Take my voice and let me sing
Always only for my King
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee

Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated 1874
By: Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879)

Listen to this worshipful version of this hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant! Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

Please enjoy this video and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

As we continue our journey through this classic hymn, work to sincerely offer each part of your life and your entire life to God. It requires diligence and intentionality. Thanks for joining us in this grand pursuit. Let’s tune our hearts.

Let Me Sing

Do you like to sing? I do. Well, to be honest I love it.

By myself, or in groups. With music or without. In the woods or in the shower. I find myself singing at all kinds of different times for all kinds of different reasons and often give thanks to God for the gift of music and specifically the ability to sing.

What an incredible gift it is! Certainly it makes sense that we would want to offer it back to God to use for His glory. We echo the words of the hymn making them our own prayer. We want God to take our voices but for a particular purpose: that we might use them to sing His praise.

Use My Voice

Take my voice and let me sing

I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:2 ESV

We know what it is to be glad, but exult? It means to show triumphant elation or jubilation. That is a serious commitment, but God is certainly worthy of it. We should sing His praises because He deserves them. He is worthy. Have you made the decision to use your voice to sing praises to God?

Singers love to sing. They love to use their voices for God. But that should not only be true of those who have musical talent. Every believer should resonate with this expression of commitment. Is it true of you? Will you commit to use your singing voice for God’s glory?

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and offer your voice to God. No one is worthy of the praise He deserves so that is why we praise Him with our singing. Make this your simple prayer today “God, use my singing voice for Your glory.” Then open up your mouth often so He can fill it with praise.

Always Only

It is one thing to sing for God. It is another thing to sing always, only for God. Always would be challenging enough, but when the writer adds only it creates a very demanding commitment. Will you commit to sing always, only for God? What implications might that commitment have?

Does it mean you need to stay in church in one continual, never-ending worship service? No. Rather does it require you to figure out a way to sing God’s praise elsewhere. Yes. Does it possibly also mean that everything you ever sing should be pleasing to Him, even if not some version of “Hallelujah”? I believe so.

We must figure out a way to allow our worship of God, even that which involves singing, to find some expression in our lives outside of church. We must not keep our sung praise inside those walls anymore than we should keep the message of the gospel there. Singers find ways to do this, but we must all allow the Holy Spirit to so fill us with praise it oozes out as we live our lives. But what about other songs?

For My King?

I believe we can sing songs that are not expressly songs of praise to God and still be singing “always only” for Him. For instance, God blesses us with other expressions of love in different relationships. When we sing songs that express that love, even though they are not be sung to God or about God they remain consistent with His nature. Are there plenty of songs that are not consistent with the nature of God? Of course. We should probably leave those for others to sing if we are committed to sing always, only for our King.

Always only for my King

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. Psalm 104:33 ESV

Again, the commitment to use our voice for God goes beyond the times we are gathered in church to offer our praise. The Psalmist says “as long as I live” and “while I have being”. Are you devoted to use your voice to sing to the Lord your God always and only? Maybe the latter is the toughest one.

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and invite the Spirit to show you how to sing “always only for Your King”. Then commit to doing that as long as you live or while you have being. Pray a simple prayer like this one. “My King, help me sing always only for You.” Then keep your hands ready to follow the impulse of love.

Lord, thank You for giving me a voice to sing Your praise. Help me to never forget what an incredible blessing that is and to make a point of enjoying it every single day. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Vocal 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 56.3 Transcript, 30.3 REFRAMED

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.

Take my voice and let me sing
Always only for my King
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee

Singers love to sing. They love to use my voice for God. But that should not only be true of those who have musical talent. Every believer should resonate with this expression of commitment. Is it true of you? Will you commit to use your singing voice for God’s glory?

God, use my singing voice for Your glory.

It is one thing to sing for God. It is another thing to sing always, only for God. Always would be challenging enough, but when the writer adds only it creates a very demanding commitment. Will you commit to sing always, only for God? What implications might that commitment have?

My King, help me sing always only for You.

Not just our singing voice, but our speaking voice as well must be committed to God. We must commit to honor God with not only every note we sing but every word we speak. One part of that is the things that we will not say. Will you commit to use your lips only to honor God?

God, help me to use my lips only to honor You.

The other part of the commitment is what we will say. We commit to fill our lips with His messages which implies there is no room for anything else. That would not only bring God glory, but keep us out of a lot of trouble. Will you commit to fill your lips with His messages?

Lord, fill my lips with Your messages.

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 Singing Always Only for Jesus, REFRAMED appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Take my voice and let me sing - https://pixabay.com/photos/singer-karaoke-girl-woman-sing-84874/
Always only for my King - https://pixabay.com/photos/audience-concert-music-868074/

Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee

Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated 1874
By: Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879)

Listen to this worshipful version of this hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant! Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

Everyone, enjoy this video, and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

As we continue our journey through this classic hymn, work to sincerely offer each part of your life and your entire life to God. It requires diligence and intentionality. Thanks for joining us in this grand pursuit. Let’s tune our hearts.

Hands Moving

Doing. That really is the essence of this next commitment. What will I do and how will I employ my hands to do it?

Our hands are rarely still. From the moment we awake until we are asleep again, our hands are moving and doing. So what is driving them.

Often there are things to do that are simply purposeful. Getting ready for the day. Doing work. Helping those we care about.

But there are many other things to do that are our less purposeful and are simply for pleasure. Playing with our children. Throwing a ball. Climbing a tree.

Whether purposeful for pleasure there is ever the possibility of lacking true meaning, making a real difference in the world. That can lead us to the very honest conclusion that all that activity is for nothing. It may all be in vain.

But that need not be the case. Offer your hands to God and He will fill them with purpose.

Take my hands and let them move

Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:11 ESV

There is no shortage of things into which we can engage our hands, and many will leave us feeling like wise Solomon. Wiser still is the one who determines to offer their hands to God for His purposes. Will you offer your hands to God and His purposes today?

When we offer our hands to God they become His to direct. Even still He gives us the freedom to move them on our own, but a much better choice is to patiently wait for His prompting. God does really take your hands, but you must really give them to find them useful in His service.

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and offer your hands to God. Your hands accomplish most of the doing in your life so it makes sense they are the first thing we are going to commit to God as we start our list. Make this your simple prayer today “Father, I offer You my hands.” Then watch His fill their activity with Divine purpose.

Impulse of Love

There is no more Divine purpose than to respond to the love of God with love of our own. There are few better ways to do that than to yell our hands to the impulse of love. But what is an impulse?

An impulse is a sudden urge or strong desire to act. So, an impulse of love is a sudden urge that demonstrates love, or a strong desire to act that is prompted by love. Those impulses will be directed by the Holy Spirit and one way to begin to discern His direction is to learn His ways.

We do that by learning His commandments because they teach the ways of love. They constrain us from our own selfish pursuits and invite us to loftier ideals. They begin to develop within us the very impulses that our hands will help us act out.

At the impulse of Thy love

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments…” John 14:15 ESV

Guided by His love and our response of love. What does that look like? It may very closely resemble the hands that toil like Solomon’s but there is no vanity in the work of hands consecrated to God’s way of love. Commit your hands to move as His love directs.

When you have yielded your hands to God you can begin to sense the impulses of His Spirit directing them. He is gentle and will not force His way but will lead if you will stay open to His prodding. It is love that guides Him and that is exactly how He wants you to move. In love.

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and invite the Spirit to come teach you the ways of love as revealed in the commands of God. Then ask Jesus to help you set your hands apart to put His love on display. Pray a simple prayer like this one. “Spirit, move my hands at the impulse of Your love.” Then keep your hands ready to follow the impulse of love.

Lord, thank You for inviting me into Your love and giving me the opportunity to find purpose in using my hands to put it on display. Take my hands and let them love at the impulse of Your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Purposeful 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 56.2 Transcript (30.2 REFRAMED)

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.

Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee

When we offer our hands to God they become His to direct. Even still He gives us the freedom to move them on our own, but a much better choice is to patiently wait for His prompting. God does not really take your hands, but you must really give them to find them useful in His service.

Father, I offer You my hands.

When you have yielded your hands to God you can begin to sense the impulses of His Spirit directing them. He is gentle and will not force His way but will lead if you will stay open to His prodding. It is love that guides Him and that is exactly how He wants you to move. In love.

Spirit, move my hands at the impulse of Your love.

Where will you go, or not go? Will you offer your feet to God so that He can move you or keep you to do His will? This seems so simple but requires a great deal of intentionality and patience. You will likely want to move before He moves you. Wait for Him. Offer and wait.

Jesus, my feet will wait for You.

Not only beautiful because they bring good news, but swift because they are anxious to do so. Why? Because people are perishing and need to hear there is a Savior. Wait for Him, but be ready to move and move quickly when He directs. Someone else may be waiting for you.

Spirit, make my feet swift and beautiful.

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 Constraining Your Hands to the Impulses of Love, REFRAMED appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Take my hands and let them move - https://pixabay.com/photos/hands-light-hand-prayer-technology-5366493/
At the impulse of Thy love - https://pixabay.com/photos/heart-love-sunset-shape-sign-3147976/

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated Lord to Thee
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise

Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated 1874
By: Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879)

Listen to this worshipful version of this hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant! Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

Everyone, enjoy this video, and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

As we begin our journey through this classic hymn, work to sincerely offer each part of your life and your entire life to God. It requires diligence and intentionality. Thanks for joining us in this grand pursuit. Let’s tune our hearts.

Present

To be clear, we are not asking God to leave us alone. The title of this hymn often leaves of the word consecrated, making the statement open to the interpretation that we are asking God to take our lives and “let them be”. Nothing could be further from the truth of God’s intention for us.

Present as a verb means to give someone something. Present as a noun can be the gift you are giving.

When we think of presenting our lives to God, we are engaging in the act of giving Him something. The something we are giving Him is our lives. Our lives are made up of many different components or areas but to say we give God our lives is meant to be an all-encompassing expression of worship as the Scripture below makes clear.

We start with this gran expression of giving our lives to God and over the next six weeks through the six stanzas of this hymn we will list many of those different areas. I am certain the hymn writer intended for it to be a kind of inventory making clear what exactly we are presenting to God. But it also serves as a kind of checklist for us so we may be certain we are not holding anything back.

Don’t hold anything back.

In response to what He has given us, His many mercies, offering our lives to Him is the only appropriate one.

Take my life and let it be

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. Romans 12:1 ESV

All of the other expressions of this classic hymn are summed up in this opening line: take my life, all that I am. The other lines give us the chance to list out different parts of our lives but we start by offering it all, and all in response to God’s mercy. Offer your life to Him today.

We offer our lives to God, our living, breathing, moving around and doing. All that we are. Like many simple commitments it is easier said than done, but it is important to say it. As we begin our journey through this classic hymn offer your life to God, to be consecrated to His ways.

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and offer your life to God. It really is the only thing you have to offer, but it is also all that God wants, everything. Make this your simple prayer today “Father, I offer you my life.” Then let us examine all that this entails starting with Who we are offering our lives to in the first place.

Lord

We are not offering our lives to just anybody. We are offering them to the Sovereign Lord over all creation. The King of kings. This is an important thing to remember.

He has a purpose for all things, including you, and that purpose is to bring Him glory. Though that may seem a little egocentric to us, God is the only one worthy of all glory so it really is simply the right thing to do.

In a general sense, that is His will for all. But you are responsible to place your life in His hands even as you work to discern the specific way your life will conform to that purpose.

Acknowledge Him for who He is

That is the beginning point. It sets the context for discovering and embracing His purposes for your life. This will require a change of heart and mind, for the world pulls you in an entirely different direction.

Consecrated Lord to Thee

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 ESV

Consecrated means to set apart. We are saying that we want our lives to be lived to accomplish His will. As we offer our lives as an act of worship our minds are transformed enabling us to discern His will. Commit today to set yourself apart for His glory.

We are not just offering our lives to God, but to His purposes. We want to find His purpose and live it. To be set apart. He is the Sovereign of our lives so we yield control to our Lord to use us according to His design. Not asking His blessing on our plans, but the blessing of living His.

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and invite the Spirit to come transform you mind and reveal to you the will of God. Then ask Jesus to help you set yourself apart for His will to be done in You. Pray a simple prayer like this one. “Jesus, set me apart for You.” Then keep your eyes open for opportunities to be set apart.

Lord, thank You for showing me Your mercies and giving me to opportunity to live my life in response to them by offering it to You. You are my King and I want to live to fulfill Your will. Help me to surrender my life every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Consecrated 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 56.1 Transcript (30.1 REFRAMED)

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.

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated Lord to Thee
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise

We offer our lives to God, our living, breathing, moving around and doing. All that we are. Like many simple commitments it is easier said than done, but it is important to say it. As we begin our journey through this classic hymn offer your life to God, to be consecrated to His ways.

Father, I offer you my life.

We are not just offering our lives to God, but to His purposes. We want to find His purpose and live it. To be set apart. He is the Sovereign of our lives so we yield control to our Lord to use us according to His design. Not asking His blessing on our plans, but the blessing of living His.

Jesus, set me apart for You.

A faithful life is made up of millions of moments lived faithfully. Seems obvious, right? Yet without the awareness that all those smaller decisions contribute to a larger whole it is easy to forget their significance. Ask the Spirit to fill you with that awareness and your life with purpose.

Spirit, fill every moment of every day.

Like the drops of water that form a stream, so the moments of praise flow to make a life of unending worship. We must not simply sing songs of praise. Their words must shape the way we live every moment of every day as we pursue worship as a way of life, not just a part of life.

Lord, help me praise You continually.

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 Are You Asking God to Use You or Leave You Alone? REFRAMED appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Take my life and let it be - https://pixabay.com/photos/bow-box-gift-present-1867321/
Consecrated Lord to Thee - https://pixabay.com/photos/crown-gold-royal-luxury-golden-2661334/

Praise to the Lord
O let all that is in me adore Him
All that hath life and breath
Come now with praises before Him
Let the amen sound from His people again
Gladly for aye we adore Him

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
By: Joachim Neander 1680, trans. Catherine Winkworth 1863

Listen to this modern version of this majestic hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant! Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

Please enjoy this video and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

As we conclude our journey through this hymn ask the Holy Spirit to help you receive and then issue this call to worship. Be sure to find your place in the praise. Let’s tune our hearts.

All of Me

For a word with so few letters, “all” is a really big one. Nothing escapes it’s grasp. Everything is included in this tiny three letter word.

Don’t believe me? Think how differently it would read if you added a letter. “Let most that is in me adore Him.” Or two “Let little that is in me adore Him”. “Let nothing…” You get the point.

All is a massive word, with profound implications. When it describes anything it is significant, but when it describes how much of me should be dedicated to adore something it is gargantuan. When that something is God, it is even more so.

Praising

Praise to the Lord
O let all that is in me adore Him

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Psalm 103:1 ESV

In this last stanza, we consider the all inclusive nature of the praise of God. First, we acknowledge that all that is in us should be bent to this purpose. There should be no part of me, heart, soul, mind or strength that does not engage in this pursuit.

We are officially giving notice. All that is in me, adore him! Is there some part of you that struggles to praise God? Maybe it’s your eyes. Could your lips be your problem? Maybe it’s your hands, for your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal if some part of you is struggling to adore him.

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and consider if any part of you is not bent to this one pursuit. Take an assessment and ponder if some part of you is rogue on this endeavor. Make this your simple prayer “Spirit, reveal if some part of me is struggling to adore God.”

All of You

Not only all of me, but all of you. Every thing that has life and breath. From the elephant to the mouse. The infant to the ancient. Across all nations and people groups. If it inhales, the exhale should be used to praise.

Do you see yourself in that description? Have you ever encouraged anyone with those words, that invitation? Come with praise before God.

If all of us in engaged in praise, it will be natural to invite others into it. Then we can simply trust the supernatural work of God to draw them. It is not up to us to convince them they should. Just offer the invitation.

Praising

All that hath life and breath
Come now with praises before Him

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Psalm 150:6ESV

Next, we agree with the Psalmist and declare that all that has life and breath should praise the Lord. Every living thing without exception should give glory to God. Most of creation does this naturally. It is only mankind who struggles with this command.

Here is the invitation to anyone who has ears to hear to come and join your praise. While sharing that welcome in a general sense is important, we must not forget the cheering it in specific, particular settings is equally so. When was the last time you invited someone to join your praise?

RESONATE
Take a few moments and recall the last invitation you offered. Has it been awhile? Maybe today is a good day to praise, and invite someone to join you. Pray this simple prayer, “Jesus, help me welcome others to adore You.“

Jesus, thank You for calling for total commitment in praise. Thank You for the privilege of inviting others in as well. Help me to find ways to to welcome them to join me. In Jesus’ name.

Complete 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 55.6 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.

Praise to the Lord
O let all that is in me adore Him
All that hath life and breath
Come now with praises before Him
Let the amen sound from His people again
Gladly for aye we adore Him

We are officially giving notice. All that is in me, adore him! Is there some part of you that struggles to praise God? Maybe it’s your eyes. Could your lips be your problem? Maybe it’s your hands, for your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal if some part of you is struggling to adore him.

Spirit, reveal if some part of me is struggling to adore God.

Here is the invitation to anyone who has ears to hear to come and join your praise. While sharing that welcome in a general sense is important, we must not forget the cheering it in specific, particular settings is equally so. When was the last time you invited someone to join your praise?

Jesus, help me welcome others to adore You.

When was the last time you gathered with God‘s people to join the “Amen” they continually lift before Him? Maybe you are routinely there, but do not routinely join in with your voice. What’s stopping you? The command is clear. Find your place in the “Amen.”

Father, help me say, “Amen” again.

The word “aye” in this final line is archaic. One sense of the meaning is an assent or affirmation. While our adoration is such, another use of the word means forever. His adoration has been going on eternally and we should gladly find our place in it forever.

Lord, help me find my place in Your perpetual praise.

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.

Praise to the Lord
O let all that is in me adore Him
All that hath life and breath
Come now with praises before Him
Let the amen sound from His people again
Gladly for aye we adore Him

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 All of Me, All of You, Praising Him appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attribution
Praise to the Lord
O let all that is in me adore Him - https://pixabay.com/photos/people-man-summer-autumn-fall-sun-2590999/
All that hath life and breath
Come now with praises before Him - https://pixabay.com/photos/insect-fauna-nature-praying-mantis-4448684/

Praise to the Lord Who
When darkness of sin is abounding
Who when the godless do triumph
All virtue confounding
Sheddeth His light chaseth the horrors of night
Saints with His mercy surrounding

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
By: Joachim Neander 1680, trans. Catherine Winkworth 1863

Listen to this modern version of this majestic hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant! Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

Please enjoy this video and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

As we continue our journey through this hymn ask the Holy Spirit to help you receive and then issue this call to worship. Be sure to find your place in the praise. Let’s tune our hearts.

Darkness Abounding

It can be very difficult to praise the Lord when you have lost a sense of His presence. That difficulty is increased when all you can sense is a very present darkness. It can even seem like pressure or weight. Your breathing may become labored from the sheer heaviness.

Even still, it is important that we learn to praise God not because of what we feel, but because of what we know. We praise Him for Who He is, not what we want Him to be. There is an incredible discipline to this kind of praise, one that is informed by a knowledge of God which can still ask questions as they arise.

Praise to the Lord Who
When darkness of sin is abounding

Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive? Jeremiah 12:1 ESV

Jeremiah starts off acknowledging the righteousness of God and then goes to the questions that many of us ask. Why do the wicked seem to prosper? Why do those who have no interest in the righteousness of God thrive? Do you share his curiosity?

What kind of darkness is your soul dealing with today? Maybe it’s something outside of you, but maybe something within. Sometimes we struggle with the consequences of the sin of others, but often our own. Can you find a way to praise the Lord in spite of those things?

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and consider the righteousness of God. Determine to praise God even when the darkness of sin is abounding. Make this your simple prayer “Father, help me to praise You.”

Virtue Confounding

Though we live in a fallen world, we still find ourselves surprised at times when the godless triumph. Our confusion results from the expectation that God will not allow evil to win. While we believe this to be true, there are times when behavior showing high morale standards is not rewarded as we might expect, and quite the contrary actually occurs.

When evil is rewarded and good is punished, the righteous stagger to make sense of things. Moral relativism takes over and God seems to be ambivalent. Standing in the midst of a conflicted culture and world, we wonder why He does not seem to act.

Who when the godless do triumph
All virtue confounding

You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he? Habakkuk 1:13 ESV

Habakkuk joins the interrogation confounded by what he seems to see as well. He cannot understand why God seems to be idly standing by while the wicked do ill to the righteous. I am thankful these prophets have asked hard questions. Aren’t you?

It is confounding to the righteous when the victory seems to fall to the godless. That simply does not make sense. Can you think of an example of this from your own life? How did you process that? It is important that we come to God like the prophets and ask these questions.

RESONATE
Take a few moments and ponder a situation that has left you dumbfounded. Evil seemed to triumph and God seemed uninterested in changing the outcome, all the while you wondered why. Pray this simple prayer, “Holy Spirit, inspire my questions.“

Jesus, give me the courage to praise You when darkness seemed to be winning. I struggle sometimes to understand what you are doing, or allowing to happen. Teach me to trust You. In Jesus’ name.

Confused 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.

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Video 55.5 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.

Praise to the Lord Who
When darkness of sin is abounding
Who when the godless do triumph
All virtue confounding
Sheddeth His light chaseth the horrors of night
Saints with His mercy surrounding

What kind of darkness is your soul dealing with today? Maybe it’s something outside of you, but maybe something within. Sometimes we struggle with the consequences of the sin of others, but often our own. Can you find a way to praise the Lord in spite of those things?

Father, help me to praise You.

It is confounding to the righteous when the victory seems to fall to the godless. That simply does not make sense. Can you think of an example of this from your own life? How did you process that? It is important that we come to God like the prophets and ask these questions.

Holy Spirit, inspire my questions.

Though the night seems dark, God‘s light will disperse and dispel it. When it seems the horrors may envelope our souls let us continue to ask God to send His light for He has promised and is faithful. May our praise create the environment for that request.

Jesus, help me to praise You in the dark.

When it looks like we are surrounded by the darkness of wickedness and sin, never forget we are also surrounded by God. This confidence helps us to overcome even the thickest and gravest darkness. Thank God for surrounding you with His mercy.

God, thank You for surrounding me with Your mercy.

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.

Praise to the Lord Who
When darkness of sin is abounding
Who when the godless do triumph
All virtue confounding
Sheddeth His light chaseth the horrors of night
Saints with His mercy surrounding

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 God Seems Silent appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attribution
Praise to the Lord Who
When darkness of sin is abounding -https://pixabay.com/photos/mens-people-a-adult-darkness-3127801/
Who when the godless do triumph
All virtue confounding -https://pixabay.com/illustrations/divine-god-we-us-spiritual-godly-2164194/