This song really struck home with me a couple weeks ago and I want to share it. Perhaps you’d like to listen to it first and then read a few thoughts. I hope you’re encouraged.
All of Our Tomorrows
This spinning world by Your own hand
Hurls ever on around the sun
The seasons march at Your command
The old departs, the new year comes
And though celestial is Your gaze
You search and care for all our ways
We offer up to You this day
And all of our tomorrows.
I am approaching my 2nd year as a septuagenarian. WOW! That’s a mouthful! Another year around the sun, means one year farther along in the aging process. What will this year hold? There’s no way of knowing, but I have a hunch it will involve more limitations. Gary used to say “old age isn’t for sissys” and he was twenty years younger than my current age when he said it. Our world “hurls ever on around the sun” and every living thing on it, past, present and future is decaying. I love the changing seasons for the beauty that comes with each one, but they bring decay as well. One thing I love to think about is the fact that God is “intimately acquainted with all my ways.” Psalm 139. He watches, He cares. My blog is called “I Have Been Young” The whole verse is “I have been young and now I am old and I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.” Psalm 37:25 For my new readers, I chose this theme because living through so many seasons as a Christian, I have seen God’s loving care up close and personal. Through various intensities and types of trials, He has never forsaken me or left me in the lurch. God has been faithful. Not because of any inherit righteousness in me, but because of the righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ. He saved me by taking the punishment I deserve and substituting His perfect life for my sins becoming lord of my life. Have these 71 years been without trouble? No. Has the Lord been with me every step of the way? Absolutely.
May zealous youth and cautious age
Determine not the steps we choose
Great Shepherd, guide us through each day
Oh, how we want to follow You
Come Living Way, our way make clear
Let perfect love drive out our fear
Be Thou our vision, now and here
And all of our tomorrows
I love the phrasing, “zealous youth” and “cautious age.” Doesn’t that just say it all? I am definitely in the phase of life that is winding down. I move slower, I have to focus more, I try to be careful not to fall. But I am learning that aging is a good thing too. I may have some challenges to deal with, but that’s nothing new. They are just unique to these years and the Lord has put others in my life who love me and will help when needed. Will challenges increase year by year? Probably, but I have no need to fear the future because my Good Shepherd, my Living Way has got it covered. He is guiding me in the best way…for me.
When winter makes us reminisce
Of warmer days so distant now
Of cherished saints the sun once kissed
Whose beauty passed behind the clouds
Let all our fond and longing tears
Remind us we are pilgrims here
We trust You, Sovereign of our years
With all of our tomorrows
This is the verse that brings the tears. It reminds me of my Gary, husband, father, friend, “cherished saint who the sun once kissed whose beauty passed beyond the clouds.” It’s a great reminder that we are visitors, travelers, on a journey, and this is not our home. I need to be reminded of that. Having loved ones who have gone before to heaven is helping me loosen my grip on the things in this life that seemed so important in the past, and focus on what matters. I was just in a conversation last night about “windows of opportunity” and how to redeem the time while we can, however many tomorrows that includes. My prayer is that I can “SEIZE THE DAY” for God’s glory and keep trusting Him for direction.
Hands to the plow, we’re pressing on
And running hard to win the prize
Empowered by the love of God
With grace before and grace behind
For lo, what hope before us stands
You finish all that You began
Eternal joy is in Your hands
And all of our tomorrows
Words and music by Dave Fournier and Ryan Foglesong © 2020 Sovereign Grace Worship/ASCAP, Sovereign Grace Praise/BMI (adm. by Integrity Music). Sovereign Grace Music, a division of Sovereign Grace Churches. All rights reserved. CCLI # 7167554
“My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:5-8
