"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."
"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."
WHY do we hesitate or fear
To trust His perfect will?
When waves of trouble are most near,
Is He not nearer still?
Are not the waves beneath His feet?
The winds at His command?
Forgetting self, how safe, how sweet,
To trust His heart and hand!
For if He must chastise indeed,
It costs Him more than all
The pain we feel; were there no need,
His strokes would never fall.
And if He takes some precious thing
That we too fondly grasp,
'Tis to Himself our hearts to bring
In nearer, closer clasp.
He loved and pitied us when low
Was our estate, and lost;
For us He went through seas of woe,
Foreknowing all the cost.
It needs but from Himself to learn
His love from first to last,
To find our hearts within us burn,
Our cares on Him to cast.
If care or doubt, we have to own,
Doth still within us lurk,
Have we complete deliv'rance known
By Christ, and by His work?
With Him we died, and now through grace
Our lives are hid above
With Christ in God - oh, wondrous place! -
Loved with the selfsame love.
With Christ in God, Christ on the throne,
Dovelike we fold our wings;
The heart finds rest in Him alone,
And trustfully it sings
"I would not choose, e'en if I might,
So sweet it is to be
Walking by faith, and not by sight,
Because He cares for me." M.