In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

The Old Rugged Cross (1913)
By: George Bennard 1873 – 1958

Listen to this simple piano version as you read. 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 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 toward Easter this week as we ponder the cross.  In the first half of this stanza, we will examine the blood of the cross to find its beauty.  We can see it with eyes of faith, if we will try.  Let’s tune our hearts.

Blood-Stained Cross

I was surprised to find so few images when I began to look for one to represent the blood-stained cross.  I found many crosses, even among the sites where I find most of my royalty-free images, but very few with blood.  As I continued to search, it occurred to me that the cross stained with blood rails against our flesh so much that even we as Christians tend to sanitize this symbol.

Imagine a blank canvas.  Begin to think of the cross.  What do you see?  Woodgrain?  Cross-beam? How about the backdrop?  What comes to mind for the setting?  Can you see the nails?  Now be honest, is there any blood?

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,

But it had to be.  He had to shed His blood to cover our sins. Only His blood could do it, and He loved us enough to offer it to make peace between the Father and us.  Amazing!

and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.  Colossians 1:20 NKJV

RESONATE!
Think about His blood shed on the cross for you.  It has covered your sins.  What sins need covered today?  Receive that precious gift.  Even the things you have not done are covered.  Give Him praise.

Wondrous Beauty

Once we are able to see the blood on the cross not only as a necessary part, but a welcome one, we are situated to behold the wondrous beauty of it.  Only faith can give us eyes to see this.  Do you have these eyes of faith?

A wondrous beauty I see,

The world looks at the cross and sees the bitter wounds it inflicted on our Savior.  We see them, and so much more.  We see the sacrifice that covers our sin.  We see an invitation to die to sin.  We see the power to live for righteousness, even if it costs us our lives.

When you realize the blood Jesus shed on that cross -and the wounds that caused it to flow down upon your life- have brought healing to your soul, it becomes a symbol of life as well as death.

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

RESONATE!
There is a beauty in the cross that only eyes of faith can see.  As I reflected on the wonder of this symbol, tears welled up in my eyes.  That does not always happen, but what a gift when it does.  Ask for eyes to see the wondrous beauty of the cross, then take a few minutes to think about the cross.

Jesus, thank You for shedding Your blood, which stained that cross.  I want to always see it with eyes that still see the blood, but also the beauty.  Help me.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Insightful 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 15.3 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.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

We know that Jesus was tortured before beginning the journey to Golgotha. As He carried His cross through the streets of Jerusalem, it would have become stained with His blood.  That blood washes away the stains of sin in our lives. Thank Jesus for shedding His blood.

Apart from the work of the Spirit to show us the beauty of Christ’s sacrifice for us, the flow of blood on the cross is simply grotesque. When we see it with eyes of faith, it is transformed into the most beautiful expression of love the world has ever known. Do you see it that way?

Jesus taught in Matthew 26:28 that His blood was shed for the remission of sins. Remission is another word for forgiveness. Through the shedding of His blood, His suffering and death, Jesus accomplished this forgiveness.  Thank Him right now. 

Thank Him because He did not just die for the sins of the world. He died for your sins. To pardon you from the punishment you deserved, and give you a standing you could have never earned when He sanctified you or made you holy.  Cherish the cross.

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

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

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 the Blood and the Beauty? appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Blood-Stained Cross – https://www.rgbstock.com/photo/nEe1X7K/The+Blood+2
Wondrous Beauty – https://pixabay.com/photos/cross-sky-clouds-sunset-dusk-2209803/

Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

The Old Rugged Cross (1913)
By: George Bennard 1873 – 1958

Listen to this simple piano version as you read. 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 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 begin our journey toward Easter this week as we ponder the cross.  In the first half of this stanza, we will bring our hearts up the hill of Calvary and down to the foot of the cross.  This torture device represents something to cherish for those who see it for what it truly is.   Let’s tune our hearts.

Despised by the Perishing

Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,

It is hard for us to imagine why the world would despise the cross. What did Jesus do to deserve this rejection? Nothing. Quite the contrary. What He did should have made Him esteemed and adored.  So what’s deal?

Without a willingness to embrace what the Holy Spirit reveals about Jesus, the carnal mind can not see the beauty of the cross.  It simply sees a misunderstood teacher, a mad man, a would be prophet.  Oh, how wrong is that estimation.  Yet it is exactly what Isaiah prophesied would happen centuries before the Messiah came.

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah 53:3 ESV

The cross is despised by association. Jesus was despised as the Scripture clearly shows, and because the cross is the symbol of Christ’s sacrifice, the cross is despised.  Man of sorrows indeed.

Another hymn writer spoke of His sorrows like this.

“Man of Sorrows!” what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

And so we lend our voices to the glorious refrain, “Hallelujah!  What a Savior!” It is that saving work that empowers our praise. Beefore we explore that though, take a few moments and ponder the rejection Jesus endured for you.

Consider how well-acquainted with grief He was.  How He should have been esteemed but instead was despised.  After you have thought about that for a few moments, thank Jesus for embracing the sorrow for you.

Cherished by the Saved

Though the world, those who are perishing my view the cross with disdain, nothing could be further from the truth for those are being saved.  The cross is beautiful to us.  It has an incredible allure.

Has a wondrous attraction for me;

The difference in these two perspectives is not only a matter of life and death, but is driven by that very reality.

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

To the world, the cross is a symbol of death, and so that is all the more is can be to them. To them the cross is death, and even foolishness for they see the One who claimed to be the Son of God die there, and it make no sense to them.

To those who are being saved, the cross is a symbol of life, and so it changes everything to them. To them the cross is life, for it demonstrates the very power of God to satisfy His wrath in the sacrifice of His Son, and it fills their hearts with worship.

So what does the cross symbolize to you? Death or life? Draw near by His grace and bless the name of Jesus, the One who bids you to come and die and find that you may truly live.  Then give Him praise for His Wonderful Cross.

Jesus, thank You for enduring the sorrow of the cross and transforming a symbol of death into one of life.  Thank You for going me eyes of faith to see it as such.  Empower me to help others see it that way too.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Wondrous 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 15.2 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.

Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

The Romans used crucifixion not only for capital punishment but as a torture and humiliation device.  It was certainly despised then. But because it serves as a symbol of self denial and sacrifice it continues to be despised today by some. How do you view the cross?

Though the world despises the cross, those who have found redemption and reconciliation at the foot of it are attracted to it and it’s wondrous demonstration of love.  Ask God to speak that wondrous attraction into your soul right now.

So far did Jesus condescend not only to become one of us, but to become sin for us on the cross, it certainly defies comprehension apart from the work of the Spirit in our lives.  Thank the Lamb of God right now for leaving His glory above to do the will of His Father.

Jesus cried out from the cross because He felt the Father turn his face away from Him as He took the sin of the world upon His shoulders. Calvary was dark because Jesus bore the weight of the cross and all our sin that we may be welcomed into the light. Praise His name!

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

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

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 What’s Your View of the Cross? Despised or Cherished appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Despised by the World –  https://pixabay.com/photos/cemetery-black-death-halloween-1215012/
Wondrous Attraction – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/cross-faith-was-christian-4885491/

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

The Old Rugged Cross (1913)
By: George Bennard 1873 – 1958

Listen to this simple piano version as you read. 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 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 begin our journey toward Easter this week as we ponder the cross.  In the first half of this stanza, we will bring our hearts up the hill of Calvary and down to the foot of the cross.  This torture device represents something to cherish for those who see it for what it truly is.   Let’s tune our hearts.

Seeing the Cross

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

Most people can not remember the first time they saw a cross.  It is such basic symbol.  Two lines intersecting at a perpendicular point, stood on one of the four ends.  And it is very prevalent in our culture.  You see it everywhere, which is part of why it is so easy to overlook and even dismiss.  But not to those who see it and remember the story of their Savior.

To them, the cross is impossible to forget.  Not only do they remember the story of Jesus, but many see themselves in that story.  They imagine Jesus trodding that long, dusty road to Calvary, sometimes carrying his cross alone, sometimes being helped, but ever obeying the will of the Father.  Can you see it in your mind’s eye?

And he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. John 19:17 ESV

Years have passed since Jesus bore the cross.  Centuries since His hands and feet were nailed to it.  Millenia since He was suspended above the jeering crowd, and graciously sacrificed His life for them…and us.  It may be rugged, through years of serving as the symbol not of death but life, but it still has the power to amaze the heart who will linger there and ponder what they see.

Will you come to the foot of the cross again with me?  Will you look up at this symbol and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the true meaning of it?  Will you go deeper into the rich, eternal meaning it wrought?  Spend a few moments in your heart pondering what Jesus did there, and in particular, what that means for you.

Feeling the Weight

The emblem of suff’ring and shame;

Jesus felt the weight of the cross.  He was a man, so He felt the ridicule that was being hurled at him, even as He climbed that hill and certainly once He hung on that cursed tree.  But of course, He did not let that deter Him from the path the Father had marked out for Him.  That path led Him to become the author and perfecter of our faith.

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. Hebrews 12:2 ESV

There was a weight to the cross that was far greater than the scorn He endured from the crowd. Jesus was taking the weight not only of a log of rough hewn wood, but of the sin of the world.  That weight is simply unfathomable to us.

But that is not all that is unfathomable.  Jesus endured the cross and despised its shame because of joy.  Joy?!?  There was joy set before Him.  The Father’s joy that the debt of sin was paid.  Our joy that we have a Savior.  And His joy that He could accomplish all that.

When you consider the cross, are you able to feel the joy?  It requires a heart of faith, but not only in the initial understanding but well beyond it, for His cross points to our own.  The cross brings suffering and shame into our lives at times as we walk a long, difficult, and often misunderstood road of obedience to God.  

It is worth the joy set before you to endure your cross.  Jesus gave us an example to follow.  It is not easy.  But you are not alone.  Bear your cross.  Despise the shame.  Look to Jesus!

The disciples did not understand what Jesus’ cross meant until after the resurrection.  You may not understand yours.  What cross have you borne or might be bearing now that had or has a similar delayed reaction attached to it?  Maybe it is yet to come, but this perspective may help you to pick it up and bear it.  Jesus will be with you as you do.

Jesus, thank You for bearing the cross and pouring such profound meaning into such a simple symbol.  Help me to see it with fresh eyes over the next few weeks that this new perspective may deepen my celebration of Your resurrection.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Weighty 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 15.1 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.

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Calvary.  The place of the skull.  Historical truth. Spiritual crossroads.  A real hill, a real cross, a real Savior. Rough hewn wood, splinters and all, stood on that rise and became the vehicle of our redemption.  Just imagine for a moment the long, dusty road Jesus climbed.

Many people wear crosses, and I often wonder what those crosses mean to them.  The Romans who crucified Jesus meant it to be the cruelest of torture devices, and it was, indeed, that.  Consider what the experience of the cross must have been like for Jesus.

And what by design was meant to illicit suffering and shame has become for us a symbol of love. Why?  Because Jesus, the Dearest and Best of everyone and everything, went there to willingly lay down His life as a ransom for my sins.  Give Him praise for redefining the cross.

And not just for my sins.   Because He was perfect, He could be a perfect sacrifice, for all sin, across time and space.  We were lost in sin and separated from God, then the cross. Our response must be to cherish it and cling to it, until the day we exchange it for a crown.  Hallelujah!

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

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

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 Some Things are Worth the Climb appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Time to Praise – https://pixabay.com/photos/night-stars-rotation-starry-sky-1846734/
Earth, Sky, and Sea – https://pixabay.com/photos/milky-way-human-lake-dreams-4500469/
Perspective – https://pixabay.com/photos/architecture-perspective-modern-828596/

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, Holy, Holy
By: Reginald Heber 1783–1826

Listen to this simple piano version as you read. 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 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 conclude our journey through another great hymn this week.  In the first half of this stanza, we consider the need for praise and the impact that can have on us. He is worthy of all our praise, and the praise of all creation.  That worth dictates a different perspective on things.  Let’s tune our hearts.

Worthy of Praise

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

So we are wrapping up our weeks of reflection on the holiness of God with this last stanza which so closely mirrors the first.  The main and only difference is the second line.  While the first stanza dealt with the timing of our praise, this stanza deals with the praise all creation will offer at the end of time.  Before we look into that though, let us consider one last time just how worthy our Lord God Almighty is of our praise.

Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he! Psalm 99:3 ESV

Great.  Awesome.  Holy.

His name is great!  Great means to an extent, amount, intensity or eminence considerably above the normal or average.  God’s name is certainly great, and then some.  Think of one thing He has done in your life and you quickly see just how great is His name.

His name is awesome! Awesome means extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear.  Now we are talking.  God’s name is daunting, inspiring admiration to the point of fear.  He is simply so different from us, and awesome begins to approximate that as we begin to wrap our minds around that reality.

He is holy!  Holy means to be dedicated or consecrated to God.  When we acknowledge God as holy, we are saying that since He is perfectly consecrated to His purposes and ways, He is without fault or blemish, there is no shadow in Him, but all light.

Great.  Awesome.  Holy.

That is Who God is.  Who He has revealed Himself to be, in His word and His work in our world.

Joining the Praise

All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;

But it is not enough for God to be holy.  We must acknowledge He is holy.  Not for His glory as much as for our good.  And we do that by giving Him the praise He so rightly deserves.  But don’t just take my word for it.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Psalm 96:11-12 ESV

All God’s handiwork, on earth, sky and sea, should give him praise.  And they should be glad to do so, rejoicing all the while, roaring with exultation.  You do realize that includes you, too, correct?

How is your praising going?  And I am not referring to that which happens in a service, for our service to the King never really ends.  It is a lifestyle.

God is worthy of our praise every moment of every day for the rest of forever.  When we join with all creation, engaging in what we were made to do, we find our purpose and true meaning. But I do not think that means all we do is praise, but rather, everything we do becomes praise.

In other words, I do not think that now, or for eternity, we should or will just sing praise to God.  Instead, now and forever, everything we do should be done to bring praise to God: eating, helping, caring, serving, talking, listening, walking, standing, sitting, etc.  This does not diminish what praise is. Quite the contrary, it exalts every moment of the rest of our days.

But that is not all.

Changing Perspective or Repositioning

When we purpose to make everything a continuous act of giving praise to God, it changing things.  Most of all, us.

For me, when I begin to praise, everything changes.  Well, actually, nothing really changes but me, and how I view everything.  My perspective.  But for all intents and purposes, the impression that leaves me with is that everything has changed.

Let me give you an example. Imagine you are going through something very difficult.  Maybe a relationship is coming to an end. Maybe God is redirecting your efforts in your vocation, or even in how you understand what you do to serve Him.  Maybe there is a financial stress or an overwhelming emotional situation.  Do you have a clear picture of some struggle?

Then you start to praise.  For me, it was the realization recently that praise is what helps me see things differently as I sang the line “This (meaning praise) is how I fight my battles” from the song Surrounded.  It occurred to me that I had not repositioned myself  with praise for a couple days.  That realization reminded me of the power of joining the praise of creation around me, not just ultimately, but continually.

So your exercise for today is to find some way to join the praise and observe how that changes your perspective on at least one thing.  Simple.  But now you have to find a few minutes to inject some praise into your day.  You can do it!

Jesus, thank You for showing us the holiness of God.  Thank You for giving us access and inspiration to enter the praise all around us.  Help us routinely find ways to praise You.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Praise-filled 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 14.4 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.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Isaiah 6 tells us that the seraphim around the throne never stop this refrain.  When we lift our voices to join theirs, we also join all the saints who have ever lifted this grand chorus. Will you join it again today praising His holy name?

There is coming a day when every creature on the earth, in the sky, and in the sea will lift their unified praise to our Lord God Almighty. What an incredible blessing is ours to choose to join that eternal song today and every day!  Lift your voice and your life to him right now and never stop.

Our completely holy God blends mercy and might together perfectly.  He has graciously revealed the wonder of that blessing to us. Our right response must blend seemingly opposing feelings, friendship and fear.  Praise Him again for access and awe!

We worship the three-in-one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Though the word Trinity is found nowhere in Scripture, the reality of these three distinct persons who are each God and all God is consistently proclaimed.  Thank Him for revealing Himself to you.

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 Repositioning Through Praise appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Time to Praise – https://pixabay.com/photos/night-stars-rotation-starry-sky-1846734/
Earth, Sky, and Sea – https://pixabay.com/photos/milky-way-human-lake-dreams-4500469/
Perspective – https://pixabay.com/photos/architecture-perspective-modern-828596/

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.

Holy, Holy, Holy
By: Reginald Heber 1783–1826

Listen to this simple piano version as you read. Please make certain to enjoy the podcast 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 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 hymn.  In the first half of this stanza, we consider a couple of the reasons why we often struggle to see God clearly. Through darkness without and within, we are impaired to make out His work and ways, but there is purpose even in that.  Let’s tune our hearts.

Darkness Without

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,

Sometimes it is difficult to make out where God is and what He is doing in our circumstances.  We have all experienced this, but praise His name, it is sometimes a bit easier than others.  Still, in those moments when it is difficult to trace His hand, our faith has the opportunity to do one of two things: shrink back in His apparent absence, or enlarge to take in His bigger purposes.  Each has an impact on our journey.  It is up to us to choose.

Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.  Psalm 97:2 ESV

The darkness at times is actually clouds or vapors that impair our vision, but often they take different forms.  Illness, victory, tragedy, triumph, apathy, complacency, defeat, ease.  They are not all bad, at least they do not feel bad, but their effect can be, if we are not careful.  What is keeping you from seeing God clearly today?

Some unexpected turn of events.  An expected trouble finally coming into the light.  Your own weakness, or someone else’s.  The disappointment of a friend or someone else close to you.  Someone not keeping their promise.  You failing to keep yours.

These things put our faith to the test because they put our concept of God on trial.  And for many of us, our concept of God is lacking, and the trial reveals that.  But the problem is not with God, but our view of Him.  He is the thrice holy God, without fault or blemish, perfect in all of His ways, which we will examine in our Thursday Thoughts this week.  

How often, though, do we pretend that God is the problem when, in fact, it is our poor image of Him? God is not the problem.  Our ability to see Him clearly, and so dismiss the reality of Who He is, is the real problem.  And even if you pray for the clouds to be removed and the thick darkness to part so you may see Him clearly, He does not often oblige, knowing full well it will profit you more if you press through it ever trusting and allow Him to do His work on His timetable.

He is God and that is His prerogative.  Do not fight it.  Rest in it.

So I ask again.  What is keeping you from seeing God clearly today?  What is that darkness without?  It is important to identify it, but even more important is your intention to trust Him through it. Ask Him for the resolve and the courage to do so.  The answer to those prayers will benefit you far more than the clouds parting.  

Darkness Within

Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;

As much trouble as the darkness without can be, the darkness within is far more insidious.  The darkness around us, we can see and even feel.  But that which is within is much more challenging to identify, and can make our seeing God clearly exceedingly more difficult.  Ask Moses.

He had already had a number of encounters with God of Biblical proportions.  Those encounters left him longing for more.  He was on the mountain with God for weeks on end and still wanted more.  He was feeling especially close to God through all that access and flat-out asked to see the glory of God, and God obliged.  Well, sort of.

And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’…But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” Exodus 33:19a-20 (ESV)

Moses had spent so much time in God’s presence he failed to realize the great disparity between himself and the Most High.  He had become too casual.  But the opposite can also be true.  

Sometimes we can have such a low view of God that our contempt for Him mars our ability to see clearly.  Both are dangerous and an expression of the sin which impairs our sight.  They are dangerous, not because we get to see Him and are undone, but because they tend to keep us unaware of just how near He is, which is equally tragic.

Maybe you are on the mountain with God and that has kept you from approaching with appropriate reverence.  Darkness within.

Maybe you harbor a quiet resentment toward God for some time He “failed” you.  That is in quotes because He never does.  Darkness within.

Maybe (101 other reasons, you fill in the blank) ________.  Darkness within.

We are new creations in Christ and so have a new nature, but the residue of that old nature remains.   That is how I like to refer to the flesh.  That residue houses the darkness within and can create all kinds of problems, but God can certainly help with that, as well, and create ways for us to see the extent of His glory we can handle, and need, in any and every moment.  

What darkness within may be impairing your ability to encounter the holiness of God?  He does not want to keep Himself from you, but may be sparing you an undoing if you are asking for something you are not ready to handle.  Ask the Spirit to reveal any darkness within.  Then ask Him to help you deal with it so you may see God’s radiant transforming glory again, and soon.

 

Jesus, thank You for being Light in my darkness.  Give me faith to believe even when it is difficult to see and even more difficult to acknowledge.  Illumine my heart with Your light, and help me to be dissatisfied when I can not see it and prompted to pursue You anew.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Illuminated 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.

Podcast 14.3 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.

 

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,

Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.  Psalm 97:2 ESV

 

We can not see Him face-to-face right now.  He is veiled by clouds and darkness somehow.  And that is probably a good thing, for seeing His glory would cause us to be undone or disintegrated in the light of His integration or wholeness. Thank Him that His glory is veiled.

 

Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;

 

 

And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’…But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” Exodus 33:19a-20 (ESV)

Moses asked to see God’s glory and this was the Lord’s response.  His goodness would pass before Moses, and he would only see God after He had passed, otherwise he would have died.  That is how holy our God is. Seeing His holiness would consume us. Thank Him for His holiness.

 

Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,

 

 

“There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” 1 Samuel 2:2 ESV

This is from Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of her son Samuel after long being barren.  She had experienced the truth of these words and earned the right to speak them. Have you experienced this truth in your life?  If not, ask Him for it. If so, ask for it again. 

Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.

 

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…Hebrews 1:3 ESV

This verse speaks of the perfection of Jesus Christ.  He upholds the universe by His power. His sacrifice of love is the most selfless act in history, and by it He purifies us from our sins.  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.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.

 

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 Identifying the Darkness Which Hides God appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Clouds and thick darkness – https://pixabay.com/photos/storm-cloud-stormy-thick-3677717/
Eye of Sinful Man – https://pixabay.com/photos/face-portrait-man-elderly-984031/
Glory Passes By – https://pixabay.com/photos/sun-nature-scenic-india-forests-365981/