God Has Promised Many Things

© 1997 Ellie Evans

 

Dear Lord I lift my heart to you

and in each day rejoice,[i]

though some days bring such struggles

they would crush my lifted voice.

 

The load then seems so heavy,

more than I alone can bear...[ii]

I’m thankful for Your promise

that assures You’re always there.[iii]

 

You’ve promised many wondrous things

but it’s quite clear to me,

You never promised me a life

all blissful and carefree.[iv]

 

You didn’t say I’d never know

my full share of pain,[v]

or that I’d see the beauty of

the rainbow without rain.

 

You haven’t promised I’ll not feel

the deepest depths of sorrow,

or that I’ll even understand[vi]

the reasons come tomorrow.

 

But You have promised many things

that make my life worth living,

Your grace,[vii] Your strength,[viii] Your presence[ix]

and Your love[x] you keep on giving.

 

You comfort[xi] me in life’s great storms

and share my hidden heartaches.[xii]

You love me even as I am[xiii]

and guide the course my life takes.[xiv]

 

You hold me in Your loving arms[xv]

and wipe away my tears;[xvi]

and when I let You fill my heart

You cast out all my fears.[xvii]

 

Through You I have a lasting hope,[xviii]

to some a mystery;[xix]

a peace that fills my heart with calm[xx]

upon life’s roughest sea.

 

In You dear Lord I’ll always find

great joy in fullest measure.[xxi]

You help me see through loving eyes[xxii]

and know what’s truly treasure.[xxiii]

 

Through every challenge, every grief

You’ll give me victory,[xxiv]

and perfect strength in weakness[xxv]

if I’ll only lean on Thee.

 

Biblical References


 

[i] Phil. 4:4   Rejoice in the Lord always....

 

[ii] I Pet. 5:7   Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.

  Matt. 11:28  “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

 

[iii] Matt. 28:20b  “And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

 

[iv] John 16:33  “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have 

   trouble, but take heart; I have overcome the world.

 

[v] 1 Peter 4:12   Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something

   strange were  happening to you.

 

[vi] Proverbs 3:5   Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

 

[vii] Ephesians 1:7,8   In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the

   of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence....

 

[viii] Isaiah 40:29   He gives strength to the weary and increases power to the weak. 

    Phil. 4:13   I can do all through Christ who strengthens me.

 

[ix]  Psalm 46:1   God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

 

[x] Lamentations 3:22   The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His compassions never fail.

 

[xi] II Corinthians 1:3.4   Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of compassion and

     the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble

     with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

 

[xii] Psalm 34:18   The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who crushed in spirit.

 

[xiii] Romans 5:8   But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for

     us.

     I  John 4:10  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the

     propitiation for our sins.

 

[xiv] Proverbs 3:6   In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.

     Psalm 139:9, 10   If I rise on the wings of dawn, if I settle on the far side of sea, even then your hand will

     guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

 

[xv] Zechariah 3:17 The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, He

     will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

     Deuteronomy 33:27a  The eternal God is your refuge; and underneath are the everlasting arms.

 

[xvi] Psalm 56:8  You number and record my wanderings; you put my tears in your bottle; are they not in your

     book?

     Rev. 7:17  For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd....and God will wipe away every

     tear from their eyes. 

 

[xvii] I John 4:18  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear....

     John 14:27c  .…Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid.

 

[xviii] Romans 5:5  And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has poured into our hearts by the

     Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

 

[xix] Col. 1:27  To them God has chosen to make known....the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in

     you, the hope of glory.

 

[xx] Phil. 4:6,7  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with

     thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of  God which transcends all understanding, will

     guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

 

[xxi] I Pet. 1:8,9  Though you have not seen Him, you love Him and even though you do not see Him now, you

     believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.

 

[xxii] John 15:12  “This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have  loved you.”

     Ephesians 1:18  I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know

     the hope to which He has called you....

 

[xxiii] Colossians 2:2, 3  ...that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and

     attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true

     knowledge of God’s  mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and

     knowledge.

 

[xxiv] I Corinthians 15:57  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[xxv] II Corinthians 12:9  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.