Yes it can be hard, but it’s the only life we have, so we’d better make the best of it.”
–Donald L. Robertson (Troubled Season)
“Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.”
–Colossians 3:16(NLT)
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I wonder, when I look at the condition of our country; I wonder, when I see the turmoil, how it affects Christians. Life isn’t a way through the blissful garden, though at times we do gain refreshment there. Life isn’t always a grand venture of delight, though for sure it is an adventure. When we read of the life of Paul we saw that he faced great trials of various sorts and I would ask, can we expect less? Oh, we might not face a literal shipwreck, but how many people do you know have a shipwreck of a life?
We sang an old hymn last Sunday; one that was often sung during my childhood and youth, and one that we seldom hear anymore. It speaks of life as we should know it in Christ. Despite the troubles and trials, we should be able to go through this pilgrim-land with a song in our hearts because we have Jesus there. Ponder the words, written by L.B, Bridges, and do an inventory of your life.
“There’s within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,
In all of life’s ebb and flow.”
Life comes at us in myriad ways. Troubles, happy times, but we should face them all knowing that there is nothing to fear for Jesus is with us. The Spirit guides us in every step we take no matter what comes our way in life.
“All my life was wrecked by sin and strife,
Discord filled my heart with pain,
Jesus swept across the broken strings,
Stirred the slumb’ring chords again.”
Perhaps that is what we need, the chords to be stirred, the gift within us to be brought back into a flame. Perhaps when we get down we should look into His smiling face and “feast on the riches of His grace.”
“Feasting on the riches of His grace,
Resting ‘neath His shelt’ring wing,
Always looking on His smiling face,
That is why I shout and sing.”
Troubles come, storms rage, winds howl, and the waves at times seem to roll over us trying to drown us in our situation. However, get that word etched in your heart and mind that He will never leave or forsake us. Look for His guidance, follow the path that He has laid out for each of us, and do it with joy and peace in your heart.
“Tho’ sometimes He leads thro’ waters deep,
Trials fall across the way,
Tho’ sometimes the path seems rough and steep,
See His footprints all the way.”
Listen friend, there’s a blessed hope coming our way. There is a mansion waiting and prepared for us. We cannot begin to imagine what heaven, what glory will be like. It is far beyond our human minds, far beyond what we can imagine or expect. But that day is coming!
“Soon He’s coming back to welcome me
Far beyond the starry sky;
I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown,
I shall reign with Him on high.”
So don’t go through life with a frown. Don’t let your forehead turn into waves of wrinkles because of fear, doubt, or fright. How? How can we go through this life with joy in our heart? We do it through Jesus. It is through Him that our every longing is filled.
“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,–
Sweetest name I know,
Fills my ev’ry longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.”