My hope is built on NOTHING less… than Jesus blood and righteousness. These words run through my head over and over in the midst of trying to find sanity in the insane, real, sink-your-teeth or heart into hope in the face of a renovation project going all wrong and incomprehensible death. It had been a day of all days for being let down, disillusioned and overwhelmed, struggling to find one thing that was going smoothly or didn't need urgent attention. I'm not a crier, but I confess, I had a meltdown. Couldn't keep it together while talking to our realtor about the multiple breaches of contract and failed commitments that the contractor he had recommended had committed, causing delays, money loss and mountains of undue stress. Deep breaths, coming up with a reasonable plan and trying to move forward, I then received a phone call from my mother. She was crying on the other end and stated that she hated to be the bearer of bad news... One of my deceased brother's closest friends had just been killed the night before in a freak motorcycle accident, leaving behind a wife and two children ages nine and five. She then related that she was going to be speaking at a retreat in just a few weeks about hope and how do you wrap your mind and heart around that in the midst of such real, gut wrenching suffering and uncertainty. My multiple home renovation trials suddenly paled in comparison to this great loss. My heart heaving with a new pang and the rush of loss fell heavy, leaving a wake of empty ache, unanswerable questions. "Where was GOD in that? How can this be part of the good plan of a loving Father?" Let's be real! Those are the hardcore questions that come tumbling one after another. And I don't have answers. Just more questions. It brings me back to a sermon I heard a couple months ago talking about proskuneo - prostrate, full on worship and adoration of the ONE and ONLY because of WHO He is alone. Proskuneo: "ready to fall down/prostrate oneself to adore on one's knees" - this is NOTHING LESS.
Less than an hour later, a thunderstorm came through. Our roofers failed to cover well the area they were working on and a waterfall of water poured into our upstairs master bedroom and then into the office below, creating pools of water on the floor and causing the office ceiling to start sagging and fall down. And the best thing to do is what Job did: worship.
Saturday I was driving home, deliberating what to do, how to proceed, asking my Father where to go from here and listening to worship songs on the radio. I got caught up in worship, and entered in to proskuneo. Yet, even in the midst, I realized how much I expect immediate benefit, revelation, things to fall into place (if not externally at least in the jumbled, scrambling thoughts in my mind) as a result of worship. I'm not saying that there are not very real, tangible shifts, revelations and benefits of worship. I'm merely confessing my weakness, my heart's nature to still think much of self, of my needs and desires, what I can get out of GOD rather than give to Him or in the midst of giving to Him. I see worship too much as a means rather than an end. The ultimate END and consummation of all things.
Still struggling on Sunday with feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, uncertain where to start or what steps to take and when, and my dear mother-in-law texted me, asking if I had used the following hymn on my blog yet. She had been doing a Bible study and the lesson that day was on HOPE. The verses she sent about Hope and it's relationship to waiting on GOD and trusting on His goodness have been like a balm and refreshment, an anchor to my soul. The only real Hope we have is in the Godhead. All else besides Him fails, but in that blood-bought, torn veil which gains us access into FELLOWSHIP with the Trinity, a sure, unshakable anchor of HOPE holds fast. And He purposely allows other earthly props to fail in the facade of hope or security that we might come to see, to deeply know that only in Him, only in Him is unfailing Hope and security.
Less than an hour later, a thunderstorm came through. Our roofers failed to cover well the area they were working on and a waterfall of water poured into our upstairs master bedroom and then into the office below, creating pools of water on the floor and causing the office ceiling to start sagging and fall down. And the best thing to do is what Job did: worship. Saturday I was driving home, deliberating what to do, how to proceed, asking my Father where to go from here and listening to worship songs on the radio. I got caught up in worship, and entered in to proskuneo. Yet, even in the midst, I realized how much I expect immediate benefit, revelation, things to fall into place (if not externally at least in the jumbled, scrambling thoughts in my mind) as a result of worship. I'm not saying that there are not very real, tangible shifts, revelations and benefits of worship. I'm merely confessing my weakness, my heart's nature to still think much of self, of my needs and desires, what I can get out of GOD rather than give to Him or in the midst of giving to Him. I see worship too much as a means rather than an end. The ultimate END and consummation of all things.
Still struggling on Sunday with feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, uncertain where to start or what steps to take and when, and my dear mother-in-law texted me, asking if I had used the following hymn on my blog yet. She had been doing a Bible study and the lesson that day was on HOPE. The verses she sent about Hope and it's relationship to waiting on GOD and trusting on His goodness have been like a balm and refreshment, an anchor to my soul. The only real Hope we have is in the Godhead. All else besides Him fails, but in that blood-bought, torn veil which gains us access into FELLOWSHIP with the Trinity, a sure, unshakable anchor of HOPE holds fast. And He purposely allows other earthly props to fail in the facade of hope or security that we might come to see, to deeply know that only in Him, only in Him is unfailing Hope and security.
"My Hope is Built on Nothing Less"
by Edward Mote, 1797-1874
1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
3. His oath, His covenant, and blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When every earthly prop gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
Beautiful rendition
Story behind the hymn
Another
favorite rendition
Psalm 130:5-7
Psalm 33:18, 20-22
Psalm 62:5-8
Col 1:27
Romans 5:5
Hebrews 6:19
Isaiah 40:31
Beautiful rendition
Story behind the hymn
Another
favorite rendition
Psalm 130:5-7
Psalm 33:18, 20-22
Psalm 62:5-8
Col 1:27
Romans 5:5
Hebrews 6:19
Isaiah 40:31
Love you
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! <3
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