Songs We Sing
 
 
Have you ever considered the songs we sing in our worship in light of God's Word?  Let's look at one song we sing, "Living By Faith".
Verse 1
"I care not today what the morrow may bring, If shadow or sunshine or rain,"
"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Matthewe 6:34)
"Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." (James 4:13-15)
The Lord I know ruleth o'er everything, And all of my worry is vain"
We should take all our worries to God, and leave them with him:
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6)
Verse 2
"Tho' tempest may blow and the storm clouds arise, Obscuring the brightness of life, I'm never alarmed at the overcast skies, The Master looks on at the strife."
This verse reminds me of when Jesus and His apostles were in boat and a great storm came up. Although they had seen Him perform great miracles, they were still afraid. Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith:
"And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.  And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.  And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.  And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!" (Matthew 8:23-17)
Verse 3
"I know that he safely will carry me thru, No matter what evils betide, Why should I then care tho' the tempest may blow, If Jesus walks close to my side."
This verse also causes me to recall when Jesus walked on the water and Peter came out to Him. Peter was able to walk on the water, until he allowed himself to become distracted by the tempest around:
"And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.  And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?  And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.  Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God." (Matthew 14:28-33)
We too will sink if we let the cares of the world distract us.
Verse 4
"Our lord will return to this earth some sweet day, our troubles will then all be o'er, The Master so gently will lead us away, Beyond that blest heavenly shore."
It would be more accurate to sing "Our Lord will return in the clouds some sweet day,". Jesus will not set foot on this world again. He will be seen of all the earth when he returns:
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." (Revelation 1:7)
And the saints that are alive will meet him in the air, and our troubles will be over:
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words. " (I Thessalonians 4:17, 18)
Chorus
"Living by faith, in Jesus above,
The just live by faith:
"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17)
Those that have been crucified with Christ live by faith in Him:
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galations 2:20)
"trusting confiding in His great love; From all harm safe in His sheltering arm, I'm living by faith and feel no alarm"
Are you living by faith and confident in the providential care of The Lord, that He will provide all that we ask for?
"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:   And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." (I John 5:14, 15)
Do we react to troubles and grief the same way as the world does, or is The Lord our shelter?
"For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy." (Psalm 61:3)
"I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." (Psalm 91:2)

Back To the Bible Page:

Back Home: