and then sing in this final one.  For me this alludes to a natural crescendo that is occurring as this hymn progresses.  I think it beautifully portrays what happens in the life of the believer.

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 1 Peter 1:8 ESV

In those earliest moments, we are overwhelmed with love for Jesus, our Savior.  As we grow in that love, it matures through a deeper sense of His sacrifice.  This prompts us to commit to love Him while living, and even while dying which requires an even greater level of maturity.  Finally we come to a place of rest in the fact that our best love will likely be offered beyond this life.

Even as you long to offer your highest praise in that Day, commit to loving Jesus in every “now” until that one comes.  Across more than four stanzas, but whatever days remain ask the Spirit to help you declare with your lips and your life more and more each day, “If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus ’tis now!”

Jesus, I love You.  Even as I long to see You face-to-face, help me to believe in You and rejoice with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.  Even though I may fail to truly express it, since it is inexpressible, help me to try. In Jesus’ name.   Amen.

Joyful 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.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, but today 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 lots of options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today!!

Members and Subscribers enjoy this podcast! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures shared.  Everyone else the transcript below.

Podcast 9.4 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.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,

John 14:2 ESV

In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

Jesus is indeed preparing a place for us, a place of endless delight.  We often get caught up on the many roomed mansions, but simply being in His presence eternally will create a rest unlike we can even fathom now.  Take a moment and imagine what endless delight feels like.

  I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;

Revelation 21:23 ESV

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

He will be our light, and we will adore Him forever.  Does that mean that all that we will do is sing praises?  I don’t think so. We will have the light of His presence to praise Him, but it will also give us the illumination and inspiration to engage in every pursuit with an undivided purpose, to adore Him.  Think about that.

I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,

2 Timothy 4:8 ESV

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

As I ever adore Jesus, no doubt some of that will be singing His praise.  No doubt some of our songs will be thanksgiving for placing a crown of righteousness on our brows, and that is only part of the award He has in store for us on that Day.  Give Him praise.

  If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

1 Peter 1:8 ESV

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

We have not seen Him, yet we love Him.  Imagine how our love will expand when we finally lay our eyes on Jesus.  We will have loved Him in many different moments for many different reasons but surely we will love Him in those moments with an inexpressible and glorious joy.  Commit to do so now.  

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
  I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
  If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
I’ll Sing – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/women-face-reflecting-elegance-1003240/
Glittering Crown – https://pixabay.com/photos/crown-gold-royal-luxury-golden-2661334/
My Jesus – https://pixabay.com/photos/faith-love-hope-fog-forest-clouds-4045660/

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Loving Through the Living, AND the Dying

And say

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
  And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
  If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

My Jesus, I Love Thee
By: William Ralph Featherston (1848–1875)

Listen to this simple piano arrangement as you read.  And be sure to experience the worship-cultivating podcast below.

Today we consider the “now” of those moments surrounding our death.  Maybe just before, maybe just after, but either way, we declare our intention and even expectation that we will continue to express our love to Jesus.  Let’s think about that.

And Say

The previous line was a declaration that as long as Jesus lends us breath we will use it to give Him praise.  This next line is the natural next step in that process, the moments when He no longer lends breath to our mortal body, and its existence ceases.  Having no breath to praise, the writer now affirms he will still somehow speak forth his undying love for Jesus.  That is an incredible confidence.  So let’s consider that.

When this life is over, the Scripture teaches there is much more.

In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.  2 Corinthians 5:8 (CSB)

When this physical body dies, the spiritual does not. We will live on past the expiration date of our earth suit.  You see, even when we no longer have the breath here, we will still be able to say to Jesus we love Him as we breath in the air on celestial shores.  When we are absent or away from our body, we will finally be at home with the Lord.

Thank Jesus that there is more than what our eyes can see and our ears can hear.  That even when life here ceases, there is much more to come.

Death Dew

Death Dew

Having established that we fully expect to be able to continue to tell Jesus we love Him even after we die, now let’s take a few moments to consider this very curious imagery of “death dew”.  Obviously it is a poetic rendering of the last throes of death, and the body itself growing cold along with the possible perspiration exerted in those last heated moments of battle with death.  Someone has referred to this phenomenon as a cold, clammy, waxy moisture left after a person goes through their death agony and dies.

From the air in our lungs to the sweat on our brow we are determined to keep the praise going, even after we die.  This is extraordinary imagery utilizing very ordinary things.

Having just evoked the awareness that our lended breath provides the means to give praise, the writer goes a step further in declaring our dependency on eternal life in God by squarely putting the possibility of our continuing to speak our adoration to Jesus upon it, even when the death dew goes cold on our forehead.  Otherwise, when the breath stops, so does our praise.

Stop and ponder that marvelous hope for a few moments.  Even when your breath runs out, your praise can continue.  Ask Jesus to drive that truth deep into your being, and commit to eternally let it take root and bear fruit.

If ever…it’s now!

Tis Now

Not only is there the confidence that we will be able to love Him through our death, but it is accompanied by the willingness to do so.  Many of the hymns deal plainly with the reality of death as a part of this age and our hope for life beyond it.  This stanza continues the crescendo of our affection which started with that moment of salvation, deepened with our growing understanding of Christ’s sacrifice, and now builds through our living and even past our dying, into an ever intensifying cacophony of delight.

We will leave this existence behind one day and enter into an experience of endless delight.  That is what the last stanza speaks about and we will press into that next week.  Before we go, linger in the “now” of these moments of living, loving Jesus, even as we draw daily closer to the love etched into our hearts and written in the skies.

Tell Him, “If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus ’tis now!”

Jesus, I love You.  I loved you in that moment when I yielded to Your redeeming grace.  I loved in all those moments You have taken me deeper into my understanding and appreciation of Your sacrifice.  I love you in these moments I am living with You now, and will continue to love You through my death and into what lies beyond.  Help me to live out that love today.  In Jesus’ name.   Amen.

Eternal 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.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, but today 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 lots of options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today!!

Everyone enjoy this podcast! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures shared.

Podcast 9.3 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.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,

Philippians 1:21 ESV

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

We love Jesus is the different “now’s” of this life, and the one to come.  Our lives should be lived as one great offering of love to Jesus, one that continues on after this life.  Death will not bring an end to our praise, but rather the fulfillment of our hope in Him. Thank Him that even death will be gain for us in Christ.

  And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;

Psalm 150:6 ESV

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

If we are going to live for Christ then we should the breath He gives to offer praise.  We respond to the command in this Scripture and the commitment in this stanza to praise Jesus by determining to do just that, “Praise the Lord!”

And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,

Romans 14:8 ESV 

For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

We live to the Lord, to give Him praise, and we die to the Lord as well, because we belong to Him, bought at a great price. We must all face death, but we can do so with the confidence that we will still be able to love Him even when this life is over.  Think about that.

  If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 ESV

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We will still be able to praise Him, even when the death dew becomes cold on our brow, because He has given us victory over sin, death and the grave through His finished work on the cross.  GIve HIm thanks!

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
  And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
  If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
And Say – https://pixabay.com/photos/say-goodbye-old-man-man-away-2890801/
Death Dew – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/fairy-tale-portrait-night-girl-1081151/
Tis Now – https://pixabay.com/photos/heart-sky-clouds-blue-sky-love-1213475/

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About Loving You Jesus…How’s Tomorrow?

I Love Thee

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
  And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
  If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

My Jesus, I Love Thee
By: William Ralph Featherston (1848–1875)

Listen to this simple piano arrangement as you read.  And be sure to experience the worship-cultivating podcast below.

We take some time today to consider the now of those moments which purchased our redemption.  It did not seem convenient for Jesus, but He wore the thorns and we Calvary anyway.  Are we committed to loving even when it is inconvenient?  Let’s think about that.

I Love Thee…

And here we are again repeating our commitment to love Jesus.  It is still a response to what we have just sung and what is contained in the latter part of this stanza, but it is just as much a continual declaration to drive us along it our response.  We love Him because He loved us first.

As we transition to loving in response to His wearing the crown of thorns, stop and take another moment here at the foot of Calvary’s tree.  Humble yourself there to receive the pardon purchased with His broken body and shed blood.  Let it wash over your soul with waves of unmerited grace.  Let it illumine your heart as it pushes back the long night with the gentle glow of its eternal light.

Tell Jesus you love Him, and will keep loving Him for purchasing your pardon.  Thank Him for laying down His life and ask Him to help you learn from and model that self-sacrifice.

Thorns on Thy Brow

For Wearing…

…the thorns on Thy brow.  The symbol of mocking was simultaneously an unwitting tacit acknowledgement of His kingship.  We gladly adore Him for His willingness to wear that crown, even though He was worthy of an entirely different one.  How gracious of Him to do so, especially since He had done nothing to deserve such punishment and humiliation!

Can you imagine how excruciatingly painful wearing those thorns must have been to his physical body?  Isaiah 52:14 says we would not have recognized Him, so brutal was their treatment of Him, this being one example of that torture.  Even still it was but a weak illustration of the agony Christ must have felt in His spirit as the Father turned His face away. [Psalm 22:1]

He was worthy of sincere adoration, and will receive it eternally from grateful hearts, but those moments in which He wore that thorny crown He only received mocking and ridicule from his tormentors.

And twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”  Matthew 27:29 ESV

What love!

If ever…it’s now!

If Ever I Loved Thee

In response to that extravagant expression of love for us and obedience to the Father, we love Him.

We love because he first loved us.  1 John 4:19 ESV 

Make that choice again today.  Determine you will love Him because He loved you first.  Ask Him to show you what that love should look like as you walk through your day.  How can you reflect that kind of sacrificial love today?  Do not put off to tomorrow what you can do today.

Jesus, thank You for putting action to Your words of love.  Help me to do the same as I offer my love to You today.  May I live in response to Calvary.  In Jesus’ name.   Amen.

Responsive 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.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, but today 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 lots of options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today!!

Everyone enjoy this podcast! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures shared.

Podcast 9.2 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 love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,

Romans 5:8 ESV

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The love we declared in the first stanza is of course a response to God’s love. That is made plain by the first line of the second stanza which gives poetic voice to this scripture.  Thank God for loving you first, and sending his Son to demonstrate it.

  And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;

Galatians 3:13 ESV

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—

We were under the curse of sin but Jesus redeemed us by becoming a curse for us on Calvary’s tree. Sure, you know this, but when was the last time you pondered what that meant for Him on the cross? Take a few moments right now and just think about that.

I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;

Matthew 27:29 ESV

And twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

They placed the thorns on his head to mock him. We consider that crown on his brow and adore him. It is amazing to consider how different those two perspectives of the same event are isn’t it? Thank the Holy Spirit for allowing you to see that crown correctly, and respond appropriately.

  If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

1 John 4:19 ESV 

We love because he first loved us.

That is what this entire stanza is about, our response of love to the love first showed to us by Christ.  When we acknowledge that he initiated His love for us by becoming a curse for us and enduring the shame of the cross, the only right response is to love him, now, and forever more.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
  And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
  If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
I Love Thee… – https://pixabay.com/photos/cross-sunset-humility-devotion-1448946/
Thorns on Thy Brow – https://pixabay.com/photos/jesus-christ-clinic-jesus-christ-2437571/
If Ever I Loved Thee – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/good-friday-clipart-christ-easter-3249566/

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What Happened the Moment I Was Saved?

Gracious Redeemer

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
  For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
  If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

My Jesus, I Love Thee
By: William Ralph Featherston (1848–1875)

Listen to this simple piano arrangement as you read.  And be sure to experience the worship-cultivating podcast below.

We take some time today to consider the now of those moments of redemption.  We saw Jesus clearly and responded to His offer of forgiveness.  Let’s think about that.

Gracious Redeemer

Having just declared our resignation from sin, we confess the grace of our Redeemer.  Though it comes before acknowledging Him as our gracious Redeemer in the hymn our determining to refrain from sin is truly a response to His grace.  He showed the grace before we made our determination, which makes His redeeming grace all the more remarkable.  He did not wait for us to act first, he initiated.  And good thing, because we would never have moved toward Him without Him making the way.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, Ephesians 1:7 ESV 

Can you recall those moments when you first realized God’s redeeming grace was being offered freely to you through the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ?  I am not talking about when you first heard the name of Jesus, or first began to consider the work on the cross, I mean that moment when you realized you needed to be redeemed from your sin, and Jesus was willing to do it.  Take a few moments and remember what that “now” felt like.

Thank Jesus for His unmerited grace which made your redemption, the forgiveness of all your sins, possible.  He is your Redeemer, according to the riches of His grace.  Give Him praise.

My Savior

My Savior

Not just the Savior of the world, but my Savior.  I needed saving and Jesus did the work for me.  Reflect for just a minute what that required of Him.

The Father affirmed on several occasions that He was pleased with Jesus, but sin had to be dealt with once and for all which required a perfect sacrifice.  Jesus became that sacrifice out of obedience to the Father.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21ESV

He endured the cross for the glory of God and for our good.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.  1 Peter 2:24 ESV

Jesus not only purchased a position for us, but a way of living.  Dead to sin and alive to righteousness.  When the Holy Spirit reveals these truths to us the only appropriate response is one of love.

Thank Jesus for becoming your Savior, by becoming sin and making you the righteousness of God.  Give Him glory.

If ever…it’s now!

If Ever I Loved Thee…It Was Then

Here we find clarity regarding the “now” of this first stanza.  When do I love Jesus? That moment when I first believed and placed my faith in His gracious redeeming, saving work in me.

I have a very clear recollection of that “now”.  I had been wrestling with the claims of Christ and trying to reconcile them with what I thought I knew.  It was becoming obvious to me that I needed a Savior, and that Jesus was willing to be mine.  I remember that Sunday night service when the pastor preached a message based on this Scripture.

For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.  2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV

You may not have been sitting in a pew in a church like I was, but you can probably recall when you first responded to Jesus’ love for you.  What happened in that moment?  You began to love Jesus with an eternal love.  Recall that “now” again and allow the love first kindled in those moments to fan into flame your affection for Jesus in these, and on into forever.

Jesus, thank You for showing me what love looks like.  You sacrificed yourself to become the Redeemer of the world and my Savior.  Help me to recall that love everyday and live my life responding to it and reflecting it.   In Jesus’ name.   Amen.

Affectionate 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.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, but today 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 lots of options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today!!

Everyone enjoy this podcast! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures shared.

Podcast 9.1 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.

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;

John 21:15 ESV 

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”

When asked by Jesus if he loved Him, Peter responded, “You know that I love you”,  but Peter had denied Jesus three times just days before. If Jesus were to ask you, would you be able to respond as surely, or would you struggle with times you have denied Him?  Think about that.

  For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;

James 4:7 ESV

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

As an expression of our love for Jesus, and in response to His offering His life for us, we must resign the foolishness of sin, and determine to live for His glory.  A part of that is resisting the Devil. Tell Jesus you are determined to turn from sin, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you resist the Devil and his temptations.

My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;

Ephesians 1:7 ESV 

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Even before we engaged in the follies of sin, Jesus shed His blood to become our Redeemer.  In so doing, He made a way for all our trespasses to be forgiven, an extravagant expression of His grace.  Thank Him again right now for His saving work in your life.
  
  If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV

For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Certainly in those first moments of salvation we were quick to tell Jesus how much we loved Him.  Can you recall those moments, the “now” of your surrender to God and resignation from sin? This was the verse that precipitated my response to Jesus’ gift so I remember it well.  Remember, and give Him praise.

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.

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
  For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
  If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
Gracious Redeemer – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/love-jesus-prophet-holy-man-christ-1221444/
My Savior – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/love-jesus-prophet-holy-man-christ-1221455/
If ever I loved Thee, it was then – https://pixabay.com/photos/church-pew-bible-catholic-faith-3120081/

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So Be It

Daily Walking

Just a closer walk with Thee,
  Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
  Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Just a Closer Walk with Thee
 By: Anonymous

Listen as you read.  This is a really nice gospel instrumental version.

As we close out our walking/talking journey here, the simplicity of this final prayer is striking.  We are pleading for a closer walk with Jesus.  But I wonder if we can even grasp what that may mean.  Let’s think about that.

On the Move

These last two lines focus in on a few key principles that bring some clarity to what it means to walk close to Jesus, with the first being movement.  The image above portrays this well.  It is not so much about a lot of movement, as much as continual.  There is implied in this prayer of daily walking close to Jesus the awareness that there is a journey we are invited to join.

One of the things I have noticed with the passing of the years is a proclivity to move less.  Whether it is because there is some pain in the moving or simply that it takes a little more effort to get going, it is easy to live a sedentary lifestyle.  The same can be said at any age of our spiritual lives.  It is easier to remain stationary.  It requires energy to move.  But the benefits are staggering.

Are you willing to move every day as Jesus moves?  There are two parts to that question.  Are you ready to move, and will you model your moving after Jesus.  It reminds me of Jesus instruction to the disciples, which we must strive to emulate.

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”  John 5:19 (ESV)

Ask Jesus to give you that same ability and willingness to identify His movements and mimic them.  Commit to moving every day with Jesus.

Close to Thee

Like Jesus

Here is where things get really interesting.  Let’s make it clear.  Jesus taught it this way.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  Luke 9:23 ESV

If we are going to walk closely with Jesus, we will have to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily.  This is what it means to follow Him.  No part of this is easy.

  • Denying ourselves.  Ouch!  I will not pursue what my natural inclinations would be.  Instead I will pursue the supernatural desires which Jesus introduces me to.  All those things you want, you must lay them aside.  Why?  Because carrying a cross requires you carry nothing else.  Look at the image of Jesus.  He is only carrying His cross.  What must you lay down today to follow Jesus?
  • Taking up your cross.  Not Jesus’ cross.  Your cross.  You will likely not be crucified, but you will have some opportunity to learn obedience through suffering like Jesus did.  [Hebrews 5:8] Are you able to identify what your cross may be today?  If so, ask Jesus for the grace to bear it.  If not, ask Him first for the grace to identify it.

Amen

As Jesus reveals to you what you need to lay down and what you need to pick up, be prepared to surrender to them.  “So be it” is the meaning behind this closing line, which is so important the writer encourages us to say it twice. And that is also effectively what the word means we often use to close our prayers, “Amen”.   All that stuff I just prayed Lord, so be it, Amen.

Let It Be

How does the prayer of this final stanza stack up against the things you have been praying about lately?  A quick recap.

  • Just let me walk closer to You Jesus
  • That is all I am asking
  • Daily walking close to You
  • Amen

If you were to hear my recent prayers, there might have been some of that, but there are a whole lot of other things.  Mostly for others, but a good bit for me, and not enough of this.

Ask Jesus to help you adjust your talking with Him, so that it reflects a deeper desire to be walking with Him daily.  As you do, prepare to surrender as He reveals what you need to lay down and what you need to take up.  It is not the easy road, but it is the far better one.

Jesus, thank You for the reminder of what I should be asking for when I pray.  Thank You for the opportunity to examine my walk and identify what I need to lay down so I am free to take up what will help me learn obedience.  Give me the courage to follow You.   In Jesus’ name.   Amen.

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Podcast 7.4 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.

Just a closer walk with Thee,

2 Corinthians 5:6-7 ESV

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,  for we walk by faith, not by sight.

Seems like walking would not take much courage.  It is such a simple thing, just trust your sight.  But walking with God is no simple thing, and courage is required to walk by faith.  Walking with Jesus requires eyes of faith. Ask Him to sharpen your spiritual sight.

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Colossians 1:9b, 10 ESV

…we have not ceased to pray for you…So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

We join Paul in prayer and echo the one he offered for the believers in Colosse.  It is a prayer driven by our desire to walk worthy of our Lord, fully pleasing Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.  Make this your plea right now.

Daily walking close to Thee,

Luke 9:23 ESV

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Daily walking close to Jesus will require us to follow His lead, His example.  His was a life of self-denial. For the good of the world He went to His cross.  For the glory of God we must carry ours. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you take up your cross so you can walk close to Jesus.

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Philippians 4:20 ESV 

To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Amen means “so be it.”  We want to walk closely with Jesus so we can bring glory to God our Father, just like He did.  There is a lot of weight in this straight-forward prayer.  

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.

Just a closer walk with Thee,
  Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
  Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
Daily Walking – https://pixabay.com/photos/movement-run-go-walk-autumn-536650/
Close to Thee – https://pixabay.com/photos/jesus-christ-cross-cross-carry-1248835/
Let It Be – https://pixabay.com/photos/amen-message-notice-letters-1510175/

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