If thou but suffer God to guide thee

"If thou but suffer God to guide thee,
And hope in him through all thy ways,
He'll give thee strength, whate'er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
Builds on the rock that naught can move.

"What can these anxious cares avail thee,
These never ceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help, if thou bewail thee
O'er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.

"Only be still, and wait his leisure
In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whate'er thy Father's pleasure
And all deserving love hath sent,
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To him who chose us for his own.

"All are alike before the Highest;
'Tis easy to our God, we know,
To raise thee up though low thou liest,
To make the rich man poor and low;
True wonders still by him are wrought
Who setteth up and brings to naught.

"Sing, pray, and keep his ways unswerving,
So do thine own part faithfully,
And trust his Word, though undeserving,
Thou yet shalt find it true for thee;
God never yet forsook at need
The soul that trusted him indeed."

Learn to know Him

Today's quote from my Elisabeth Elliot flip calendar seemed quite appropriate for my present state of mind/heart.

"God knows me through and through. If I concentrate on myself, rummaging around in my emotional entrails, I will be distracted from looking at God. We are to learn to know Him and be at peace."

2 Corinthians 4:18 - "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Resting on God

"O God most high, most glorious,
The thought of thine infinite serenity cheers me,
For I am toiling and moiling, troubled and distressed,
but thou art for ever at perfect peace.
Thy designs cause thee no fear or care of unfulfilment,
they stand fast as the eternal hills.
Thy power knows no bond,
thy goodness no stint.
Thou bringest order out of confusion,
and my defeats are thy victories:
The Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
I come to thee as a sinner with cares and sorrows,
to leave every concern entirely to thee,
every sin calling for Christ's precious blood;
Revive deep spirituality in my heart;
Let me live near to the great shepherd,
hear his voice, know its tones, follow its calls.
Keep me from deception by causing me to abide in the truth,
from harm by helping me to walk in the power of the Spirit.
Give me intenser faith in the eternal verities,
burning into me by experience the things I know;
Let me never be ashamed of the truth of the gospel,
that I may bear its reproach,
vindicate it,
see Jesus as its essence,
know in it the power of the Spirit.
Lord, help me, for I am often lukewarm and chill;
unbelief mars my confidence,
sin makes me forget thee.
Let the weeds that grow in my soul be cut at their roots;
Grant me to know that I truly live only when I live to thee,
that all else is trifling.
Thy presence alone can make me holy, devout, strong and happy.
Abide in me, gracious God."

From The Valley of Vision: a collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

I Am His and He is Mine

"Loved with everlasting love,
Led by grace that love to know--
Spirit, breathing from above,
Thou hast taught me it is so!
O this full and perfect peace,
O this transport all divine--
In a love which cannot cease,
I am His and He is mine.

"Heav'n above is softer blue,
Earth around is sweeter green;
Something lives in every hue
Christless eyes have never seen!
Birds with gladder song o'er flow,
Flow'rs with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know,
I am His and He is mine.

"Things that once were wild alarms
Cannot now disturb my rest;
Closed in everlasting arms,
Pillowed on the loving breast!
O to be forever here,
Doubt and care and self resign,
While He whispers in my ear--
I am His and He is mine.

"His forever, only His--
Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss
Christ can fill the loving heart!
Heav'n and earth may fade and flee,
Firstborn light in gloom decline,
But while God and I shall be,
I am His and He is mine."

Contentment (or the lack thereof)

Here is a reading from Amy Carmichael's Whispers of His Power that gave me much food for thought today.

"Numbers 11:5 - 'We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely - the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic.'

"To think of nice things one can't have is to become discontented and grumpy. Is there something you want and can't have today? Are you tempted to grouse about it? Repeat that little string of six words to yourself quite slowly and solemnly: Fish, cucumber, melons, leeks, onions, garlic. If you haven't time for all six just say 'cucumbers,' and see what will happen. First you will laugh. Then in a flash you will remember those foolish and ungrateful people whose story you know so well. you will remember, too, how patiently God bore with them; and you will be ashamed that even for one moment you joined forces with them.

"We are all sure to be tempted by thoughts of fish, cucumbers, melons, onions, leeks, and garlic - things we would like but cannot have at present. But there is another set of six words which is as happy as the first set of six is unhappy. They were spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ about His Father's will: I am content to do it. Which set of six will you take for your own? You can't have both; they won't mix. So choose."

Today's reading from Daily Light really encouraged me for the beginning of this new week.

MORNING Thou art my portion, O LORD. LL things are yours; . . . and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.--Our Saviour Jesus Christ . . . gave himself for us.--God gave him to be the head over all things to the church.--Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD.--I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.--O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord. The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. PSA. 119. 57. 1 Co. 3. 21, 23.--Tit. 2. 13, 14.-- Ep. 1. 22.--Ep. 5. 25, 27. Ps. 34. 2.-- Is. 61. 10. Ps. 73. 25, 26.--Ps. 16. 2, 5, 6.

"When morning gilds the skies,
My heart awaking cries:
May Jesus Christ be praised;
Alike at work or prayer
To Jesus I repair;
May Jesus Christ be praised.

"Does sadness fill my mind,
A solace here I find:
May Jesus Christ be praised;
Or fades my earthly bliss,
My comfort still is this:
May Jesus Christ be praised.

In heaven's eternal bliss
The loveliest strain is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised;
The powers of darkness fear,
When this sweet chant they hear:
May Jesus Christ be praised.

"Be this, while life is mine,
My canticle divine,
May Jesus Christ be praised;
Be this th'eternal song,
Through all the ages long:
May Jesus Christ be praised."

Since being introduced to the blogosphere (about a year ago), I have thought and prayed about the possibility of becoming more personally involved, beyond reading and occasionally commenting on other blogs. I don't really care to journal online, nor am I into debate. There is nothing I love more in real life, however, than talking about the Lord, sharing a good book or quote that has encouraged me, and hearing from others where they are in life's journey.

For this reason I have decided to go ahead and have my own blog - to share on a regular basis some of the great gems I have found so that you can "magnify the Lord with me and...exalt His name together."

For today I will just quote Hebrews 13:20, 21 from the Weymouth translation:

"Now may God who gives peace, and brought Jesus, our Lord, up again from among the dead - even Him who, by virtue of the blood of the eternal Covenant, is the great Shepherd of the sheep - fully equip you with every grace that you may need for the doing of His will, producing in us that which will truly please Him through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory to the ages of the ages! Amen."