Tag: Isaiah 61

A 1737 Hymn turns me around every time. “Give to the winds thy fears;”

1. Give to the winds thy fears;
hope and be undismayed.
God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears,
God shall lift up thy head.

2. Through waves and clouds and storms,
God gently clears the way;
wait thou God’s time; so shall this night
soon end in joyous day.

3. Leave to God’s sovereign sway
to choose and to command;
so shalt thou, wondering, own that way,
how wise, how strong this hand.

4. Let us in life, in death,
thy steadfast truth declare,
and publish with our latest breath
thy love and guardian care.
Paul Gerbhardt, translated by John Wesley, 1737).

“Hope and be undismayed . . . ”

These are times of great trouble. Persecuted Christians are imprisoned, there are economic struggles, deceptive governments, struggles in the church, physical illnesses, and losses of great magnitude, etc.

I wrote this first paragraph many years ago. But, it fits today.

What great comfort to know, God is the same. God’s Word never changes.

I feel as if, in life, I play a one-stringed guitar.

God’s Word tells us, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).

This is my one-stringed theme in life. So, when my heart is out of tune, most likely there is no song around. A good-themed melody is a therapy for the heart and mind.

I share this old hymn from long ago, and want to encourage you to join me to put some voice on the words and speak these faith sounds to revive worn-out souls:

“Give to the winds thy fears; hope and be undismayed; God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears, God shall lift up thy head.”
“Through waves and clouds and storms, He gently clears thy way; Wait thou His time; So shall this night soon end in joyous day.”

The second stanza reminds me God is big when trials seem to build. Nothing is impossible with Him. I can trust Him. You can trust Him. We can trust God.

When we choose to believe and follow the Lord, He will faithfully lead us:

Leave to God’s sovereign sway
to choose and to command;
so shalt thou, wondering, own that way,
how wise, how strong this hand.

Have you given your life to the One who gave His own? Jesus paid it all. All our debt in full. Is today your day to rest in His strong, sovereign hand?

There is no death in Christ! To rest in His love is eternal love and life forever with Him.

Let us in life, in death,
thy steadfast truth declare,
and publish with our latest breath
thy love and guardian care.

We must rest in His Word and truth:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27.

If you feel the Lord tugging on your heart to pray, then talk to Him now. Salvation in Jesus is only a prayer away. Ask Him in your life.

He comes in and cleanses and makes new all the garbage and junk and debt of sin. We all have sin. We all need a Savior. Is today the day?

If you have the Lord and feel burdened and heavy on this day, talk to the Lord,

Through waves and clouds and storms,
God gently clears the way;
wait thou God’s time; so shall this night
soon end in joyous day.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor” Isaiah 61:1-3.

Are you changed today? For salvation or revived hope to persevere? Talk to someone about it!

God bless each of us today. How we need Jesus. In His name, we pray. Amen.

I'm Changed, Daily

“The garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.” Isaiah 61:3, Amplified.
Changes are necessary.
A change of clothes is a natural occurrence, for everyone, hopefully, at least once a day.
We begin clean and fresh but through the course of time, we can acquire smells.
My fragrance changes from healthy to pale when words arise in my ears and eyes. In a moments time a report can bring down great amounts of torrential rains.  Be it news, an assignment, the correction, the debt owed.  The diagnosis, the prognosis, the dropped ball, the “no show.
How sudden everything bright can be enveloped by sighs.
How quickly anxiety and fretfulness wrap around like a weed and there’s no clarity of thought – only thoughts reckless and headstrong. Yielding no peace.
I’m guilty of fear, which brings on regret. I speak unkind words that I can’t retract.
Escape I must, so I run to a place, . . .
of hiding and silence and God’s quietness. He waits for me and makes me lie down on pastures of green, so familiar in sound.
And God speaks to my soul: “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” (1). For the “spirit of heaviness,” let Me change your clothing and help you put on a  “garment of praise.” (2).
Lord, I cry, in my weariness, I’m weak. I have no strength. I can’t find a thankful thought. Trouble has clouded my eyes. There’s pain of blood dripping from my heart, and the only language I seem to speak, brings confusion to the ones closest to me.
“Don’t try to figure it all out. Don’t worry about all the “stuff.” That’s an unknown future that you can trust Me with, you know. Let Me take this garment of heaviness from your mind and your heart. Let me remind you that each past failure, has been a teacher bringing about great growth. Let Me help you put a robe of “thankfulness” on. Let Me remind you of good things with amplified reports.
“Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.” (3)
“Read aloud My word, Amplified, in whom, the Son that I did send opened the Book and read aloud in the hearing of man:

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me
To bring good news to the humble and afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted,
To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives
And freedom to prisoners,
 
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance and retribution of our God,
To comfort all who mourn,
 
To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following:
To give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning],
The oil of joy instead of mourning,

The garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.
So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God],
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Remember Me. Let me lift your heavy heart. Sing a hymn, I will change your garments to Praise.”

The garment of Doxology will be my starting point. Thank you God, that You know my name.

 “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. (The Doxology).

(1) Romans 12:2.

(2) Isaiah 61:3.

(3) Hebrews 12:12.