Let Us Sing

Our “Faith Journey” sermons brought us face to face with Job last week.  His story is breathtaking:  such vast wealth, and yet such great grief and pain!  God inspired the Book of Job to be a part of Holy Scripture for our good—to deepen our faith.

One way Christians have expressed their trust in God amidst the storms of life is through song.  In “Day by Day,” Carolina Sandell describes God’s wisdom (1865):  “He whose heart is kind beyond all measure Gives unto each day what he deems best—Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure, Mingling toil with peace and rest.”

“Children of the Heavenly Father” (1855), also by “Lina” Sandell, reassures suffering saints:  “Tho’ He giveth or He taketh, God His children ne’er forsaketh; His the loving purpose solely To preserve them pure and holy.”  Pain is not random or pointless.

William Cowper acknowledges how “God Moves in a Mysterious Way”:  “His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flow’r” (1774).  You see, in his time God will surely bring about good ends.

We sang, “It Is Well” (1873) by Horatio Spafford last Sunday—a song he wrote in response to the tragic loss of his four daughters in a shipwreck:  “When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.’”  Whatever.

Matt Redman calls us to sing, “You give and take away” (from Job 1:21), and affirm:  “Blessed be your name”!  Shane and Shane cry out, “Though you slay me” (based on Job 13:15) and yet insist, “Still I will worship … You’re enough for me.”  To lose everything and still have Jesus is to be well supplied—abundantly so!

Drawing on Romans 8:35-39, blind George Matheson pours out his heart (1882), “O love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee.”  It’s true:  nothing can separate us from Jesus’ love!