Encouragement in simple things…

Posted by Alan Knox on Feb 12, 2007 in edification, gathering | 4 comments

I’ve posted before about how I’ve been encouraged by the church. I’m often encouraged (exhorted, admonished, taught, etc.) in scheduled times of teaching. But, sometimes the most encouraging times can be a simple, unplanned, spontaneous response to how God is working in the life of a brother or sister in Christ.

One of our sisters in Christ (You first met her in a post called “What really matters…“) shared with us during our last Lord’s Supper/Fellowship. She told us that she had a rough week. But, God had continually ministered to her through an old song: Great is Thy Faithfulness. She said she didn’t even know all of the words, but one phrase kept repeating in her head: “All I have needed thy hand hath provided”.

We all agreed that we needed to be reminded of God’s faithfulness, so we sang the first verse and chorus together:

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

One of our brothers remarked that that song references Lamentations 3, so we read this passage together:

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!” (Lamentations 3:22-24 NKJV)

This was such a special time, and it all began with someone being willing to share about how God used one line of a song to encourage her, and with the church giving her opportunity to share. This led to all of us being reminded that God is faithful, and that He is our portion. And, as the last phrase says, “Therefore, I hope in Him!”

Unplanned… unrehearsed… unchecked… simple… heartfelt… encouragement.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:16-17 NKJV)