Upheld By God’s Righteous Omnipotent Hand
I was listening to this hymn – yes, I am a hymn person. The hymn is titled “How Firm A Foundation” and it is Hymn 85 in the Latter Day Saints hymn book. What I was listening to was sang by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the third stanza just stood out for me. It goes like this:
“Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.”
This stanza is based on Isaiah 41:10. It reminds us that God has got our back. It tells us not to be afraid because God is with us. In fact, we should forget about all our concerns, distress and anxiety because God is with us.
God reminds us that He is our God and He will give us the help we need in the times we need help. He promises to strengthen us, help us and cause us to stand. In these times and especially living in this world, there are many things that can cause us to fall easily even though we are Christians. The temptations around us are many. In our homes, workplaces and even at church, we are surrounded by temptation, which can cause us to fall and stay down and at the mercy of the devil. But God tells us in His Word that He will strengthen us, help us and cause us to stand. Isn’t that just amazing? I think it is.
Now this is the part that just does it for me. God says He will uphold me with His righteous hand. The hymn adds “omnipotent,” which is an attribute of God and I think it just makes the verse complete. God will uphold me with His righteous, all powerful hand. To uphold means to support, confirm, validate, endorse, etc. Yo, I don’t about you but if that is all God does for me, I am fine. Because there is nothing that is hard for my God and what seems impossible to man, is very possible to God.
Dear God, strengthen me, help me, and cause me to stand in these times and in this world; and please uphold me by Your righteous, omnipotent hand, all the days of my life. Amen.
#AdvocateForChrist
Written by Kow Essuman, Esq. ACIArb
The author is a barrister; qualified to practise law in England and Wales, New York and Ghana; an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in England; a Global Shaper (Accra Hub) of the World Economic Forum and a firm believer in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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