Need strength for today? Afflicted saint, to Christ, draw near

Into my utter exhaustion one afternoon, I read God’s promise, 

“As your days, your strength shall be” (Deut. 33:25), 

and this song immediately came to mind once again. 

Afflicted saint, to Christ draw near,
The Savior’s gracious promise hear;
His faithful word declares to thee,
That as thy days, thy strength shall be.

(“As thy days, so shall thy strength be,” Fawcett, J., p. d.)

Looking at my “days,” I often ponder: What is “time” to the eternal God, Alpha and Omega, beginning and end? For He is outside of what mere human understanding considers “time.” I’m so comforted to remember that His promises and prophecies always come true, because He already knows the end from the beginning!

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2 Pet. 3:8 ESV).

Afflicted saint, in our exhausted waiting to see Jesus, let’s rest in His promise….He will give us His strength to endure anything He knows is coming. 

As those who trust in Christ alone for salvation, we can even sing the gospel hope He’s given us into Old Covenant promises, cherishing that they now belong to us…because we belong to Christ.

And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise (Gal. 3:29 ESV)…

not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith (Phil. 3:9 ESV)…

who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (2 Cor. 1:22 ESV).

Afflicted saint, to Christ, let’s both draw near.

Cry of an afflicted saint: HOW will I be able to face another day of suffering?

“O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear” (Ps. 10:17 ESV, emphasis added).

Let not thy heart despond and say,
“How shall I stand the trying day?”
he has engaged by firm decree,
That as thy days, thy strength shall be.

How? Our all-powerful Lord and Redeemer, Jesus Christ!

Thy faith is weak, thy foes are strong;
And if the conflict should be long…

“I myself will be the shepherd of the sheep, and I myself will make them lie down. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak” (Ezek. 34:15-16 ESV, emphasis added).

Thy Lord will make the tempter flee!

There is none like God, O Jeshurun,

who rides through the heavens to your help,

through the skies in his majesty (Deut. 33:26 ESV)!

For as thy days, thy strength shall be.

Should persecution rage and flame,
Still trust in thy Redeemer’s name…

Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Mt. 5:11-12 ESV).

In fiery trials thou shalt see,
That as thy days, thy strength shall be.

How? Our indwelling Comforter, the Holy Spirit

When called to bear the weighty cross,
Or sore afflictions, pain, or loss…

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mt. 16:24 ESV).

Or deep distress, or poverty,
Still as thy days, thy strength shall be…

That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being (Eph. 3:16 ESV).

How? Resting in our hope in Christ, as an afflicted saint

Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you,

a people saved by the LORD (Deut. 33:29 ESV).

When ghastly death appears in view,
Christ’s presence shall thy fears subdue,

the shield of your help,

and the sword of your triumph!

He comes to set thy spirit free,
And as thy days, thy strength shall be.

Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs (Deut. 33:29 ESV, emphasis added).

From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty (Rev. 19:15 ESV, emphasis added).

To God be the glory!

Resources of singing Christ’s hope

Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
    break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the Lord has comforted his people
    and will have compassion on his afflicted (Is. 49:13 ESV, emphasis added)!

I made this week’s professionally curated playlist gift months ago. It has been God’s strengthening gift to me on days when I don’t know how to keep going with ongoing suffering. As I praise our Lord, He uses the playlists as therapeutically healing gifts! As my days, my strength shall be…because I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ! It’s His promise!

Are you walking through affliction of some sort?

Utterly exhausted too?

Perhaps weekly playlists that sing the gospel and His Word’s “yes” promises to us as redeemed saints in Christ will be His strengthening gift to you also.

Sign up here if you’d like this encouragement in your email. Other resources are also below, including a book to pray God’s promises as we suffer. Drawing near to our Lord, along with you, sister in Christ.

First Name

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you’re human: