Thursday Thoughts Archives - Page 50 of 54

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
By: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

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

On Tuesday we considered the first two lines of this very poetic stanza, acknowledging that even if all nature were ours to present as an offering in response to the cross it would be insufficient. Today as we examine the last two lines we will wrestle with the only appropriate response we can give to God’s amazing love for us. Let’s think about this.

Amazing Love

We were separated from God by our sin. The Father sent His Son to bridge that divide. He initiated the solution to our problem with sin by sending Christ to the cross to demonstrate His love, pay the penalty for our sin, and provide a way back to Him.

Like this image, God reaches out to us in the cross and makes the way for us to reach back to Him. We would never have been able to span the chasm between us and God were it not for the cross. The wondrous cross.

Though our last line will talk about the demand that love places on us, in order to understand the context of that demand we must consider the demand of justice. Our Holy God can have nothing to do with sin. We will each stand before Him to give an account for our lives, particularly to answer for all the things we did contrary to God’s commands. Our sin. (See Revelation 20:11-13.)

God will be justified in calling us to account for every wrong thing we have ever done, if we want to live in His glorious presence forever. His perfection demands it. Unfortunately, we have no excuse, and simply are guilty of every accusation that would be brought against us. Fortunately, Jesus changed the entire scenario.

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10 ESV

Propitiation is a big theological word. It means to appease a deity, thus incurring divine favor or avoiding divine retribution. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross allowed Him to become that for us. It satisfied the laws demands allowing us to experience the favor of God and escape His retribution. It was the greatest expression of Love in history. It demands a response.

The Demand of Love

With authority Love claims the response of everything we are, but not in the normal sense of the word demand. When I think of the word demand, there is a sense that I have no choice, and while that may be true when we consider the rightness of God’s demand He always allows us to choose.

There is still the very real sense that God’s love displayed on the cross demands a response. It demands my soul, my life, my all, in that it is calling for that all-encompassing response with authority. We must continually live out this response.

Why continually? Partly because the extravagance of God’s sacrifice. Partly because of the way that line is written. Love demands. Not Love demanded, past tense. Or Love will demand, future tense. But demands, present tense. We all called to continually live out our response of offering everything we are to God.

So how are you responding? Undoubtedly, you probably made a decision at some point to offer your life in exchange for the one Jesus offered you. The issue for us arises when we fail to continue to offer our life to God. Something in our soul holds back, not sure of risking everything for Jesus. We live most moments with an awareness of Christ’s presence, but those moments when we do not our life drifts from Him. We offered our all to God in the initial transaction, but along the way have taken little bits back so that He does not have the fullness of what Love demands anymore.

Take a few moments and identify what those things might be that are keeping you from offering your soul, your life, your all to Jesus right now. Ask for His forgiveness, and then His help to keep offering everything you are.

Jesus, thank You for offering Your life so completely for us, becoming the propitiation for our sin. Your sacrifice satisfied the laws demands, and now demands a response from us. Give us the courage and continually offer our lives, our souls, our all to You, ever remaining in a state of wonder at Your work on the cross. In Jesus name. Amen.

Constant Thinking!

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Subscribers AND Free Members enjoy this podcast! Everyone else, the transcript below.

Podcast 4.4 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.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

Colossians 1:16 ESV

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Well, everything in all of creation does not belong to me, but to Christ. He is the One who made all things, and through His sacrifice on the cross is remaking all things. Praise Him for His work of creation and re-creation.

That were a present far too small;

1 Chronicles 16:29 ESV

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;

If it were all mine, giving it all to my Lord who has redeemed me from my sins would be an appropriate response, but would simply still not be enough. He is worthy, so what offering or present will You bring to worship Him?

Love so amazing, so divine,

1 John 4:10 ESV

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Propitiation means to appease a deity, thus incurring divine favor or avoiding divine retribution. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross allowed Him to become that for us. Only His life could be a worthy sacrifice, and in love He willingly laid that life down for our sins. Thank Him.

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Romans 12:1 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

In response to Christ offering His life for us, we offer everything we are. But we do not climb up on an altar to die, instead we determine to live out our worship, through holy and acceptable lives. Ask Him to help you do just that.

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.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

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
Cross Over Chasm – http://vkpatriarhat.org/en/?p=11217
Love So Divine – Pixabay
My Soul, My Life My All – https://thepassionists.org/daily-reflections?page=46

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Christ the Lord is Risen Today
By: Charles Wesley, 1707-1778

Listen as you read. This is a nice instrumental ambient version.

On Tuesday we tuned our hearts with the wonder of what is in store for us one day we soar into the skies to join our Resurrected King! Today we are going to think again about how He accomplished that, and what the implications of that are for us. Glad you could join us as we ponder these things.

Exalted Head

When we go soaring on high we will do so by following our “exalted head”. There are a number of things that come to mind with these words. The first to ponder I believe is what does it mean by saying Christ is our head. Next how exactly He earned that exalted position. Finally, how we will follow.

And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Colossians 1:18 ESV

Jesus was the firstborn from among the dead, but many more will follow His lead. Those who will follow are His church, His blood-bought bride. They are the ones who are trusting Christ’s work to make us right with the Father. He is our Head, and we His body will follow Him, just like every body follows wherever its head goes. He has ascended to the Father, and so shall we.

But that right to ascend was not easily acquired, even though He had willingly and voluntarily laid down His glory to become one of us and perfectly obey the Father. When I think of Christ as head, my mind often goes to this translation of an old German hymn. It alludes to the glory He had laid down to walk among us, “once…bright as morn!”

O Sacred Head

O sacred Head, now wounded,
with grief and shame weighed down,
now scornfully surrounded
with thorns, thine only crown:
how pale thou art with anguish,
with sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish
which once was bright as morn!
Anonymous

That self-sacrifice not only paved the way for Christ’s exaltation, but shows us our path to follow as well. We must be willing to lay down our lives and take up our cross just like Jesus. This is what it means to follow our exalted Head. Though we will not be offered as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, we must follow His example to deny our selves that we may fully pursue the path our Father has marked out for us.

Like Him

When there is repetition in any form of literature the author is always emphasizing something. It is a very deliberate choice to repeat the words “like Him” in this line. “Made like Him, like Him we rise.” Colossians 3:1, 4 puts it like this.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God…When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Since we have been made like Him in His resurrection, we will rise as He did, not only from the dead, but also on high to join Him in glory. As the last line says, “Our the cross, the grave, the skies”. We are made like Him so when He appears we will appear with Him in glory. What an incredible promise! But with it comes an exhortation to “seek the things that are above”.

So often we get mired in daily living, the rudiments of our earthly existence, that we forget we have something coming that far surpasses the best of these days. We must daily remind ourselves to “seek the things that are above”. How do we do that? By setting on mind on them, and allowing the reality of them to shape not only our thoughts but our behavior as well.

Reflect on the fact that you are made like Him, but acknowledge you would like to be more even more like Him. Then ask Jesus to show you today how you can practice that.

Jesus, thank You for making me like You. I know that I am a work in progress, but I welcome Your transforming power into my life today. Show me how I can be more like you today, even as I long to “appear with you in glory” one day. In Jesus name. Amen.

Deliberate Thinking!

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Subscribers enjoy this podcast! Everyone else, the transcript below.

Podcast 5.4 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.

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!

Acts 1:9 ESV

And when (Jesus) had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

This account is from the Ascension of Christ, when He was taken up into glory. After His resurrection Jesus appeared to His disciples many times, but this was the final time. He led the way and one day we will join Him. What if were today? Are you ready?

Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia!

Colossians 1:18 ESV

And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

He was the firstborn from among the dead, but many more will follow. Who are they? His church, His blood-bought bride. All who are trusting Christ’s work to make us right with the Father. He is our Head, and we His body will follow Him. Are you following Him today?

Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!

Colossians 3:1, 4 ESV

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God…When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Our having been raised with Christ, enables us to be made like Him in resurrection glory. Being made like Him ensures that we will appear with Him in glory. The wonders that await us are beyond comprehension. Thank Him for making you like Him.

Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

So let’s keep our eyes on Jesus. That makes it much easier to follow Him, and since we want the skies, like Him, we must take up our cross and die to ourselves, so we can live for Him. Ask Him to help you take up your cross today and die to sin.

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.

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

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
Exalted Head – https://gfycat.com/speedyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5QgWH5GY1Uweakchrysalis
O Sacred Head – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/326370304240768829/?lp=true
Made Like Him – https://gfycat.com/speedyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/easter/three-reasons-the-resurrection-is-important-today.html

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Christ the Lord is Risen Today
By: Charles Wesley, 1707-1778

Listen as you read. This is a neat orchestral karaoke version.

On Tuesday we considered how Christ finished the work the Father had given Him to do thus opening paradise. He did this by defeating death. Today we are going to think about a couple ways that defeat is described in lines 2 and 3 of this stanza.

What Battle?

The hymn alludes to a battle, so you may wonder what battle is it talking about? Some have likened this to the idea that Christ descended into hell, which is expressed in some versions of the Apostles Creed with the words “he descended into hell.” There are a few different Scriptures that can be interpreted to support this, but none of them explicitly state this, so it is a bit of a stretch.

One other way of making sense of the line in the creed is to acknowledge there were different versions, some not including this line. Some newer versions substitute dead for hell, which is probably a more accurate acknowledgement of the fact that in the ancient world Hades was often equated with the grave, rather than hell.

For all this controversy, there is no debate among Christians as to whether Jesus descended into the grave. It is clearly described in a number of the gospel accounts, and helps to clear up the possible confusion. Either way, it is widely accepted that Jesus defeated death based on a number of different verses, not the least of which are Jesus’ own words.

[The Son of Man] laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” Revelation 1:17b-18 ESV

In these verses, John has a vision of Jesus as the Son of Man. Jesus declares He died, but is alive forever, and that overcoming death has earned Him the keys of Death and Hades.

I think of it like arm wrestling. Jesus fought Death for the right to have final authority over Death. Jesus won the match or battle, so He gets to keep the keys, saying effectively who comes and goes. You can not take someone’s keys unless you have authority over them.

Thank Jesus for winning that battle.

Stay Down! Ok, Get Up.

Jesus demonstrates His victory over death through His resurrection. Can you imagine what that must have been like? For a couple days Death thought it had won. Then on the third day, there was an earthquake and everything changed. It is as if Death tried to tell him, “Stay down!”, until it realized it had no dominion over Him, so it conceded with “Ok, get up.”

He did die, but now He lives. I like how these verses say it with the double doubles of “he died he died” and “he lives he lives.”

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. Romans 6:9-10 ESV

We are invited into a similar transaction, dying to sin and living to God. As we enter into that activity by faith, we ensure that Death will have no dominion over us either. Like Christ, we may very well descend into a grave, but also like Him we will leave it behind one day.

Thank Jesus for making that possible.

Alleluia!

Jesus, thank You for fighting the fight and winning the battle with death. Thank You for demonstrating your victory by rising to life, and giving me the hope I will as well, even if I die. Until then, may Your resurrection power be at work in me helping me to live for Your glory. In Jesus name. Amen.

Grateful Thinking!

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Subscribers enjoy this podcast! Everyone else, the transcript below.

Podcast 5.3 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.

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!

John 19:28, 30 ESV

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.”… When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Jesus went to the cross out of love and obedience to the Father. He went there to redeem us by offering His life as a perfect sacrifice. He finished His work. Give Him praise!

Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!

Revelation 1:17b-18 ESV

[The Son of Man] laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

John has a vision of Jesus as the Son of Man. Jesus declares He died, but is alive forever, and that overcoming death has earned Him the keys of Death and Hades. You can not take someone’s keys unless you have authority over them. Thank Jesus for winning that battle.

Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!

Romans 6:9-10 ESV

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

Death no longer has dominion over Him. His life was not taken from Him, instead He willingly laid it down, then took it up again. He rose to life and invites us into that life. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you live your life to God, like Jesus, our Risen Lord.

Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Luke 23:42-43 ESV

And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

One thief on the cross beside Jesus chose to acknowledge Him for who He was by rebuking the other thief, and followed it with a simple request, remember me. Christ has opened paradise to all who will acknowledge Him for who He is. How can you acknowledge Him today? Not sure? Ask Him to show you.

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.

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

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
Keys of Death and Hades – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SMPOf55v3c
Descended into… – https://avondhupress.ie/easter-celebrates-undying-flame-life/empty-tomb-of-jesus-at-night/
Arm Wrestling – http://www.rulesofsport.com/sports/arm-wrestling.html

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Christ the Lord is Risen Today
By: Charles Wesley, 1707-1778

Listen as you read. This is a short but beautiful cello version.

Let’s think about this. He is alive because He has the authority to take His life up again after He laid it down. He had to lay it down because our sin had a consequence. The consequence was death.

Borrowed Tomb

There is a powerful line in a song we sang on Easter Sunday called Resurrecting, from Elevation Worship.

The tomb where soldiers watched in vain,
was borrowed for three days.
His body there would not remain.
Our God has robbed the grave.

Who borrows a tomb? Only someone who knows they will be able to return it, having only needed it for a short time. Jesus had a grave, but the Father robbed it.

Though when we sing this powerful stanza we are asking the rhetorical question, “Where thy victory, O grave?”, it could just as well be Jesus making the inquiry. In fact, He had already asked those questions through the prophet Hosea hundreds of years before.

I will set these people free from the power of the grave.
I will save them from death.
Death, where are your plagues?
Grave, where is your power to destroy? Hosea 13:14 NIrV

The grave thought it had defeated Christ, but it was only a fleeting illusion. He conquered the grave when He left it empty. Alleluia! Take a moment and thank Jesus for leaving that tomb empty, and in so doing, giving you hope you will one day do the same.

Dying Once

Some versions of this stanza say “Dying once” instead of “Once He died”. That is the one I am more familiar with so I like how it rolls off the tongue, possibly more from familiarity, but I have to admit the one here is actually more clear. He was not dying once, he died once. And He did so, because He had to.

Consider these two Scriptures.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

We have all sinned. The wages of sin, what you get for doing it, is death. Ergo, we all have earned the right to die. Jesus traded us what He deserved, life eternal, for what we deserved, death. His death dealt with sin, once for all.

So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28

When Jesus died once for all He was satisfying the wrath of God in a way the sacrificial system of the Old Testament could never do. The Tabernacle/Temple sacrifices had to be repeated over and over because they could not really deal with sin by perfecting the conscience of the worshipper. Hebrews 9 explains this beautifully, but these two verses capture it well.

Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own,for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:25-26

Only Jesus was able to offer the perfect sacrifice. Thanks be to God, He did! Take a moment and thank Jesus for dying once, and in so doing, saving you for the wages of sin and offering you the gift of God, eternal life.

Alleluia!

Jesus, thank You thank You for offering the perfect sacrifice, once for all, to save me from my sin. Thank You for demonstrating victory of the grave by leaving that tomb empty. I will ever sing praises to Your matchless name. Alleluia! In Jesus name. Amen.

Grateful 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.

Subscribers enjoy this podcast! Everyone else, the transcript below.

Podcast 5.2 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.

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!

1 Peter 1:3 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Jesus Christ is alive again. Because He lives, we have a living hope into which we have been born again. Our Father’s great mercy has accomplished this. Bless Him for raising Jesus and in so doing, giving us life and hope and peace.

Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!

1 Corinthians 15:54-55 ESV

54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

What an incredible rhetorical question! What a remarkable statement of faith! Jesus’ body having perished, put on the imperishable, and in so doing, swallowed up death in victory. Even though we may die, we will live. Alleluia!

Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!

Hebrews 9:28 ESV

So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

He accomplished His Father’s will, and will come a second time, having dealt with sin, to save us. And who are we? Those who are eagerly waiting for Him. You may be waiting, but are you eager? Ask Him to make you eager.

Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

1 Corinthians 15:57 ESV

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

You have victory over sin, death and the grave. You could never have accomplished this, but Jesus already did. Thank Him.

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.

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

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

Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Christ the Lord is Risen Today
By: Charles Wesley, 1707-1778

Listen as you read. This is a short but beautiful cello version.

He is risen! It is just as true today as it was on Sunday, and Tuesday for that matter, so we continue our celebration as we think about the last two lines here. There is an interesting juxtaposition of extremes I had not noticed until a little deeper reflection.

Innermost Alleluia

So here in the context of lifting our Alleluia’s to the risen Christ, we are implored to “Raise (our) joys and triumphs high”. Though the instruction is to lift these things, consider the fact that they begin as in inner response to external circumstances. We can not raise from within what we have not perceived.

Consider it from this perspective.

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, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9 ESV

Through His resurrection, Christ has accomplished the salvation of our souls. When we believe this, we obtain the outcome of our faith. This brings us to a point of rejoicing, albeit with an ineffable joy. Even though we may not be able to fully or completely express this “inexpressible” and glory-filled joy, we can not help but try.

This may be the epitome of the expression, “the heart sings”. There is effectively a remarkable inner alleluia that we feel and attempt to utter. This third line encourages that activity, an outward expression of an inward reality which begins at the very core of our being, intimate and personal, quiet and tender, our heart.

Outermost Alleluia

On the heels of this very micro expression of praise comes the instruction to a very macro one. From the heart to the heavens.

Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

This instruction is very scripturally sound.

Isaiah 49:13 ESV

Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.

Why are the heavens and the earth commanded to sing and exult (present tense)? Because the Lord has comforted his people (past tense) and will have compassion on his afflicted (future tense).

All the tenses make sense, but it is curious that the heavens and earth are to praise because God has had and will have compassion on his people. The implication here is that his compassion will overflow and have an impact of not only God’s people but the whole of His creation.

Whether the subtle pink cross above or the overt one here, these images give expression to the fact that creation is indeed doing what Scripture has commanded it to do. So the macro scale of our Alleluia seems to be on track.

What about the micro? Are you as faithful to lift your “Alleluia” as the other works of His hands? If you are like me, you want to be, even without the command to raise your joys and triumphs high. So let’s cultivate such a mind for just a moment.

Think about your joys and triumphs. What comes to mind? Now take a few moments and give Jesus praise for them. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you keenly aware of them throughout your day. And then do it all over again every time He does.

Alleluia!

Jesus, thank You for giving me something to sing about, even though it truly is inexpressible. Just the same, give me words and others ways to express it today, even as I respond to Your work in my life revealed through every joy and triumph. In Jesus name. Amen.

Grateful Thinking!

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Podcast 5.1 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.

Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!

Matthew 28:5-6 ESV

…the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

The empty tomb declared it. The angels explained it. Those first disciples witnessed it and died still declaring it. May our lips and our lives echo it, “He is risen indeed!”

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!

Revelation 19:1 ESV

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

Though this is a scene from the end of the story of Scripture, it is made possible through the resurrection. Do not wait until you are around the throne to join the great “Alleluia”! Praise Him right now!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

1 Peter 1:8-9 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, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Because of what Jesus has accomplished through His resurrection, the salvation of our souls, we should rejoice with a joy that is inexpressible. I love how we are instructed to rejoice, even though our joy is inexpressible. We may not be able to completely or perfectly express it, but we will not let that stop us from trying, with our songs and our lives.

Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Isaiah 49:13 ESV

Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.

He could not have showed us more compassion or comforted us better than He has in redeeming our souls through His resurrection. Sing heaven, and earth reply or echo that exultation, for Jesus has not only redeemed our souls but has begun the process of making all the wrong things right.

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.

Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

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

Amazing Love

The Demand of Love

Colossians 1:16 ESV

1 Chronicles 16:29 ESV

1 John 4:10 ESV

Romans 12:1 ESV

Image Attributions Cross Over Chasm – http://vkpatriarhat.org/en/?p=11217 Love So Divine – Pixabay My Soul, My Life My All – https://thepassionists.org/daily-reflections?page=46

Exalted Head

Like Him

Acts 1:9 ESV

Colossians 1:18 ESV

Colossians 3:1, 4 ESV

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

What Battle?

Stay Down! Ok, Get Up.

John 19:28, 30 ESV

Revelation 1:17b-18 ESV

Romans 6:9-10 ESV

Luke 23:42-43 ESV

Image Attributions Keys of Death and Hades – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SMPOf55v3c Descended into… – https://avondhupress.ie/easter-celebrates-undying-flame-life/empty-tomb-of-jesus-at-night/ Arm Wrestling – http://www.rulesofsport.com/sports/arm-wrestling.html

Borrowed Tomb

Dying Once

1 Peter 1:3 ESV

1 Corinthians 15:54-55 ESV

Hebrews 9:28 ESV

1 Corinthians 15:57 ESV

Innermost Alleluia

Outermost Alleluia

Isaiah 49:13 ESV

Matthew 28:5-6 ESV

Revelation 19:1 ESV

1 Peter 1:8-9 ESV

Isaiah 49:13 ESV

Connect With Us

Image Attributions
Cross Over Chasm – http://vkpatriarhat.org/en/?p=11217
Love So Divine – Pixabay
My Soul, My Life My All – https://thepassionists.org/daily-reflections?page=46

Image Attributions
Keys of Death and Hades – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SMPOf55v3c
Descended into… – https://avondhupress.ie/easter-celebrates-undying-flame-life/empty-tomb-of-jesus-at-night/
Arm Wrestling – http://www.rulesofsport.com/sports/arm-wrestling.html