Monday, August 30, 2010

O God Our Help in Ages Past

Fierce winds blow, lightning flashes, and thunder cracks so loudly it shakes your home. That kind of storm makes us quake with fear and wonder how we’ll ever survive. And that’s the kind of storm we feel each time another terrorist strikes, or a job is lost, or a loved one dies.

In the midst of such storms, our hearts can find hope in the words of Isaac Watts hymn "O God Our Help in Ages Past."
            1.Our God, our help in ages past,

               Our hope for years to come,
               Our shelter from the stormy blast,
               And our eternal home.
            2.Under the shadow of Thy throne

                Thy saints have dwelt secure;
                Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
                And our defense is sure.
As the hymn writer states, God is "our shelter from the stormy blast....Sufficient is Thine arm alone." No matter what tragedy strikes, God can protect us.
But how can we be so sure that God is there in the storm? The hymn answers that question in these words, "from everlasting you are God, to endless years the same." God doesn’t change. He guided the Israelites safely to the Promised Land. He raised Jesus from the dead. And when we look at our own past, we’ll always notice the same thing: God was there to see us through the storms. Knowing that, we can live with hope that he’ll protect us in the present too.
What storms shake you today? Maybe you feel like an emotional wreck. Maybe you’re fighting tough spiritual battles. Maybe your family circumstances have spiraled out of control. But no matter what "stormy blast" may be swirling around you, hold on to the promise of this hymn. Let the truth of Psalm 90 be your strength for you just as it was for Isaac Watts so long ago. You can be confident that God will see you through.
O God You are, You are our help you are our helper, To all generations you will be, forever and ever, Our shield and our eternal hope, O Lord; You are the Ancient of Days and worthy of our praise.

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