Never Once

I don't know if any of you struggle with trust the way I do. Seems like my whole life is one big lesson of trusting in God's faithfulness. That's not a bad thing, but I wish I were quicker to remember God's faithfulness and slower to worry about the future.

There's one song about this I've been singing to myself a lot lately. I find it tremendously encouraging, and I hope you'll find it encouraging as well. It's "Never Once," by Matt Redman.

It seems to me it's written from the point of view of those at the end of things, when Christ returns to Earth in victory. But even if it's not-- even if it's just about the battles in our lives-- I just love it. Can't get through it without crying.

Ponder this:

Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You can listen to it here.

xoxo, A

Thoughts for Thursday: My Epitaph

Not to be dark and dreary, but have you ever thought about what you'd have written on your tombstone?  When I was little, because of Halloween decorations I used to think that every tombstone had to say how that person died.  So, being a klutzy child, I was afraid I'd die in an embarrassing way, and then it would be recorded for the rest of Earth's days.  Maybe something like:

"Here lies Amanda.  She died of asphyxiation on the toilet."  or "RIP Amanda.  She rolled her ankle one too many times, and this time into traffic."

I don't know why I thought that.  What got me thinking unseasonably about epitaphs was a chapter I read in Slave by John MacArthur.  I'm going through the book with a dear friend (we've gone through many, and each one kicks our butts!), and we were reading about John Newton, the runaway/slave trader turned minister/song writer.  Think you don't know who he is?  Think again; if you've ever sung "Amazing Grace," you've sung one of his hymns.  His live was a powerful example of God's sovereign plan and grace, and if you haven't read about him, I encourage you to do so.  According to the book, his epitaph read like so:

JOHN NEWTON, Clerk

once an Infidel and Libertine,

a Servant of Slaves in Africa,

was, by the rich mercy

of our Lord and Saviour

JESUS CHRIST,

preserved, restored, pardoned,

and appointed to preach the faith

he had long laboured to destroy

Beautiful, isn't it?  But so humble and so rich in truth.  It made me think about what I'd want etched on my tombstone.  Nothing about just me, because anything I am or have is due to Christ.  I'd like it to be a final, permanent testimony to Jesus' sacrifice and work in my life; a way for me tell others about salvation from "beyond the grave."  Well at least, quite literally, from the grave.  And if that's what I want my tombstone to say, I'd better make sure I'm living that now. 

Perhaps this is too dark for a Thursday, but I think it's important.  It's important to think about what kind of legacy we want to leave-- not just what we etch in stone, but what we leave behind as memories of our conduct, as testimonies to our God.  I hope mine is something a little like Newton's.  What about you?

xoxo, A