As I reflect back on this past year, if there is an appropriate title to Chapter "50" it would be Fanny Crosby's immortal line, "For I know what e'er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well" from "All the way my Savior leads me." What a great hymn.
The lesson of this past chapter has been that nothing--absolutely nothing--is beyond Christ's control and redeeming love. William Cowper expresses this so beautifully in what has to be another of my favorite hymns "God moves in a mysterious way"...
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
Everything that happens to us, both good and bad, is fashioned by Him into something good. He has a way of taking all the confusing fragments of my life and somehow puts them together into something truly beautiful.The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.
Understanding God's works and ways is indeed a mystery. But it is in the mystery of his ways that He makes everything plain. His ways aren't usually instantaneous, or entirely comprehensible, but faith is teaching me that my Lord has the final word on every situation, person, and longing of my heart. Indeed, Jesus doeth all things well.But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.
My tendency is to get bent out of shape by all the things I can't control. Take, for example our 15-year old son. I can't control his moods, the choices he makes, or what goes on in his mind. I do my best to influence and reach out, but it seems to fall far short, so ineffective. Yet, in the midst of it all, I keep hearing the Spirit whisper, "Jesus doeth all things well."
So as Chapter "50" comes to a close, the song that lingers in my heart is the one I have been singing most of this past year. Instead of wishing me "Happy Birthday" and singing the traditional "Happy birthday to you..." song, will you join me instead in singing this great hymn?
All the way my Savior leads me,
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt his tender mercy,
Who thro' life has been my guide?
Heav'nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in him to dwell.
For I know whate'er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt his tender mercy,
Who thro' life has been my guide?
Heav'nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in him to dwell.
For I know whate'er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.
12 comments:
congrats on 1/2 a century!
Travis
Travis,
Gracias, amigo. Did you sing my requested B'day song?
Happy Birthday, younger brother! Your blog is always an encouragement and inspiration to me, but particularly so today. I had to look up the hymn tune, as our church sings only a few hymns any more, and hummed it quietly as the others sleep
Mary S
Mary,
Thanks for the birthday greeting and kind words. I appreciate your stopping by and for looking up the tune to sing my requested birthday hymn! Blessings on you older sister!
Happy birthday from Oslo, Norway!
Good post, by the way. You are a good man with lots of wisdom. May God continue to lead you in the warious "arenas of life" where you find yourself.
Geir,
Good to hear from you! Thanks for the kind words. You too are a good man with lots of wisdom that I appreciated during the short time you were here. May God continue to use you in the same way with people there in Oslo. Sin mas para ahora, me despido de ti. --Hno. Guido
Happy Belated Birthday!!
I also don't know the tune of the song . . . But love Franny Crosby's writing.
May God, our Sovereign Father, richly bless in this next chapter of life!
Amanda,
Thanks for the greeting. The Fanny Crosby hymn can be found in any Baptist Hymnal. The "God Moves In Mysterious Ways" is not so readily found in modern hymnals, but can be sung to any Common Meter tune. One C.M. tune I like for this hymn is St. Peter (St. Anne is another easy tune that fits the text.)
Happy Birthday Guy! So, let me just take this opportunity two days after your birthday take the chance to thank you for all the encouragement you have been to me over on my blog and here. God bless you. In Middle Earth on such an occasion say with great feeling, 'Live to be 100'.
Strider,
Thanks for your kind words. Living to be 100 doesn't seem like such a long time now that we have reached the half-way point!
Happy belated Guy,
Having entered into that 50th chapter myself this year, your post really spoke to me.
"Everything that happens to us, both good and bad, is fashioned by Him into something good. He has a way of taking all the confusing fragments of my life and somehow puts them together into something truly beautiful."
As this year is quickly becoming one of those years that brings new experiences, (as age does tend to bring about), I pray that I may hold tight to your good words posted. No experience is for nought, eh? It is when we finally manage to step back and basically get out of the way and see what He is doing or has already done in or because of that experience that we begin to see a tiny little glimpse of Him and His total Ableness to work despite us.
What a wonderful God! Some truths are only revealed after many lessons of trying, trying, trying to handle things in our own strength, and it is in recognizing that it is His strength and His plan and His weavings that have brought all things about for the good. What comfort as we surrender control, yes, even of our children and trust Jesus. He does do all things well. May we recognize this more and more.
God's blessings on your 51st chapter. :)
In Him,
In Christ Alone,
Thanks for these very uplifting and encouraging words! I love hymns and actually collect hymnals as a hobby. Over the years hymns have always spoken to me in a powerful way about spiritual truths. One of my regrets is that they are disappearing from the life of the church. Anyway, we are in total agreement that "Jesus doeth all things well." I enjoy your blog and visit you regularly via my OMEA blog reader. Besides hymns, I also secretly really like Vince Gill who you have a video of in your latest post!
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