Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand (1906)

By: Jennie B. Wilson (1856 – 1913)

Listen to this instrumental version as you prepare to ponder this hymn. 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 through this hymn which challenges us to build on the certainty of God in uncertain days. All of us are facing a greater degree of uncertainty than we were months ago, but holding to God gives us far greater certainty than not. Let’s tune our hearts.

Sands of Time

Time. There is no stopping it. Like a great hourglass that has been overturned and is both slowly and swiftly sifting along, time halts for no one.

That indiscriminate plodding is no respecter of people great or small. It simply keep s moving forward and each of must find a way to deal with the effects it has on us universally. Have you felt the shifting of the sands of time in your life lately? Whether COVID-19, the social unrest, the upcoming election, or something else very intimate or personal, you are probably well aware that things are swiftly transition to some different state.

Time is filled with swift transition,

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. Ecclesiastes 9:11 ESV

If you have lived for very long at all you know the reality that things in life can change very quickly, and often without any input from you. Time and chance are the great equalizers. They happen to every one of us. Since there is no avoiding them, the only real alternative to simply becoming a victim of them is to find a way to deal with their effects.

Holding to God’s unchanging hand is unquestionably the best way to deal with them. I say unquestionably because ever other means of coping will fail you at some point, but God will not.

RESONATE!
What is that circumstance that you are tempted to hold and not release to God? If you are holding it with both hands, how do you suppose you will be able to hold to God’s hand? Determine today that you will let go of the things that otherwise would keep you from holding His unchanging hand. Time brings swift transitions but holding to God is your best source of help. Ask Him to be that source again today.

Shifting Sand

Those swift transitions of time unsettle every one of us at some point. We often try to struggle against the shifting under our feet trying to find some sure footing. This hymn puts it bluntly. “None of us is able to stand through all those transitions.”

Naught of earth unmoved can stand,

Taken as a singular truth that would be pretty disheartening. We should always be careful when considering a declaration like this whether in a song or Scripture to examine the context. In our song, the writer is going to quickly point us to where to find hope in the midst of that uncertainty.  The Scripture always does the same.

When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah Psalm 75:3 ESV

With the swift transitions and the shifting landscape, it is hard to stand unmoved. Actually impossible, but for God. It would be like struggling against the shifting sands of a desert landscape, or even a spot of quicksand. But we find hope in God. He is the One who holds the earth steady and is able to steady us as well when everything we have been standing on seems to erode. 

RESONATE!
What has shifted under your feet recently? You probably do not have to think much about that. Finances, relationships, health, so many things have been effected these last few months. But God has plans even for those unsettling experiences. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you listen to what God is saying when the sands of change shift under your feet. Take a few moments right now to let Him interpret the shifting you have been going through lately.  Then give Him praise you never have to do so alone.

Jesus, thank You for being a steady constant when every other thing in our lives is shifting. You are so faithful and so good. Help me to trust You as time brings transitions into my life and I am unable to stand. In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Solid 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.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Video 19.1 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.

Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

If you have lived for very long at all you know the reality that things in life can change very quickly, and often without any input from you. Whether you are in the midst of a transition right now or not, thank God that you never have to face them alone.

Thank You God that I never have to face transitions alone.

Those transitions unsettle every one of us at some point. We can say “I shall not be moved”, but sometimes God has other plans which He does not reveal that ahead of time. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you listen to what God is saying when the sands of change shift under your feet.

Holy Spirit help me to listen to Your voice.

Even when everything else is shifting we can still choose to build our hopes on eternal things, things that last even in the storms of life. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you today how you can build on the foundation of God’s word and His love for you.

Holy Spirit, help me build on God’s word and love for me.

Sometimes in order to hold onto God we need to let go of something else. It can be so painful and fearful to release something into His unchanging hands, especially something you thought you would always hold, but you can trust Him. Ask Jesus to help you trust Him more today.

Jesus, help me trust you more today

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

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

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 Dealing with the Shifting Sands of Life appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Sands of Time – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/hourglass-time-sand-run-out-3308818/
Shifting Sand – https://pixabay.com/photos/arid-barren-dawn-desert-dry-hot-1866541/

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It Is Well with My Soul (1873)

By: Horatio G. Spafford, (1828-1888)

Listen to this beautiful version as you prepare to ponder this hymn. 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 through one of the most beloved of all hymns, with one of the most poignant, yet inspiring, stories. If you do not know the story, you may watch more about it here. Wellness of soul was made available when Jesus fulfilled the righteous deeds of the law. Let’s tune our hearts.

To Miss the Mark

The stanza focuses on the effect that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross has on our soul’s wellness. He satisfied the law’s demands by becoming sin for us. Let’s make sure we understand what sin is.

To sin effectively means to miss the mark, like missing the bullseye in archery. In spiritual or bilabial terms, it means to fall short of God’s commands, literally an immoral act considered to be a transgression of divine law. Simply, Jesus said to love God and love others, so, any action that does not fulfill those demands could be considered sin. Here is an interesting video that illustrates this.

We all sin. We all fall short of the mark of the God’s righteousness. But thanks be to God, there is a remedy for sin.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:7-8 ESV

So let’s spend a little bit of time thinking about this. It is a glorious thought, indeed, that we can walk in the light and have fellowship with God, all because the blood of Jesus cleanses us from our sin. The bliss is the great joy that aptly describes what we feel when we realize we are free in Christ from the crushing weight of sin. Unfortunately, we grow accustomed to the bliss, so let’s do a little exercise.

RESONATE!
I do not want you to entertain the paths of sin, even in your thought life, but I want to invite you to take a quick inventory. What sins trouble you? Anger, malice, envy, jealousy, lying, stealing, covetousness, etc. Think of what you have struggled with or maybe are still struggling with and make a mental list. We will deal with it below.

Every Miss, Covered

Now bring to mind not only that brief inventory, but every sin: past, present and future. All of them are dealt with by our gracious Lord. Every time we have ever missed the mark of God’s righteousness, the cross of Christ has addressed it. Not just some of the misses, but every single one. 

My sin, not in part but the whole,

This is truly remarkable. God’s grace has no bounds. We simply must confess that we have missed the mark, and He forgives and cleanses. More than that, it is as if He takes our misses and not only puts them on the target, but makes them bullseyes. He sees us through the perfection of His Son.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 ESV

You probably believe that but take a minute to let it soak in. Deep down in your soul. Nothing you have ever done is too far off the target for God to cover, if you will humble yourself and confess it. He has done all the work. You simply need to ask.

RESONATE!
So do you have any asking to do? Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. We are forgiven when we surrender our lives to Christ and ask, but we should also learn the freedom of asking God to forgive us any other times the Spirit brings conviction. We have been invited to walk in the light. Whenever you become aware of any darkness, confess it so you can walk in His forgiveness. Make this a way of life.

Jesus, thank You for dealing with all the times I have missed the mark of righteousness. I have sinned, but You have forgiven me and cleansed me. Teach me how to walk in the light and confess my sin whenever You shine Your light on it. In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Blissful 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.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Video 18.3 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.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Truly the first three lines of this stanza are one thought, with the fourth being the only appropriate response. This is a glorious thought, not our sin, but that it is taken care of completely. Do a quick inventory of your sins just the last few hours or days. 

Now bring to mind not only that brief inventory but every sin past, present and future, all of them, all dealt with by our gracious Lord. Wellness of soul can only be enjoyed when the sickness of soul caused by sin is remedied. Ask the Spirit to apply that remedy again today.

Every sin we have ever committed, in word, thought, and deed – the entire terrible record – is nailed to the cross which satisfies the legal demands of the law. We bear it no more. It is just as if we had never sinned. Thank Jesus for taking the punishment you deserved.

This last phrase is a quote of Psalm 146:1. We echo the psalmist’s instruction to our own souls, for they can be fickle at times and our forgiving God is worthy of praise. Instruct your soul to praise the name of Your Redeemer today and evey day.

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

It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

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 To Do When You Miss the Mark? appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Both images captured from this video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn-MxtZLxI8

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It Is Well with My Soul (1873)

By: Horatio G. Spafford, (1828-1888)

Listen to this beautiful version as you prepare to ponder this hymn. 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 through one of the most beloved of all hymns, with one of the most poignant, yet inspiring, stories. If you do not know the story, you may watch more about it here. Wellness of soul is able to be maintained when we learn how to find confidence in Christ to overcome temptations and trials. Let’s tune our hearts.

Rising Above the Waves

In the first stanza, we pondered how to achieve and maintain wellness when sorrows like sea billows roll. Let’s continue that oceanic imagery as we consider how Satan buffets us and trials come. Like the ship in the storm above, each of us faces difficulties that threaten to undo us at times by unraveling our confidence in God. We must prepare for those challenges before they come.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Have you ever considered the possibility that, even when Satan harasses and trials come, God may have allowed or even designed them for our good? This can be a hard pill to swallow, but if we are able to comes to terms with this, it will give us a perspective that allows us to see them very differently. Think about Paul’s words here, and remember from the previous stanza how we considered his resolve to be content in every circumstance.

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 2 Corinthians 12:7 ESV

Wow! Could God be allowing Satan to harass you and other trials to come to keep you humbly growing in your trust in Him? This is not just likely, it is probable.

Though you feel like that ship above, tossed and thrown about through the tempest, you can remain on top of the waves no matter what comes, if you can cultivate a measure of inner peace and wellness. How do we do that? We look to the One who makes the difference in every circumstance, for He is for us, not against us. More on that below, but first…

RESONATE!
Name the tempests you find yourself in today, the trials and tests, whether from the tempter or elsewhere. Identifying the challenges we face is an important part of overcoming them. Once you have named them, bring them to God. He wants to help you. Make the list of the things that are creating havoc in your heart, and we will deal with them in our next section. For now, ask God to give you His perspective on each of them.

By Anchoring In Christ

Let this blest assurance control,

Later in this stanza, we will look more closely at exactly what assurance the hymn writer is talking about, but for now, look at that anchor.  Until I went searching for an image for anchor in this context, it had never occurred to me how most anchors have a cross in them. Though uncertain about the reasons for this, it certainly makes sense from our perspective. After all, look at these words.

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, Hebrews 6:19 ESV

When the tempests rage and the trails come, they fight against the sure and steadfast anchor of our souls, the hope we have in the cross and what Christ accomplished there. Like the chain that connects our soul to Christ, the Holy Spirit reminds us of that sure and steadfast hope as often as we have need to be reminded.  Our blest assurance is the cross of Jesus, and the presence it promises us, even in the midst of our trials.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 ESV

Things get dark at times, but we need not fear any evil for the cross convinces us of Christ’s comfort in affliction. What a Good Shepherd He is to us, bringing confidence even into our suffering. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak that assurance to you today, especially if you are feeling the darkness of some current valley, or ocean floor. 

RESONATE!
Do you have this assurance? Have you yielded your life to Jesus Christ, allowing Him to become the anchor for your soul? If not, do it today. If you have, thank Him for being that anchor, and commit to staying connected to Him with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus, thank You for being the anchor for my soul. The wellness I experience flows from that hope. Whenever I feel it slipping away, may Your Spirit connect me to it once again. All my hope is in You, Jesus. In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Content 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.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Video 18.2 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.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Satan buffets or afflicts and harms us repeatedly along our journey with Christ. Trials certainly come, some brought on by our choices and some by others. Trouble is a companion to all, but God desires to use it to bring us to Himself. Ask Him to clarify that perspective of yours. 

John 3:36 says “anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life”. That is our assurance. We face difficulties, but we do so against the backdrop of the cross and all Jesus accomplished there. Ask God to help you use that assurance to control you today, and in every trial.

Helpless. We do not like to admit that, but our sin has made it so. It separates us from God with no hope of bridging the chasm it created…but for Christ. He regarded our helpless position or estate. Thank Him for the cross again today, and how it demonstrates His regard for us.

“Greater love has no one than this; to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13. There was no better way Jesus could express His regard for our helpless estate than what He did on the cross. It accomplished eternal wellness for our souls. Give Him praise now and always!

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

It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

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 How to Keep Your Soul Anchored appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Though Trials Should Come – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/ship-sailing-vessel-old-pirate-ship-2275399/
This Blessed Assurance – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/anchor-sea-cross-religion-661991/