“Our faith is sealed
Our hope is real
Come what may
We’re not afraid..
We can trust our God
Always, always
He knows what He’s doing”
Song Reflection: “He Is With Us” by Love and the Outcome
“He Is With Us” is my favorite song by Love and the Outcome. It reminds me that no matter what happens, God is with us. As humans, we are limited to the knowledge of our past and our present (what’s happening at this very moment). We don’t know what the future holds. It could be good or not so good. We just don’t know. Think about it. We don’t even know what the next second holds. But, whatever happens, we can be confident of one thing (if we have salvation in Jesus Christ). God is with us. The world around us may be filled with problems, chaos, and uncertainties, but (as Christians) our hope and trust is in Christ alone. Even as Christians, we can become distracted and lose focus on Jesus Christ. When this happens, we may find ourselves trusting in things other than God. We may start trusting in money, our jobs, other people, or ourselves. Psalm 20:7 NIV says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” 1 Corinthians 2:5 NIV reminds us of where we should place our faith. It says, “so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”
Sometimes, we get caught up in the storms of life. Sometimes, things don’t go the way we want them to. Sometimes, “you wonder if you’re gonna make it.” Sometimes, we wonder how we will get out our next jam. Psalms 12:1-3 NIV says, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;” Sometimes, we find ourselves in situations, where we are afraid. Psalm 27:1 NIV says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”
I love this verse. If God is with us, of what should we be afraid? Psalm 28:7 NIV says, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” We couldn’t ask for a better shield than God. We couldn’t ask for more strength than God’s strength.The psalmist writes “For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.” Psalm 71:5 NIV He wants the reader to know that God was there for him in his youth and he trust that God will be there for him again. Have you ever noticed how generally it is easier for children or even youth to trust than for adults or older people to trust. Why? Well, because they have seen and experienced more than those with fewer years. Perhaps, they have been lied to or let down too many times by other people. But, Hebrews 6:17-19 reminds us that we don’t have to worry about that with God.
“God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls….” -Hebrews 6:17-19 NLT
People may lie to us or let us down, but God never will. “We can trust our God always.”
Dear Lord Jesus, please help us not to place all of our hope and trust in anything or anyone, but You. You are our only sure hope. Thank You for Your promise to always be with us and Your beautiful promise of a future spent in heaven with You. Amen.
“And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.” -Psalm 39:7 NLT
Side note: Love and the Outcome is a pretty awesome band. I met them last year at winter jam. If you haven’t heard them, you should definitely check them out. Here are the more of the lyrics to “He Is With Us.” I also recommend “King of My Heart.”
“Remember when your hope is lost and faith is shaken
Remember when you wonder if you’re gonna make it
There’s a hand stretched out through your deepest doubt
We can’t pretend to see the ending or what’s coming up ahead
To know the story of tomorrow
But we can stay close to the One who knows We can trust our God
He knows what He’s doing
Though it might hurt now
We won’t be ruined
It might seem there’s an ocean in between
But He’s holding on to you and me
And He’s never gonna leave, no
He is with us, He is with us
Always, always…
We believe there is purpose, there is meaning in everything
We surrender to His leading
He wants nothing more than to have us close…
Our faith is sealed
Our hope is real
Come what may
We’re not afraid…
We can trust our God
Always, always…
He is with us, He is with us
Always
Our God is with us”
