For I am full of sin;
My soul is dark and guilty,
My heart is dead within:
I need the cleansing fountain,
Where I can always flee,
The blood of Christ most precious,
The sinner's perfect plea.
I need Thee, precious Jesus,
For I am very poor;
A stranger and a pilgrim,
I have no earthly store:
I need the love of Jesus
To cheer me on my way,
To guide my doubting footsteps,
To be my strength and stay.
I need Thee, precious Jesus,
I need a friend like Thee,
A friend to soothe and pity,
A Friend to care for me:
I need the heart of Jesus
To feel each anxious care,
To tell my every trial,
And all my sorrows share.
I came across this hymn this morning as I was practicing. It spoke to my heart in a special way. I wanted to share it's words with you.
Hebrews 4:14-16
Seeing then we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy to help in time of need.
The Lord has seen fit to visit our family with physical, bodily trials recently. Steven's mom has had stroke-like symptoms, difficulty breathing and walking; she has also suddenly begun to lose her hearing. His dad has just this week gotten word from his doctors that he will have to go through some extensive surgery to remove his artificial hip, clear an infection and once again have his hip replaced. He will be enduring 6-9 months of recovery and rehab.
When these trials of life come our way, what are we to do? How should we respond? Are we justified in becoming angry with God for allowing these things, for not exercising His sovereignty by keeping these things from us? I will borrow words from our Brother Paul--GOD FORBID!!!
Romans 8 is often quoted during times of difficulties..."All things work together for good...." I think that we often forget the rest of that verse and the verses following. "All things work together for good to them that are called according to HIS PURPOSE. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn of many brethren." (Rom. 8:28, 29)
What a rest we will experience when we learn that these hard things come because it is God's purpose to make us into the image of His Son, our Christ!!! Is there any greater reward?
I know that this lesson is not easy to learn. Submission to providence is easily talked, taught and preached about, but to actually put it into practice-- What a glorious accomplishment that is-- an accomplishment impossible to attain outside of God's goodness and grace and the empowering of the Spirit!
Romans 8:35-
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
NAY, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
My prayer is that I would find my rest(trust) in Jesus my Lord, that my heart would be submissive to God's hand in my life and my family, and that I would not entertain one errant thought towards my Saviour. Christ died for my sin; He has seen fit to make me His daughter. Can I do anything else, but trust and obey and follow on though I cannot see the path, though I do not understand the way? If ever He loved me once, I KNOW, without any doubt, that He will love me always, even unto eternity. I can take my burdens, my needs, my failures and unfaithfulness to Him and KNOW that Jesus will hear, forgive and give me strength to persevere!
My question for all of you today is this: What are the trials of your heart and life today? Are you trying to figure things out in your own strength or are you looking to Jesus, trusting that "He doeth all things well"? Are you trusting Him to provide?
I hope and pray that you will find some comfort in the thoughts I have shared today, but more importantly, in reading God's word and searching these things out for yourself. My desire is to be a help to others because of all that God has brought me through already and all He is teaching me now. May my God be glorified today through me!
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