Tag: #hymns

Like a River Glorious

Photo Copyright: www.godponderings.com

Some days I sense God calling me away to a peaceful place. A place without internet service, cellphone signal or traffic noise. A place with minimal human activity. A place where I can focus on the Word, and prayer, and writing – without distractions. One advantage of living in the boondocks is that such places are readily accessible.

A root beer-toned river twists its way around a low island dotted with sneezeweed, goldenrod, fleabane and wild asters. It gurgles as it rushes downhill, stumbling over rocks and bumping haphazardly into a downed tree before going on its merry way. The river’s voice settles my soul as it carries my cares away.

“Like a river glorious, is God’s perfect peace.”

Have you ever been in a situation where you discovered, by necessity, God’s perfect peace? Several years ago my cousin and his son were helping us remodel our house. They were truly God’s gift to us! Ben and I were coming home with a load of lumber when the trailer started swaying. At first, I wasn’t overly concerned. But when the trailer started pulling the truck all over the road, in traffic, I knew we were in trouble.

I should have panicked. I should have been terrified. Instead, an inexplicable, supernatural peace washed over me. Ben was doing everything in his power to get the situation under control. I remember putting my hand on his shoulder and saying, “You’re doing a great job!” Where did that come from? The only possible answer is the Sunday School answer: Jesus.

“Over all victorious in its bright increase.”

In the end, we did a 180 across both lanes of traffic and came to rest on the shoulder – unharmed. Praise God, no one else was harmed either. Surely, God’s angels were encamped around us! Kind drivers stopped and helped us pick up the lumber strewn across the road and we were on our way again, at a slower pace.

“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever. For in Yahweh, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” (Isaiah 26:3-4)

I lose sight of this promise, at times. My mind is on everything but my Peace-Giver. I’m preoccupied with finances and work and household duties and family. I hit the floor running in the morning without pausing to meditate on God and His marvelous works, without committing my daily concerns to my Lord. When I get frazzled and fretful, God reminds my I have neglected the One who gives perfect peace.

“Perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day. Perfect, yet it growth deeper all the way.”

God’s peace is always perfect. It’s never lacking. But the more we put our trust in it, the more we experience it, the deeper and fuller it seems, like a river growing and deepening as it makes its way to the sea.

Whatever has you unsettled today, whatever is eating at you, whatever has you distracted or preoccupied, I pray you will rest in these words from Psalm 46:10;

“Cease striving and know that I am God.”

When you struggle, refocus on the only One who can bring you rest.

“Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest; Finding as He promised, perfect peace and rest.”

I Know Whom I Have Believed

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I remember liking this hymn as a child. Part of it was the lilting tune. Mostly, it was the sense of security and confidence it instilled in me. There were, and still are, many things I don’t understand about my faith.

While we walk with God through our days here on earth, there are spiritual unknowns. As 1 Corinthians 13:9 says, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part…” Our minds, limited by time and space and our frail human frames, cannot fully comprehend why our holy God even cares about us, or how Christ’s righteousness is imputed to our sinful selves.

Like the hymnwriter, we don’t fully understand how the Holy Spirit works. We know that He leads us, intercedes for us, and convicts us – but how? How to we come to recognize that still small voice? Without dangling our toes too deeply into the predestination vs. free will debate, why are some compelled to follow Christ, while others turn their backs on Him? What is God’s role and what is our role in becoming conformed to the image of His Son? (Romans 8:29)

We can’t know what the future holds. God ordained all our days before any of them came to pass (Psalm 139:16) but we aren’t privy to how they will play out; whether our lives will be filled with extraordinary joy, devasting sorrow or our expected share of ups and downs.

And the greatest unknown of all is when Christ will return in great power and glory, revealing Himself to the world as the King of kings and the Lord of Lords. Perhaps it will be in our generation. Perhaps many more generations will eagerly await His return.

“… but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away with.” (! Corinthians 13:10). However, the day is coming when we will leave this world behind and join Christ in heaven, where we will be perfected. Then, we’ll be able to see everything clearly. It will all make sense. All our questions will be answered.

After recounting all the things he doesn’t know, D.W. Whittle (the writer) uses the chorus to affirm what he does know:

“But ‘I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him, against that day.’”

Other than the “but,” this hymn chorus is an exact quote of 2 Timothy 1:12, taken from the King James Version. It is a statement of confident expectation. If we have put our faith in Christ alone for our salvation, we can say with certainty we know who we believe. We know what God has already done for us – bringing us into His family when we were undeserving and calling us to live to His glory.

We have a confident expectation that God is storing up all those things we’ve done to His glory for the day we meet Him in eternity. No sacrifice we’ve made has escaped His notice. No tear we’ve shed has been lost. No service we’ve rendered with the right motives will be unrewarded. When our focus is on “glorifying God and enjoying Him forever” we store up treasures in heaven.

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.”                                                                                                         (Revelation 22:12)

I Love to Tell the Story

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Do you have a favorite story – one you tell over and over again?

I have one. In fact, I just told it earlier today.

My husband and I come from quite different backgrounds. He’s a city kid. I’m a country kid. His extended family would fit in a large living room. My extended family would need a convention center. He grew up in a home that didn’t prioritize church. I grew up in a home that seldom missed a Sunday.

My husband’s family gathered for a reunion a few years ago. As folks were telling of days gone by, someone told the story of family members who had run liquor during the prohibition. When they finished, I put my hand on my husband’s shoulder and said in a serious tone, “My people were praying for your people.”

We laughed then, and have laughed many times since, over that moment (seriously though, it’s probably true). Maybe your favorite story is funny, like mine. Maybe it’s a cute story about something your child or pet did, an exciting story about something adventurous you did, or an amazing story about something miraculous God has done. We’re eager to relay our stories because of the impact they had on our lives.

Our stories also give others a glimpse of who we are at the core. It can be unnerving to let people see what’s inside us.

I think that’s why I’m sometimes reluctant to tell the story that changed my life. What will people think of me if they know what’s most important to me? It’s THE story. I wanted – needed – to hear it. So, what makes me think other people don’t?

It’s the one about Jesus, and how He died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin, so I could stand in God’s presence purified and righteous.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  (2 Corinthians 5:21)

It’s the story about how God adopted me and called me His own, even though I’ve never done anything to deserve it.

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”  (Romans 8:15)

And how one day, when I die or Christ returns (whichever comes first), I’ll go and live with Him forever in a place that He’s preparing for me.

In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.  (John 14:2-3)

I hope this is your story, too. And I hope you have more courage to tell it than I sometimes do. It’s a story that can bring hope to people in despair, peace to people wracked by all sorts of conflict, and joy to those who’ve known too much sorrow. It’s a timeless story with the power to transform lives.

I love to tell the story of unseen things above, of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love; I love to tell the story because I know ’tis true, it satisfies my longing as nothing else can do.

(I Love to Tell the Story by A. Catherine Hankey)