Abide with me.

Well yesterday we went to Crabby Joe's for Katrina's birthday. It was a really good time and it was great fun. When Liz drove us back to Redeemer on the way home we (Katrina, Liz, Heather, Kristin and I) started talking about how God has been blessing us in our lives. And the reason why he blesses us, is because we let go and we give something into God's hands. It was really cool to hear some of the testimonies of how God always abides with us. Dictionary.com gives this as one of their definitions of abide: To wait patiently for.

That is what God does with us. He waits patiently for us, he waits for us to admit to him over and over again that we will only find joy and blessings in surrendering everything to him. Especially in those hard times we have to stay close to God, we have to remain faithfull to him, and then he will abide with us through any struggle. We sang the song Abide with me in church this morning. And it was just a great testimony to me, it was a testimony of God to me, he told me that he abides with me.

The last time I sang this song was at a funeral, it was one of those times when the eventide falls fast. At that moment God abided with me, and the great thing is now he still abides with me. He will always wait patiently for me, when I am in times of deepened darkness or in times of blessed joy. He is always there to abide with me, the only thing I have to do is surrender to him. Why is that so hard?

God bless, Willem


1.
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
2.
Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
change and decay in all around I see;
O thou who changest not, abide with me.
3.
I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
4.
I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
ills have no weight, and tears not bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
5.
Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.