oh, how He loves

Some music and lyrics that have been on my mind this weekend - I've bolded the phrases I've found to be particularly noteworthy.


Where are You, God of the heavens above?
Why do You hide from our pain?
With questions and weeping I call on You now
Your presence is all that I need

I bring my confusion, helpless request
This empty and transient world
To the God who has answered me well in the past
The God who's acquainted with pain...

I will trust in the One who's established His might
The Servant who's reigning on high
Whose unfailing mercy is solid and clear
I patiently wait here in peace
His presence is all that I need
(Where Are You, God? by Sharon Tedford)


God says, “Rebuild the road!
Clear away the rocks and stones
so my people can return from captivity.”
¹⁵The high and lofty one who lives in eternity,
the Holy One, says this:
“I live in the high and holy place
with those whose spirits are contrite and humble.
I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.
¹⁶ For I will not fight against you forever;
I will not always be angry.
If I were, all people would pass away—
all the souls I have made. 
~Isaiah 57:14-16, ESV

¹⁷ The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
~Psalm 34:17-18, NLT

Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You.  ~Psalm 63:3, ESV

² For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go about mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?

³ Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling!⁴ Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.

⁵ Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

~Psalm 43:2-5, ESV

 

²⁵ I know that my Redeemer lives,and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.
²⁶ And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God.

~Job 19:25-26, NIV 1984

 

 

Perfect salvation, all is at rest

I in my Savior am happy and blessed

Watching and waiting, looking above

Filled with His goodness, I am lost in His love!
(Blessed Assurance by Fanny Crosby)

 

 

Death could not keep Him imprisoned

He burst through the shackles of hell

He settled the score with the evil one

and heaven applauds the King

The fullness of Christ is my treasure

I've cast off the past with its shame

The power of the Father has raised me to life

I'm a son, I'm forgiven and free!
(Pageant of Triumph by Dave Fellingham)

 

 

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

~Romans 8:31-39, NIV 1984

 

 

I hear the Savior say, "Thy strength indeed is small

Child of weakness, watch and pray

Find in Me thine all in all."

 

Oh praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead!
(Jesus Paid It All by Elvina M. Hall)