These words from a hymn sung often in my lifetime have been going through my brain today. “‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His word, Just to rest upon His promise, just to know ‘Thus saith the Lord.'” And the chorus says, “Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er! Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, O for grace to trust Him more!” What a succinct statement of the Christian life!
The lyrics of the song were written by Lousia Stead (c.1850-1917). Born in England, she gave her life to the Lord at age 9 and desired to be a missionary. However, she was rejected for health reasons, so she married and gave birth to a daughter. Here husband later drowned around 1880 attempting to save someone at a beach picnic. For reasons now unknown, shortly afterwards she left with her daughter to do missionary work with the Methodists in South Africa, and wrote the song during this time in 1882. She served for 15 years and married again, this time to an American preacher, and then health forced her to sail to the United States and her husband pastored a church there. They returned to South Africe in 1901 for another 11 years of service before retiring, and she died in 1917.
“Just to take Him at His word” is all that we are required to do. “God said it, that settles it!” To a true believer, that really is how to live as a Christian. The only issue is the integrity of God’s Word. Did God really mean what He said? Then if He did, walk on that basis. The third verse says, “Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus, Just from sin and self to cease, Just from Jesus simply taking, Life, and rest, and joy, and peace.”
It is no wonder my generation miss these grand old songs of the church. They are deeply imprinted in our memories, and their recollection help us get through the “trouble and trials” of life as we look “away [from all that will distract] to Jesus” (Amplified Bible), “the pioneer and the perfection of faith” (Hebrews 12:2 Moffatt).
“Fix your eyes on Jesus, after a glance at ‘the cloud of witnesses’ [chapter 11], for he is the goal” (Robertson’s Word Pictures). Hence the fourth verse of the song reads, “I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee — Precious Jesus, Saviour, Friend! And I know that Thou art with me, Wilt be with me to the end.” Thank you, Lousia!
Leave A Comment