Thursday, April 23, 2009

Tempests, Trials & Testings= Treasure

"Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer"
Music by Keith Getty; Words by Margaret Becker

Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labor through the storm.
You have called me to this passage,
and I'll follow, though I'm worn.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

Jesus guide me through the tempest;
Keep my spirit staid and sure.
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You even more.

Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go -
And at the end of this long passage,
Let me leave them at Your throne.

What great lyrics. Life is tough, the road is long and treacherous, trials come and go, I get tired and weary, but God is drawing me to Himself through it all. He can keep me "staid and sure" even in the roughest of storms. The morning brings so much more delight after the long night.

Just as Solomon stated so long ago, but in different words, the "passage" can be wearisome. In the trial I am forced to draw close to Him, as my own strength can't begin to get me through, but often at the end of the testing I forget what He has just carried me through.

I can't forget that "real life" is in the middle of the trial, more often than not, and it is how I live in the midst of those trials that will be seen by the cloud of witnesses that surround me today and how they see how great God is. So hard to remember and to do, but so freeing when He accomplishes that work in me so I am able to live it out.

I haven't ever thought of the "treasure of the trial". Oh but I do know that when the trials come and He draws me to Himself there is no other place I would ever want to be. The road is long but it leads to the throne where I will linger for all of eternity. Oh to be like Him when I wake.

Lord, may I trust Your plan, know Your heart, live like You have called me to live and love You more than life itself. Draw me to Yourself, let me know the comfort of living intimately with You. You are everything I need and so much more than I deserve. Keep me staid and sure.

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