Here’s one of my favorite Bible verses:
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)
Looking for reasons to thank God today? Find a psalm, a hymn, or a spiritual song and express your gratitude to Him with words of praise and adoration for who He is and what He has done for you.
This is why believers have gathered together for centuries to worship God in song. Not only do we praise Him for His attributes and actions, we teach and admonish each other, not only through Scripture and sermons but also in the songs we sing. I love how a good hymn can teach the truth of God, saturating our minds with the Word of Christ and making our souls soar into heavenly places.
Here’s a good example of how a hymn does what Colossians 3:16 describes:
“Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine with 10,000 beside”
Perhaps you recognize those words. They are from “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” one of my favorites.
Truly, God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3). And the words above remind us of several of those divine treasures:
Pardon for sin.
Do you know the joy of forgiveness? I do, and it is sweet. Sin will make you stupid, and I’ve done my share of stupid things over the years. What do we do with all our guilt? We take it to Jesus, repenting, confessing, and crying out for mercy. And because of the death of Christ, God is ready to forgive. “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
A peace that endures.
Ever get stressed out? Who doesn’t? Life is hard, and Jesus promised that it would be: “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). You can count on it. And you can also count on Jesus to provide His peace in the midst of turmoil, whether from without or within. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace” (John 16:33).
The presence of God to cheer and to guide.
Oh, how easy it is to forget that God is with us, in us, and for us – every day, 24/7/365. How much joy and direction do we forfeit by losing touch with our Savior. This is one of my besetting sins – not remembering that He is there. Another hymn describes the sin of forgetfulness: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love.” Oh that we would be quick to meditate on this command and its accompanying promise: “be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’ (Hebrews 13:5). Because we have Him, true satisfaction is ours for the having! “Those who fear him lack nothing” (Psalm 34:9).
Strength for today.
“Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” I can’t remember who said that, but I do know the antidote for weakness – the power of the God who indwells us. “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
Bright hope for tomorrow.
We have hope. I find great encouragement in knowing that. How about you? “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14). We have the hope of spending eternity in the presence of King Jesus, and He gave us His Spirit to guarantee that our hope becomes reality. Amen?
Yes, these blessings are “all mine” – and yours, too! And there are 10,000 more, all from our great God and Savior.
Do you have a favorite hymn that teaches God’s truth? If so, let me know by leaving a comment below.
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