When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

Amazing Grace
By: John Newton, 1725-1807

Listen as you read.  This version features Ayako Ishikawa on violin.

I still remember singing this for the first time.  As the notes began to ring out from the piano and I stood there about to be baptized, I belted out this new song I had learned in the three weeks since I had first surrendered to grace.  It was very encouraging to have only begun to wrap my mind around the fact that I now had peace with God which would last for eternity, peace which I declared with confidence as I modulated for those last two lines.

I had only just begun to sing God’s praise, but I had quickly found that there was no feeling like it.  I have spent the last twenty-two years enjoying and reliving that experience again and again, and helping others to do the same.  Even with that little perspective it is overwhelming to think of how much praising still lies before me.  Thank You Jesus!

Over the years I have often said that it is unfortunate how little time we spend thinking about the place where we will spend so long.  I like imagining what it will be like to sing God’s praise in His very presence, before the throne.  I like thinking about how different that will be, partly because of how different I/we will be.

The words say, “Bright shining as the sun”.  Every other line acknowledges we, you and I, all the saints who will enjoy Heaven because they have found their rest in God’s amazing grace.  This line reveals a bit about our appearance, and in so doing it eludes to other things.

You and I will shine brightly, as the sun.  On my best days on this side of glory, I am nothing nearly as bright as that.  My very appearance will have been radically transformed.  Whether it happened to prepare me to be in God’s presence or is the by-product of being there makes no difference to me.  I will not be the same.

If this is true, and I absolutely believe it is (2 Corinthians 3:18), then there are implications at every level of our existence.  If I thought I could sing now, imagine what we will sound like then.  Voice strong and free, a tongue only, ever used to praise God, and a lung capacity that is unfathomable.  Not to mention every other part of me lending itself to amplifying His praise.

So how does that coming reality effect my current one?  How can I tune my life to that perfect pitch? Well, realizing that I have been made and am being remade for thousands of years of giving God praise should encourage me to begin practicing now.  I should use my voice these days in a way that is consistent with how I will use it those days, and that is not limited to singing praise, although I believe it absolutely should include it.  Take some time to ask God to help you tune your voice…and the rest of you, to sing His praise.

Happy Tuning!

Jesus, thank You fro calling out of darkness and into Your glorious light so I can praise You.  I know that I have even now only just begun, and I pray you will help me to grow in my ability to do so in these days, even as I long for those yet to come.  Help me to always use my voice in a way that brings You glory, whether I am singing to not.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

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The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Amazing Grace
By: John Newton, 1725-1807

Listen then read.  This version is Chris Tomlin as found on Music inspired by the Motion Picture Amazing Grace.

I think I first heard this stanza as the closing reflection of this version by Chris Tomlin featuring the new refrain he wrote for the movie.  There is this incredible, grand sweeping idea that all we know in this existence as constants, the earth in its apparent solidity, the sun in its faithful radiance, will change; but this one thing will not, my relationship to God.  It is difficult to wrap my mind around this, so expansive are the implications of this truth.

Reading these words initially had the impact of making me feel very small, until the sweeping realization of the last portion sinks in.   I go from feeling very insignificant, to very significant.  I think this is especially true since I am writing on a day when I just experienced a solar eclipse.  God, who made all the wonders of earth, moon, stars and sun, called me.  He called me to be His, first made by Him then remade by Him, and I simply responded with praise.

Calling

This calling is not just reserved for those who are in vocational ministry, by no means.  When God calls us from darkness to light (1 Peter 2:9), He does so on purpose and with purpose. Our lives can seem small and ineffective at times, but they are not.  God has called us “here below” and there is a purpose in that calling beyond just being His.  It beckons us forward on a great journey with our Lord, though some are afraid to go.  There is something He wants us to do and it flows out of our calling.

I think William Wilberforce knew this.  A British Parliamentarian, it was not long after he surrendered to the call of Christ that he became a strong voice for the abolition movement in England.  The movie Amazing Grace chronicles his struggle against the slave trade, one that dominated about 20 years of his life, and ended with the passing of The Slave Trade Act in 1807.

He knew that it was imperative that he act, not simply to have faith.  Do you know what God has called you to do?  God has called you to be His, but what flows out of that being for you?  Maybe you already know the answer to that question.  Great!  But are you at it?  If so, awesome!  If not, why not?  If you can not say with confidence what God has called you to do,  take a few minutes right now and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you if there is anything that He is calling you to do.  But a quick word before you do…

Before you are tempted to spiritualize this question beyond all hope of recognition, let’s keep it real.  The Latin word meaning to call is vocare, from which we derive the word vocation.  God has called you to do something, and a big part of that may very well be your vocation and/or the things your vocation positions you to do.  Do not dismiss the possibility that you may be doing part of, if not even more of what God has called you to do.  Ok, now take a couple minutes.   Seriously, just ask Him.  You may be surprised by what you hear.

Once you have determined that and surrendered to it, two very different but deliberate actions, I want to encourage you to press into it with all you are.  Do not relent when things get difficult.  Press on until one of three things happen.

1. You accomplish it.
2. Jesus calls you to Heaven.
3. The earth dissolves like snow [which I am pretty sure will not happen before 2.]

Happy Tuning!

Jesus, thank You for the confidence that even if the earth dissolves and the sun darkens You will care for me.  I can rest in and move around in that confidence to do what You have called me to do.  May You find me faithfully working until it is fully accomplished, or You call me home.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

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Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

Amazing Grace
By: John Newton, 1725-1807

Listen as you read.  This version is from Grace by David Tolk.

Now there is a word I have not used lately.  How about you?  Unless you were in a formal business meeting and the moderator called for the question to be answered yea or nay, I think the chances are pretty slim.  Let me be clear that this is simply an affirmative answer, but it sets up the powerful declaration which follows, while at the same time affirming the truths that have already been sung.

The last stanza we considered made very clear we have hope that God is with us and for us throughout this life.  That is a needful and powerful thing, but it is not all that we have.  Herein is evidenced one of the most beautiful things about many of the great hymns, in my humble opinion, a declaration of the hope of life beyond this.

Forever

A few stanzas ago as we tuned to the idea of God as our portion, we examined one of the verses that specifically speaks of this truth.  We come back to that verse now and acknowledge what seems to be one of the hymn writers favorite verses, since it offers not only an allusion to this Scripture but almost a word-for word transcription.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:26 NIV

What this verse reminds us of is that not only is God our portion “as long as life endures”, He is actually our portion FOREVER.  It makes even more sense that the stanza would start with a strong “YES” affirming God has been our portion as it prepares to put forth the truth that He also will be.

Possession

We will think a little more about the veil in the next piece, but let’s just a take a moment and consider what the FOREVER portion looks like.  Three things stand out, with the first one being a little less obvious than the latter two.

1. Even when this mortal life comes to an end, another life will still be mine.  For those who might be tempted to fear death, this statement comes as a great comfort.  I will die, but even when I do, I will live, and truthfully I will be more fully alive that ever.
2. My life beyond this life will be marked by joy.  Joy can be defined as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness, or the prospect of possessing what one desires, but that seems to fall way short of what we will actually possess, because our feeling will not be connected to a prospect, but to ac actual, eternal possession.  Joy will be ours.
3. My life beyond this life will also be marked with peace.  Peace is often defined as the freedom from disturbance, or a state of quiet and tranquility, but again I think our concepts fall short of what will actually be ours.  I have heard it said, “Peace is not the absence of conflict.  Peace is the presence of God.”  That is a better description of the peace we will know.

Let’s apply these things.   To tune today, simply take a few moments and thank God for all that will be yours when this life ends.  Then ask Him for the grace to live today like someone who believes there are far better days coming.  That way, even when the threat of flesh and/or heart failure, you will still be able to say, so be it, “Amen!”, because you know that when this life ends, an even better life begins.

When you are tempted to feel a little glum today because life is not going the way you want, say “Yea!”, it’s going to get better, way better.  And all because of grace.

Happy Tuning!

Jesus, thank You for the reminder today, that even when my heart and my flesh fail, when this mortal life ends, You have a eternally better life in store for me.  Help me to live out that hope today because someone may need to see it! In Jesus name.  Amen.

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The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Amazing Grace
By: John Newton, 1725-1807

Listen as you read.  This version is from Grace by David Tolk.

The rainbow after the Flood was given by God as a sign of His promise to us.  It is only one example of the many promises we find in God’s Word to us, the Holy Bible, our source of hope.  A quick Google search will reveal numerous lists compiled around any number of subjects.  Type “Promises” in the search on YouVersion and you will find no shortage of devotionals structured around promises.  The problem is not with the promises, the problem is with us.

Context

I thought about compiling a list of the promises of good things that the Lord has promised to us, but the prospect of that was overwhelming, especially considering the scope of what it is I want to help you accomplish on a normal Tuesday.  I want to help you tune your heart.  Any musician will tell you, when it’s time to tune, you generally ask for one note.  Generally.

I was rehearsing with a violinist recently and learned a little trick.  I thought I should give her an A first, and I was correct, but then she asked for a second note to provide context, I believe it was the E below it.  She said it was a good way to impress a string player, to play that second note for context before the tuning player requests it.  I thanked her and we began.

I mention that here because I want to provide a single promise, but one whichI believe  provides a context for this tuning.  And what is that promise you ask, 2 Peter 1:4.

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

This is the context of our hope, all His promises to me, and you.

Hope, Secured

Hope is generally defined as a feeling, and for us it is certainly that.  But because of God’s Word given to us it is that and a whole lot more.  You see, feelings are fleeting and often are reactions to external circumstances beyond our control.  This is not how the Bible describes the hope we have in God’s promises.

To take this one verse as our context, consider the two aspects it sets forth.  Because of His promises to us we get to

1. Share in his divine nature, and
2. Escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

I don’t want to speak for you, but I draw a lot of hope from those two realities that flow from all of God’s promises to me.  I get to be like him, and be free of the corruption of this world, even while still living in it.

So let’s keep this simple.  To tune today, simply take a few moments and thank God for all of His promises.  Ask for His forgiveness for the times you have failed to believe them and so have not lived as if your hope was secure.  Thank Him for the blessing of sharing in his divine nature, and then ask him to reveal how he wants to change you so you may reveal it better today.  Thank Him for the privilege of escaping corruption, and then ask Him to show you what desires need to change in you so you can experience that freedom.

Then the next time you are reading some of His promises, and I hope it is soon, take a few moments right then to evaluate how you can experience them by adjusting your living within that context.

Happy Tuning!

Jesus, thank You for all the promises You have made to us in the Bible.  Help me to read them regularly, and when I do, to ask the Holy Spirit to open my blind eyes and give me understanding.  I want to learn Your promises, so they may fill my weary soul with hope. In Jesus name.  Amen.

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Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

Amazing Grace
By: John Newton, 1725-1807

Listen as you read.  This version is from Sacred Piano by Paul Cardall.

So here’s one of those times when it is helpful to understand one of the more obscure words in the hymn text in order to be able to appreciate what the writer in saying.  Being a musician, the first thing that comes to mind to me is those twisty metal things at the bottom of a snare drum that give it that distinct sound.  But that is not the snare being alluded to here.

The Fowler’s Snare

No, this is a snare that is specifically designed to trap its intended prey.  Fowler’s, or people who deal with fowl or birds, make use of snares to trap birds.  They come in a few different forms, but suffice it to say, the image of this one that looks essentially like a net gives a rather graphic representation of what a snare truly is.  Looking at that poor bird, a beautiful boat-billed flycatcher, caught in that snare caused me to feel physically uncomfortable.  [Disclaimer:  I had to search google with the image because I do not really know birds that well.]  I relieved a bit of my discomfort by searching YouTube to see this lovely creature moving around freely in it’s natural habitat.  You can do that too here if you like.

This was helpful for me to recall and even imagine some of the things the Lord has brought me through, many of which I have never even realized were there.  It’s not like the spiritual life has sign posted so you know when you are entering a troublesome patch.  On the contrary, the enemy of our souls, the Fowler who sets all those snares for us, is quite clever at disguising the traps so we do not even know they are there until it is too late.

But that is not the fate that Grace has made available to us.  See the impact of grace in this context?  Grace has brought me safe this far, and grace will lead me home.  There are both immediate and ultimate advantages to walking in and with grace.  Let’s consider both briefly.

Immediate

Now I want to be careful not to push the illustration to far, so think about your own life for a moment.  So here is the first part of the tuning.  What snares has grace brought you safely through, or delivered you out of?  You could think about it the other way as well.  What snares have I fallen into when I have not followed the path of grace?

For me it is often trouble with my tongue, or rather trouble my tongue creates when I do not let grace lead me.  I am referring to those moments when I speak before I think.  When I let grace bring me through those times as opposed to my flesh, I am able to avoid the snares.  This allows me to get and stay in tune with the Father’s activity in me.

I think of it in terms of a prayer I came across tears ago.  “Lord, deliver from the temptations of my flesh, this world and the Devil.”  You see, if it were not for my flesh, I would not have to worry about the world or the Devil, but until I get my new body, when I finally get Home, I am going to need grace to help me get through all the perils of this life, many of which I inflict on myself.  This brings us to the consequences of following grace which are…

Ultimate

If we follow the bird-snare illustration out, our Home could be our nest.  Think about the relief of that flycatcher above if it was able to get free from that snare and safely arrive at it’s nest.  That nest is really not much to look at but think of what it represents to the bird.  Safety and rest, maybe belonging and certainly memories.

For us, there is not only the relief of arriving in a safe place like our home after we have made it through another day filled with dangers, toils and snares, but also a more ultimate arrival.  The arrival at our final destination which for the believer will be Heaven.  When we arrive there we will know better than we ever have that it was indeed Grace that led us there, through the moment of decision, and along through the life that followed, until we finally arrive at…home.

Here is the other part of the tuning, which actually really informs the former.  Knowing Grace is leading us to our Heavenly Home, makes allowing Grace to led us through these Earthly Days.  I have often said that is it odd how little we think about the place where we will spend so much of eternity.  Think a little about Heaven right now.  Let what you know overwhelm you.  If you don’t know much about what the Bible says about it, I would recommend Heaven by Randy Alcorn.

Happy Tuning!

Jesus, thank You for all the trouble you have lead me through already.  Teach me to follow You more closely in the remaining days I have here.  Remind me to think about my ultimate home in Heaven more often, and live like someone who is being led by grace, now and forever more. In Jesus name.  Amen.

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