Tag: #encouragement

A Prayer for Strength

When this hymn was first translated from Welsh to English, the translator aptly titled it “A Prayer for Strength.” This beautiful hymn written by William Williams, which we now know as “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah,” is indeed a prayer for strength to face our journey through this life.

The imagery is largely taken from the Israelites’ miraculous deliverance from Egypt to the Promised Land, a journey that involved 40 years of wandering through barren lands where they were wholly dependent on God for their daily bread and water. When the day finally came to cross the Jordan River, God delivered them safely to Canaan — as He promised He would.

We all face different challenges as we wander through our individual deserts. No two journeys are the same. Yet, we are on the road together, facing setbacks and hurdling obstacles, sometimes succumbing to sin and other times overcoming it, as we travel through life.

Along the way, God intends for us to rely on Him, our great Jehovah, to provide all our needs; spiritual, emotional and physical. We look to God for daily guidance, daily strength, because we are weak and needy people. Each breath we take is evidence that God is sustaining us.

“He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power.” (Isaiah 40:29)

God’s provision often comes through His people, fellow pilgrims who support us along the way. We need each other! While no one has walked our specific path, others have walked parallel paths. Others have overcome. From a place of victory, they can offer us words of hope and encouragement, bind up our spiritual, physical and emotional wounds, and help provide our pressing needs.

“Therefore, encourage and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thess. 5:11)

The day is coming when we will each stand on the brink of death. For those who have their hope wholly in Christ, who understand they can enter God’s kingdom based only on the faith and reliance on God’s grace and Christ’s sin sacrifice on the cross, a peaceful eternity in the presence of our Savior is waiting. God will welcome us to our forever home.

“But according to His promise, we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”  (2 Peter 3:13)

For those apart from Christ, eternal judgement waits.

“And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15)

Is your hope for salvation in Christ alone? As long as the Lord sustains you, as long as you draw breath, you can come to Him with a repentant heart, and surrender to Him as your Savior and Lord, and He will rescue you, in His mercy, from eternal judgement (1 John 1:9). You can join the pilgrim journey to God’s eternal peace.

Jesus is the Joy of Living

When I sang this hymn as a child, the full meaning of the lyrics escaped me. I liked it because it was upbeat. I liked it because the adults around me smiled as they sang it. I mean, how do you sing a song about being joyful with a frown on your face?

I’ve been following Christ for many years now (we won’t talk about how many). As I’ve matured in Christ, the full impact of these words written by A.H. Ackley have found their way into my soul’s reality:

Jesus is the Joy of Living, He’s the King of Life to me;

Unto Him my all I’m giving, His forevermore to be.

I will do what He commands me, where He leads me I will go;

Jesus is the Joy of Living, He’s the dearest Friend I know.

Since He gave me new life and became my King, God has been working diligently to drive out the cheap substitutes for true joy that tempt me on a daily basis; good food, time with people I love, a comfortable life, opportunities to travel. None of those are bad things, in and of themselves, but sometimes I turn to them in search of the joy and contentment only Jesus can give.

When I’m following my Savior more closely, I can see how foolish I am to look for contentment in temporal things. But sometimes I allow myself to wander far away and be deceived into believing these good gifts from the Father are enough. You know what? They all end up disappointing me! The flavors of a good meal are fleeting. Family and friends, in their imperfection, fail me (just as I fail them). The comforts of life are easily disrupted by pain and sorrow. The thrill of the adventure ends when the vacation is over.

The one constant I carry from day to day is this truth: Christ in me, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). When I keep my eyes on my King of Life, I have deep-seated joy even when my world is crumbling around me. When I give Him my all — obeying His commands, following His lead, surrendering to His will — unshakable joy fills my soul to overflowing.

Jesus is the one thing that gives this life purpose. The joy we can know now, by serving the King of Kings, is only a tiny foretaste of the joys stored up for us in heaven. Imagine being in God’s presence, finally perfected, finally freed from the things that distract us from total devotion to our Savior. What a day that will be! — but that’s another hymn for another day.

“And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.”

(1 Peter 1:8)

I Know Whom I Have Believed

There’s a “peace that passes all understanding” that comes with knowing who God is. When, by faith, we are confident in God’s unchanging character, we can rest; rest in His unchanging nature, rest in His sovereign power, rest in His eternal promises.

I can almost hear Paul telling Timothy, with unwavering confidence and conviction, “for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” (2 Timothy 1:12) These words come as Paul is facing certain death for boldly preaching the gospel message. He isn’t cowering in fear. Paul is standing securely on God’s promise to usher him safely into the presence of His Savior, for whom he lived — and must also die.

As Paul passes the torch this young man who is like a son to him, he reminds Timothy to stand firm, no matter what. Stand firm through the trials and hardship. Stand firm as long as God gives him breath. Stand firmly on God’s Word; the trustworthy and true, active and living, imperishable word of God that holds the keys to an abundant temporal life and a glorious eternal life in God’s presence.

Daniel W. Whittle drew on this verse to write his hymn staunchly declaring his confidence and conviction in a voice that echoes Paul’s, a hymn meant to bolster believers as they walk life’s path. Why God would choose any of us to be His children, His friends and His heirs is a great mystery. None of us are worthy of His love, His grace, His mercy or His kindness. We all deserve His wrath, His judgement, His holy rejection. Still, through Christ’s work on the cross, He extended to us what none of us could earn for ourselves – and opportunity to stand before Him, forgiven and purified through the blood of His perfect Son if only we will repent of our sins, seek God’s forgiveness and walk with Him by faith.

There are still many unknowns in this life. But if we are in Christ, we can rest in Him. We can declare our confidence in God’s unwavering character and know, without a doubt, He will preserve our spiritual investments until we meet Him face to face. We can find to peace to distill our fears when we face fiery trials in this life because we are confident in the One we have believed.

For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say:

“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5b-6)