Have you ever been around someone who had memorized a large amount of Scripture?
Several years ago, I made a new friendship and was shocked by how quickly this new friend could quote verses from memory. A short time later, I discovered that my friend recited 50 verses from memory on his drive to work each morning. The fruit of his memorization practice was very evident!
As he spoke publicly, his ability to recite Scripture from memory brought power to his words. He encouraged many people.
I thought of my friend and the power of Scripture as I watched a worship video from Passion 2024. In the video, Passion (including Cody Carnes and Kristian Stanfill) led over 50,000 students in singing their new song, "He Who is to Come."
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The song opens with an invitation to hope. “There is a day coming, When the old will pass away, Every wrong will be made right, No darkness, no night”
Those words brought me hope, as I reflected on recent meetings where I heard about the ways my words had hurt people and where I saw the darkness that comes when someone has been abused and traumatized.
The band released the following statement in conjunction with the song. “We pray that as you hear this song, it lifts your eyes up and reminds you of the hope we have in Jesus. He is coming again to make all things new!”
“He Who is To Come” lifts our eyes as it uses promises from Scripture about the reason for and the source of our hope. Quoting the beginning of the book of Revelation, the song’s title and chorus speak of the unchanging character of God. In Revelation 1:4-5, John wrote, “Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come.”
The chorus also paints a picture of the triumphal return of Jesus, drawing on imagery from Revelation 1:7. “Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!”
One of the reasons many people I’ve had the privilege of pastoring look forward to the return of Jesus is the pain and depravity they experience daily. From men battling cancer, women experiencing infertility, bullied schoolchildren, and new believers ridiculed for their faith, this world is full of trouble, cruelty, and suffering.
Because we've all known pain like that, the words of Revelation 21:4-5 offer us great hope. “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.’ And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’”
As “He Who is To Come” recounts the reasons why we have hope and why we should be longing to see the return of Jesus, my mind went to a verse that another friend has permanently committed to memory. Instead of memorizing it, she tattooed the image presented in Hebrews 6:18-19 in order for her to remember the source of her hope.
That passage reads, “Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.”
Near that triumphal ending, the bridge of “He Who is to Come” announces, “Yeah, the story has been written, We all know how it ends, My future has an anchor, My eyes are on the Savior.”
Our world can feel so tumultuous and uncertain. Breaking news or a text from a loved one can shake us and leave us reeling, flooded with intense emotions. I’m so grateful for the words of Scripture and gifted artists like Passion Music who put that Scripture to song.
We need to be reminded of the anchor for our hope during times of trouble. The One who was, the One who is, and the One who is to come - He is the reason for our hope and He is unshakable.
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps you laugh, challenges you to think, and invites you to grow. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and watches lots of football with his wife and three kids. You can learn more about Scott’s new free resource, The Gratitude Muscle Challenge, at scottsavagelive.com.
