Todas las Promesas

I have a feeling that “light” is going to be a spiritual theme of my time here in Monte Plata. Tonight’s lesson, however, was more poignant because of a lack of light. For any of you who are American church attenders, I want you to try to imagine the chaos that would ensue if the electricity went out during an evening worship service. It’s dark outside, everyone is singing a hymn, and then suddenly the electricity goes out and the church is immediately clothed in darkness. Here’s the mental picture I have: several women and all the children scream, the music pastor laughs and then gets mad because no one can hear him singing or the keyboardist playing and therefore the key of the hymn automatically goes up a step and a half, people immediately start fanning themselves because (gasp) no electricity means no A/C, eventually someone just decides that this is too ridiculous so let’s all just go home early.

When the lights go out during church in Monte Plata, we all just keep singing.

Tonight when the lights went out, we were in the middle of singing “Standing on the Promises of God” or “Todas las Promesas.” I know that for me, that wasn’t a coincidence. God was speaking to me. The Bible is full of God’s promises for us. God promises us that He will remain faithful, loving, merciful, steadfast, and gracious. God promises that He has made a way for us to become coheirs with Christ, adopted in to the family of God through the blood of His Son, able to call Him father through the Holy Spirit. God promises us that He will never leave us and never forsake us. God promises us that He can give us a new heart, work in our lives for our good, and provide us with strength, discipline, joy, peace, and rest. These promises are foundational yet lofty, concrete yet abstract, and easy to claim yet easier even to forget, especially when “the lights go out.”

How many times in my life have I stopped standing on the promises of God because things got dark?

Sometimes I live as though darkness somehow has the power to physically move my feet or shake the floor I’m standing on. Darkness does not have this power. The periods of my life that are full of sadness, anger, confusion, despair, and doubt have no power to change the promises of God on which my faith is built – so why do I stop singing when the lights go out?

I encourage you to read the lyrics of this hymn below. I posted them first in English, but I then want you to read the Spanish version that I posted and have loosely translated. The Spanish hymns we sing are not direct translations of their English counterparts. I have found that the new Spanish hymns I’m learning have enriched my worship as I have to pay more attention to each and every word I’m singing to fully understand what I’m saying in worship. I think I like the Spanish version of this song better than the English version. “While I struggle to find your light here, I will always trust in your promises.” “
All of the promises of the Lord are joy and strength for our life on Earth. They will sustain us during the hard fight and we can triumph over evil.”

Don’t step down off the promises just because things get dark.

Standing on the Promises of God (English)

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
 Through eternal ages let His praises ring,


Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
 Standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,
 Standing on the promises of God my Savior;


Standing, standing, 
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
 When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,


By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
 Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I now can see, Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;


Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
 Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
 Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,


Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
 Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
 Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call


Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
 Standing on the promises of God.

Todas las Promesas (Spanish with English translation)

Todas las promesas del Señor Jesús
 (all of the promises of Jesus)

son apoyo poderoso de mi fe
 (powerfully support my faith)

Mientras luche aquí buscando yo su luz
 (while I struggle to find your light here)

siempre en sus promesas confiaré (I will always trust in your promises)

Grandes, fieles,  (great, faithful)

las promesas que el Señor Jesús me ha dado
 (are the promises that God has given me)

Grandes, fieles,  (great, faithful)

en ellas para siempre confiaré (in these promises I will always trust)

Todas las promesas para el hombre (all of the promises for man)

fiel
el Señor en sus bondades cumplirá
 (faithful God will complete according to his goodness)

Y confiado sé que para siempre en Él
 (I confidently know that I will always)

paz eterna mi alma gozará (enjoy eternal peace in my soul)

Todas las promesas del Señor serán
 (all of the promises of the Lord)

gozo y fuerza en nuestra vida terrenal
 (are joy and strength for our life on Earth)

Ellas en la dura lid nos sostendrán
 (they will sustain us during the hard fight)

y triunfar podremos sobre el mal (and we can triumph over evil)