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Okay, I made a mess of myself, right there in church this morning, convulsively weeping over the words of this hymn. And trust me, my “fiery trials” –although petty but hurtful enough– are really nothing compared to those many others experience and live with on a daily basis. (In my spiritual healing practice, I get an earful every day from folks, enough to break your heart.) It reminds me regularly to be incredibly grateful that so much actually does go right.
If my heart is so full to spilling over, how do others feel? Do I just have more “dross” than most, which renders me in this puddle of humble contrition? Compassion shouldn’t feel so painful. Maybe my gold is tarnished and in serious need of polishing? How deep is my faith in His excellent word? Have we fled to God for our refuge? How could we ever have left? He has nothing else to say to us? Are we half-wits incapable of imbibing His original message? Why am I so intense?
Okay here it is. Look at those words.
And this is considered a HOLIDAY song?
Hymn 123
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word.
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who to God for your refuge have fled:
Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand;
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
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