As we continue a study of the classic hymn, “Blessed Assurance”, the author seems to break out into unbridled rejoicing in the refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
I’ve probably said it here before, but when a Christian gives a testimony, this is just “their story”. (I learned that explanation from Christian comedian Tim Hawkins, as an introduction to a song that gave his testimony. Having said that, his way of sharing his testimony was a parody of Bon Jovi’s song, “Dead or Alive”, which is quite a bit different from the hymn we’re looking at in this mini-series.)
Now, I used to think that you had to be a reformed drug dealer or a converted ax murderer to have a Christian testimony. We may have heard life stories of how people came out of evil or terrible situations into a new life in Jesus Christ, and we marvel at the amount of transformation that God worked in their lives. We see that only God could turn things around as far as what these people experienced.
Have you ever thought that only people who started out in terrible situations can have a testimony about Jesus Christ? Those dramatic examples are indeed valuable testimonies to God’s power and love, but each of us has a story: even someone whose story starts with, “I was raised in a Christian home and gave my life to Jesus at a young age”. Even people with lives that didn’t start out on the street or in a gang or addicted to drugs can testify to God’s impact. After all, even for those of us whose outside lives looked “pretty good”, our destiny resulting from our sins was pretty ugly (i.e., deserving death – separation from God). I don’t know about you, but the sins I was saved from were bad enough that my Savior Jesus is worth praising all day!
So, sometimes our story is how we get to glorify God. He is glorious, and while not everyone chooses to recognize that here on earth), those of us who have accepted His offer to become His family members get to proclaim His glory and tell of the wonderful things that He has done.
As a result, our story – our song – should include praising Jesus. our Savior. We think of the Psalms as opportunities for praise, but let’s look at Isaiah 63:7 as an example.
I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD,
the deeds for which he is to be praised,
according to all the LORD has done for us—
yes, the many good things
he has done for Israel,
according to his compassion and many kindnesses.Isaiah 63:7 NIV
https://isaiah.bible/isaiah-63-7
And, let’s look at Psalm 92:1-3, also.
It is good to praise the LORD
and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp.Psalms 92:1-3 NIV
If the glory of God doesn’t motivate you to praise Him, I suspect that you haven’t yet gotten to know Him enough. Many perspectives of God skate across the surface, focusing on single aspects of His character, or even fictitious ideas of what He is like. However, the real God is glorious, loving, and holy, and that’s worth making a big deal about!
From Sunday School lesson prepared for September 10, 2023
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation.
Those Who Sin Differently 