I was convicted when I read the following verse for my devotions: Jesus
said
to His disciples "it is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which
the Father hath put in his own power. " (Acts 1:7b) God is sovereign, and I
can leave my future with Him; whatever that future may bring. My times are
in His hands.
Pastor Bilkes read this poem on his last visit with me and I thought it
expressed beautifully, exactly how I feel. It was written by a German
teacher, poet and hymn writer, Samuel Rodigast, in order to encourage a
very sick friend. I'm sure it did encourage his friend as it has done for
me
centuries later.
Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His holy will abideth;
I will be still whate’er He doth;
And follow where He guideth;
He is my God; though dark my road,
He holds me that I shall not fall:
Wherefore to Him I leave it all.
Whate’er my God ordains is right:
He never will deceive me;
He leads me by the proper path:
I know He will not leave me.
I take, content, what He hath sent;
His hand can turn my griefs away,
And patiently I wait His day.
Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His loving thought attends me;
No poison can be in the cup
That my physician sends me.
My God is true; each morn anew
I’ll trust His grace unending,
My life to Him commending.
Whate’er my God ordains is right:
He is my friend and Father;
He suffers naught to do me harm,
Though many storms may gather,
Now I may know both joy and woe,
Some day I shall see clearly
That He hath loved me dearly.
Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Though now this cup, in drinking,
May bitter seem to my faint heart,
I take it, all unshrinking.
My God is true; each morn anew
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
And pain and sorrow shall depart.
Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Here shall my stand be taken;
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
Yet I am not forsaken.
My Father’s care is round me there;
He holds me that I shall not fall:
And so to Him I leave it all.
Samuel Rodigast ( 1649-1708)
Translated from German by Catherine Winkworth in 1863
Thank you for sharing this precious words dear friend!
ReplyDeleteAnd we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
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! Rom.8:28 and 35-39
For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death! Ps.48:14
Geloofd zij God met diepst ontzag!
Dear Jack, your precious Lena has promised to stand by you until death parts you from her. Our Lord has promised even more. Lena is keeping her promise graciously. Christ's promise is even more secure. He has said, I will NEVER leave you nor forsake you! What a Savior! (Hebrews 13:5)
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