Hello and welcome back. It's
Monday, July 27, 2020, and, that means it's the birthday of our daughter-in-law, Sherrie. She is wife to our eldest, Chris, for the past 34 years. We thank God for Sherrie. She is mom to three of our granddaughters and several greatgrands and with a new great-grand soon to make her appearance. Chris and Sherrie have made a good team and both reflect a good work ethic, a record of serving through their local Church, and, a demonstrated long-term commitment to family. Happy Birthday, Sherrie, and may God continue to bless.
Amen.
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| Fanny Crosby |
A study done by Penn State University in 2017 concluded a whopping 91% of the things people worry about never materialize. It also indicated for those things that did come about almost all of them were less than what worry had envisioned. I mention this because we are living in worrisome times. I am not surprised by the number of folks I know who have trouble sleeping. They talk about it a lot on social media. I am a little taken aback by the number who say the times we are living in are the reason for them losing sleep. I've written enough about all the scary stuff going on to show I am aware of the issues and impacts to many people in our society. However, the worry I express has not been and hopefully will not become a worry without hope. Can we be concerned about all of these things and still be at peace? I would answer that in the affirmative, not because I have come up with some magic system or formula, but, it is because of being able to rest in the arms of the Prince of Peace, our Lord, and Savior, Jesus, the Christ. As is my wont, I thought of a song that occasionally comes to my heart and mind. It's one written by the blind but gifted and Spirit-inspired writer, the late Fanny Crosby:
Safe in the Arms of Jesus
1
Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’ershaded,
Sweetly my soul doth rest.
Hark! ’tis a song of heaven
Borne in the sweetest voice,
Echoed by saints in spirit,
Making my heart rejoice.
Chorus
Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’ershaded,
Sweetly my soul doth rest.
2
Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe from corroding care,
Safe from the world’s temptations,
Sin cannot harm me there.
Free from the blight of sorrow,
Free from my doubts and fears;
Only a few more trials,
Only a few more tears.
Chorus
Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’ershaded,
Sweetly my soul doth rest.
3
Jesus, my heart’s dear Refuge,
Jesus has died for me;
Firm on the Rock of Ages
Ever my trust shall be.
Here let me wait with patience,
Wait till the night is o’er,
Wait till I see the morning
Break on the golden shore.
Chorus
Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’ershaded,
Sweetly my soul doth rest.
I heard that song quite often growing up. Our family did not protect us children from the reality of death. That would have been hard anyway since we were born to experience a lot of death even from a young age. I mention that only to say that song was played often at memorial services. What kinds of songs were typically chosen? Songs of comfort. Today, we all stand in need of the comfort that comes from being safe in the arms of Jesus.
Amen. .....More later.
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