Abide with Me

Watts got sick on a Saturday. The next morning I led music at Hope Chapel, then rushed home when Hannah sent me a text saying that Watts still wasn't better. We went to the emergency room that afternoon, and so the story began. That Sunday morning at Hope, we sang a hymn called Abide with Me, one that has become a personal favorite and, I think, a new favorite of our church community. Like other songs that we've talked about on the blog, these words give voice to some of what we've been feeling through the hard weeks in the hospital. We sang them with the saints onthat Sunday before we knew about the cancer, and we've sung them another 50 times in our hospital room; laying in the crib with Watts or pacing the room helping him to fall asleep. Precious words like these...

"When other helpers fail and comforts flee
...help of the helpless, abide with me".

"Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be? 
Through cloud and sunshine, abide with me". 

Yes, Lord.

A few days ago, Hannah and I listened to a talk from Tim Keller about suffering, and in it he proposes the idea that one of the best ways of dealing with suffering is remembering Jesus, son of God, on the cross. This, he says, cannot explain the suffering (by causing it to "make sense"), but it does give us this assurance: our suffering is not because God does not love us. By giving up his son, God removed that option. I think the writer of this song agreed:

"Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies." Amen.

You can download the recording of the version we love for free here.

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, abide with me.

Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, though I oft left Thee,
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.

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.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, tears lose their bitterness.
Where is thy sting, death? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, abide with me.

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.