This fall, Joel Gearhart and Max Solensky traveled to Japan for a special Reaching & Teaching event designed to shine a light on the enormous need for gospel ministry in this spiritually dark nation. As a church, we’ve been prayerfully moving toward partnering with Max as he prepares—Lord-willing—to join the Vannings on the ground as part of their church-planting team.
While in Japan, Joel and Max were able to spend intentional, vision-shaping time with the Vannings, seeing firsthand both the challenges and the open doors for ministry. They also sat down with Ryan Robertson, President of Reaching & Teaching, for a conversation about Max’s preparations and next steps toward serving in Japan.
You can watch their conversation below—Joel and Max join the podcast at 47:34.
In past the several months, I’ve attended nine funerals at my church. Twelve this calendar year. This is more than normal in a short period of time. But we’ve been through seasons like this before. The truth is, I count it a great blessing that I grew up in a church and now serve in a church where we have a regular number of funerals every year. That might be odd to read. It feels a bit odd to write. But funerals have always been intended to do good to those who attend (Ecclesiastes 7:2). Here are some of the reasons I thank God that I am a part of a church with its regular share of funerals.
Funerals reflect a generationally diverse church. This isn’t always the case. But at our church the regular number of funerals indicates a church that is generationally diverse. At the beginning of this year, a third of our church members were under the age of 40, and another third were over the age of 65 (with the final third in between). It’s a joy to be in a church with older saints, many of whom have served the Lord faithfully for decades. The funerals this year included a longtime English teacher, a Bible professor, a research assistant turned stay-at-home mom, an expert tailor and teddy bear maker, an addict-turned-evangelist, a stillborn of a young couple, and the wife of one of my mentors. These represent a spectrum of faithful members at my church. They served in various ways for as long as they were able. They touched many lives through their work and through their involvement in the church. I knew each of them, some better than others, and their faithfulness and consistency of involvement, even sometimes with physical limitations, were a godly example to me.
Funerals teach us to number our days. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “It is better to go to a funeral than a feast” (NET). That statement will catch your attention. And it’s intended to. If it seems counterintuitive, it is, which is why the writer of Ecclesiastes goes on to give the reason that this is the case: “For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take this to heart.” The reason that it is good for us to go to funerals is because funerals bring us face to face with the one reality of life that none of us can escape: death. It is the end (of this earthly life) to which we all proceed. And thus, funerals cause us to think about our lives, how we are spending them, what we are investing in, and who is reigning in our hearts. One of my mentors used to say that numbering our days isn’t living every day as if it is our final day. Rather, it’s living every day in light of the fact that there will be a final day. Funerals help us to number our days by confronting us with the reality that we, too, will have a final day on this earth. Are we ready for it?
Funerals are a time to weep with those who weep. For the past year, my church has studied 1 Corinthians, and we recently were in chapter 12. Verse 26 says, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” One of the ways that God cultivates unity in a church family is through suffering. When a particular part of our physical body is hurt, it naturally affects our whole body. The same ought to be true of a church family. We rally around those who are hurting to support them and walk with them in their suffering. We move towards them in their suffering. We spend time with them. We encourage them with God’s promises. As I walk through a visitation line before a funeral, it is not uncommon to cry with my brothers and sisters who are crying. Or again to cry as I listen to members of the family or friends share memories about the one who passed away. It is a good thing for us to weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). We ended up in 1 Corinthians 15 (the great resurrection chapter) during another group of funerals a month ago. God’s timing is perfect.
Funerals teach my kids about the gospel. As often as I can, I like to bring one or more of my children to the funerals at our church. At funerals, my children get to hear the gospel while being confronted with the consequences of sin: suffering and death. They get to hear how people came to faith in Christ, how they went on to serve the Lord with their lives, or how they trusted God through significant trials. They hear stories of what it is like to follow Jesus through all kinds of life circumstances. They hear the gospel truths of Jesus’ resurrection, our future resurrection, and eternal life. Last month they got to hear a choir of recovering addicts sing “Is He Worthy” by Andrew Petersen. Funerals are a place of gospel urgency when the need for the gospel is easily seen. A funeral pictures that we all need life from death, and the message of Christian funerals is that through faith, Jesus’ death becomes our death, and Jesus’ resurrection becomes our resurrection. Jesus brings life from death. I love that my kids get to hear the good news in this context during their growing up years.
Funerals encourage a church to give, expecting nothing in return. I know a lot of the elderly in my church. I don’t know all of them well, but I’m still connected with them and care about them. Because the church is a place where we commit to one another and serve one another, not because of how well we mesh or because we are in the same life stage or because we like the same kinds of things but rather because God has united us in a family to build one another up in the faith. We love each other because God has loved us. We serve one another because God has served us. And funerals are a great place to display this. Funerals aren’t simply a time for family and close friends to come together. They are a time for the whole church to encourage and support a hurting family, no matter how well they knew the person who passed away. Attending funerals is a simple, practical way to display a gospel-driven commitment to a church family. The presence of the body of Christ gives suffering saints great encouragement.
So, I thank God that I grew up and now serve in a church where I get to experience these wonderful blessings on a regular basis. The message at funerals is that God brings life from death, joy from sorrow, hope from hurt. Death does not have the final word. At our most recent funeral, one of my pastors quoted these verses which sum up this point well: “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:56-57).
On Saturday evening, something happened in the US for the first time in over four decades: an assassination attempt on a president or presidential candidate. While the world began to respond immediately via social media, more thoughtful Americans took time to think through what this meant, what it told us about ourselves and where we are at as a country. The reality is that many in our church, like me, might be at a bit of a disadvantage in knowing how to respond to an event like this, for a few reasons:
For any of us who are under 50, we either weren’t alive or were too young to understand the significance of the last time this happened, the attempted assassination of President Reagan in 1981. It’s been a long time since our country has collectively processed a tragedy like this.
Following up on the last point, God has kindly spared our country from this level of political violence that many other countries face regularly. It’s not uncommon to hear about political violence in world news. But assassination attempts seem distant to those of us who have grown up in America’s recent history. Even amidst the growing polarization in recent years, political rivals have not been targeted violently. Threats might have been made, but they’ve not been acted upon or have been successfully prevented.
The current American culture simply doesn’t promote slowing down to process past events. The social media age encourages us to keep looking for the next piece of information, scrolling for the next hot take, waiting for the next viral moment, responding immediately to whatever is happening. These realities do not equip us to process.
But process we should. Christians should be asking how to rightly respond to the events of Saturday night. How should we think about it? How should we interact about it? How does God’s Word direct us to respond? Let me suggest three simple ways to process this.
First, we should be careful in how we talk to and about those with whom we disagree, especially as we proceed during an election season. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” One of the greatest freedoms in America is the freedom to disagree with other people. As Christians, gracious speech does not mean we will never disagree with others, but it does mean that our conversations should remain gracious, respectful, and beneficial, even in the midst of sharp disagreements. I agree with President Biden’s words from Sunday night: “the political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated. It’s time to cool down. And we all have a responsibility to do that.” I agree with former President Trump’s words on Thursday night: "In an age when our politics too often divides us, now is the time to remember that we are all fellow citizens — we are one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Christians are the most equipped to do this well. It’s what God has called us to do. And if our response to these quotes is to try to blame one political party over the other for elevating the rhetoric, it just confirms the need for this point even more.
Second, we should pray for our country. Scripture equips us to pray. Use passages like 1 Timothy 2:1-7 and Romans 13:1-7 to lead you in how to pray for our government and fellow citizens. Pray like this. Here are some suggested things you could pray from these two passages.
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Thank God for peace that we have experienced as a country (vv.1-2).
Pray for protection for those who govern our country (v.2).
Pray for Christians to take the lead in having peaceful interactions (v.2).
Pray for Christians’ lives/actions to exemplify Christlikeness (v.2).
Thank God that he is a God of order and righteousness (v.3).
Pray for truth to spread in our country and for people to be saved (v.4).
Thank God that our ultimate hope is not in political leaders but is in Christ who died and rose again for us (v.5-6).
Pray for unity in our country that crosses natural divides: ethnic, social, generational, political, etc. (v.7).
Romans 13:1-7
Pray for God to fill our country with governing authorities who promote truth and righteousness (v.1).
Pray for citizens of our country to submit to our governing authorities and to pursue peaceful means of protest when they disagree (v.2).
Pray for our governing authorities to focus their time on promoting good and punishing evil (v.3).
Pray for our governing authorities to be successful in bringing justice both nationally and locally (v.4).
Pray for Christians to take the lead in joyfully submitting to the authorities whom God has appointed (v.5).
Pray for our tax dollars to be used wisely by our governing authorities (vv.6-7).
Pray for God to guard us from disrespecting/dishonoring the authorities whom he has placed over us (v.7).
Third, remember that no matter what is going on in our country, God sits on His throne (Psalm 2:4). He will not be moved (Psalm 46:1,7). Therefore, our refuge is in Him (Psalm 46:1,11). We can be still, and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). Orienting our hearts in this direction will help us to rightly process events like this.
You might feel powerless to affect much change in our nation’s political climate. However, many individuals are in your sphere of influence, and your conversations with them will likely in turn affect others. As a church, may our words be peace-filled, gracious, prayerful, and grounded in truth.
Related Questions:
Did God protect former President Donald Trump on Saturday night?
Yes. God is in absolute control over life and death (Job 14:5; Psalm 139:16; Acts 27:21-26).
Did God protect former President Donald Trump because He wants him to win the election?
We do not know; nor does anyone. Looking back on what happened is one thing (God protected former President Trump this past Saturday night). But to pretend we know what God’s plans are for an upcoming election is falsely presumptive. We do not know God’s plans for the future. We are not prophets. But we should happily and peacefully participate in the election process, vote, and most importantly, pray.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” –Deuteronomy 6:4-7
“Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord: that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the Lord looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die, that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord, and in Jerusalem his praise, when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.” –Psalm 102:18-22
“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” –Jesus (Matthew 19:14)
One of the greatest gifts that God gives children is parents who desire to teach them about who God is and what He has done to show them that He loves them. We live in a day where there is a wealth of resources to help parents teach their children about God’s gracious words and righteous works. And yet sometimes the amount of resources available can be overwhelming. There are too many to use them all. So, periodically, we (and Pastor Wooster in particular) like to recommend certain resources that we think are the best.
The purpose of this article is to do just that: to recommend a few resources that can help you point your children to the goodness, faithfulness, and steadfast love of God. You likely won’t use them all. But maybe one or two will jump out to you as ones you would like to use with your family (or your grandkids!). These are some of the favorites that my family has recently used.
Kevin DeYoung has written an excellent collection of 104 stories from the Bible, fitting each story into the overarching story of redemption through Jesus. This Bible storybook is perfect for kids ages 6-12 with each story able to be read in a manageable time frame. Ideal for family worship, this book also has a website with many other resources related to it, including 4-minute videos of each story, coloring pages, and more.
If you want your children to memorize Scripture that they will have with them for the rest of their lives, then you need to know about Seeds Kids Worship (formerly Seeds Family Worship). Seeds produces word-for-word Scripture songs for children. We love singing many of these songs around our house. They have physical CDs, songs on streaming services like Spotify, and videos with motions available on RightNow Media and YouTube.
The Corner Room is another group that has produced word-for-word Scripture songs. They have three albums on the Psalms and a new album releasing soon on the Words of Jesus. Two of our families favorites are Psalm 46 and Psalm 100. Whereas Seeds Kids Worship songs are written particularly for kids, The Corner Room songs are written for Christians of all ages. Whereas Seeds Kids Worship songs are usually based on 1-2 verses, The Corner Room songs often cover larger groups of verses, including entire Psalms.
Whether using these resources or others, teaching your children to enjoy hearing and singing God’s Words is one of the greatest things you could ever pass on to them. So teach them diligently!
Note: This article is the third in a series of articles on 15 songs for different seasons of life. Click here and here to see the first two.
When does the Christmas season begin? For some, it’s right after Thanksgiving (and definitely not before Thanksgiving). For others, it’s once Advent begins. For many, it’s likely once they begin to smell the smells or hear the sounds of Christmas. Few things elicit Christmas-like emotions like Christmas music.
Music ought to be a significant part of Christmas for Christians. It is a time to celebrate one of the most significant historical events in the history of mankind: God becoming a man. The wonder of that reality makes singing a logical response. The glory of that reality makes singing the fitting response. We sing about what stirs our hearts. And what ought to stir our hearts more than God becoming a man for the purpose of dwelling with us and saving us?
We live in a time where we are blessed to enjoy a wealth of gospel-centered Christmas music, both old and new. This made creating a list of only 15 songs quite difficult. But I’ve managed to narrow the list down to 15 Christmas songs that I will enjoy throughout this season. For the most part, I tried to choose only one song per music artist. And most of the songs are a part of a full album of Christmas music. I hope you enjoy and explore more Christmas songs that will point your mind and heart to Jesus. If you have a particular Christmas song that you enjoy each year, I would enjoy hearing from you.
This modern Christmas song has been around long enough it almost feels like a classic. The text is a wonderful meditation on the gospel meaning of Christmas.
Joy has dawned upon the world Promised from creation God’s salvation now unfurled Hope for every nation Not with fanfares from above Not with scenes of glory But a humble gift of love Jesus born of Mary 1
Andrew Peterson has given us one of the most unique songs you may ever hear. Who ever thought there would be a song based on a biblical genealogy? This is a creative song that helps you to learn and see the beauty of the lineage of Jesus, God become man.
Now, listen very closely I don’t want to sing this twice Jacob was the father of Joseph The husband of Mary The mother of Christ 2
3. “Sing We the Song of Emmanuel” (Boswell, Papa, Townend) (YouTube)
Our church has sung this song for several years now. It is another modern Christmas song that is packed with gospel-centered lyrics related to Christmas. And the “Gloria” tag is glorious!
Come we to welcome Emmanuel King who came with no crown or throne Helpless He lay, the Invincible Maker of Mary, now Mary’s son O what wisdom to save us all Shepherds, sages, before Him fall Grace and majesty, what humility Come on bended knee, adore Him 3
If you are a parent (or grandparent) and don’t know about Slugs and Bugs, let me introduce them to you! They have a lot of really good resources for children. Last year the HPCS lower school Christmas program featured many songs from the Slugs and Bugs Family Christmas album, including this excellent song based on Mary’s song of praise in Luke 1:46-55. This has become one of my favorite Christmas songs!
For He has looked on the humble estate of His servant, For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed. 4
5. “Joy (Luke 2:8-14)” (Seeds Family Worship) (YouTube)
Seeds Family Worship produces songs that are either directly from Scripture or very closely tied to Scripture, as the song “Joy” from their Christmas album, based on Luke 2:8-14. If you want help in memorizing Scripture, listen to Seeds Family Worship.
And they were terrified, but the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news Of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!” 5
6. “In the Fullness of Time” (Matt Boswell and Matt Papa) (YouTube)
In this brand new (2023) Christmas song from Matt Boswell and Matt Papa, they meditate on the phrase “in the fullness of time” (see Ephesians 1:10 and Galatians 4:4) that is used of Christ’s coming. They even finish the song with a newly written stanza to the song “Holy, Holy, Holy” (see the lyrics below).
Holy, holy, holy in a manger lowly Christ the Son now veiled in flesh In our humanity Kingdoms bow before Him; Heav’n and earth adore Him God here in person Hail His majesty 6
I love it when song writers take older songs and arrange them in fresh ways. It often prompts me to consider the lyrics in a new way. That is what Chris Tomlin has done with the song “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” adding a fitting chorus (see lyrics below).
Glory to God in the highest Glory to God evermore Good news, great joy for all Melody breaks through the silence Christ, the Savior is born! Jesus, the love song of God! 7
8. “How Dark the Night” (Church Works Media) (YouTube)
Church Works Media has published many great modern hymns. We recently highlighted their new CD coming out this month (December 2023). Last year they produced a new Christmas song with vocals (in part) by one of our members, Paul Keew.
How dark the night in Bethlehem Where trav’lers sought for rest; How crude the cave they sheltered in While sheep and oxen slept. Yet Light burst forth into the world, Dispelling sin and strife. The Child born to a virgin girl Was Christ, the Light of Life.
How dark the night that shrouds the world Where war and anguish reign; How fierce our swords, how sharp our words, How piercing is our pain. O Christ, return like blazing dawn— The Morning Star of Light! The Lord Himself will be our Sun, And day eclipse the night! 8
Sovereign Grace has produced a few Christmas albums. “He Who Is Mighty” is one of my favorite Christmas songs that they’ve produced. If you like this song, check out the rest of their Christmas albums here or on YouTube.
Oh, the freedom our Savior won The yoke of sin has been broken Once a slave, now by grace No more condemnation
Unto us a Son is given, unto us a Child is born He Who is mighty has done a great thing Taken on flesh, conquered death’s sting Shattered the darkness and lifted our shame Holy is His name 9
“God Is With Us” is a beautiful, meditative song from Casting Crowns on the reality of Emmanuel, God with us.
Love is raining down on the world tonight There’s a presence here I can tell God is in us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel He’s the savior we have been praying for In our humble hearts he will dwell God is in us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel 10
Similar to “Midnight Clear” above, “Come and Worship” is a reworking of the hymn “Angels from the Realms of Glory.” It adds a fitting chorus to the song.
Angels from the Realms of glory Wing your flight o’er the Earth Ye who sang creation’s story Now proclaim the Messiah’s birth
Come and Worship Come and Worship Come and Worship Worship Christ the Newborn King 11
12. “Little Drummer Boy” (for King + Country) (YouTube)
This version of “Little Drummer Boy” might appeal to some more than others. It’s a creative take on the classic song “The Little Drummer Boy,” filled with a mix of percussive and orchestral music.
Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum Rum pum pum pum
So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum When we come 12
13. “O Come All Ye Faithful” (Shane and Shane) (YouTube)
Shane and Shane have done much to encourage the worship of Christians, and recently, they’ve produced songs to encourage kids to worship through song in a series called Worship in the Word, available on RightNow Media. I love their version of “O Come All Ye Faithful” which includes a stanza that I had never heard before.
True God of true God, light from light eternal Lo, He shuns not the virgin’s womb Son of the Father, begotten not created
Child for us sinners, poor and in the manger We would embrace Thee with love and awe Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly
O come let us adore Him O come let us adore Him O come let us adore Him Christ the Lord 13
14. “O Come, All You Unfaithful” (Sovereign Grace) (YouTube)
Though the title is provocative, given that it plays off of the title “O Come All Ye Faithful,” this song is quickly becoming a favorite to sing personally and with our church. It reminds us of this important truth: God welcomed us before we were faithful.
O come, all you unfaithful Come, weak and unstable Come, know you are not alone
O come, barren and waiting ones Weary of praying, come See what your God has done Christ is born, Christ is born Christ is born for you 14
15. “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (Rain for Roots) (YouTube)
Rain for Roots has a great Christmas album that will be featured in this year’s HPCS Lower School Christmas program. My favorite part of this version of the song is the ending, which reminds us that just as God’s people waited for him to come in the past, we also are waiting for him to come again.
By Thine own eternal Spirit Rule in all our hearts alone By Thine all sufficient merit Raise us to Thy glorious throne
We are waiting We are waiting We are waiting for You. (Hallelujah, what a Savior!) 15
“O Holy Night” is one of the most (if not the most) popular Christian Christmas songs. Most any Christian music artist that makes a Christmas album will include this song. However, I have found no version of this song that is sung as compellingly and powerfully as David Phelps’.
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth Long lay the world, in sin and error pining Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees O hear the angel voices O night divine O night when Christ was born O night divine O night, O night divine 16
John Lehman has been a pastor at Hampton Park Baptist Church for the past 30 years. When John arrived at HPBC, Pastor Cruice was just a couple years older than Pastor Bates is now (just for some perspective!). As John’s time as a staff pastor comes to a close at the end of 2023, we wanted to take some time to ask some questions about his time at HPBC and what has made his time here so meaningful. You’ll learn some fun facts about the history of HPBC along the way!
So, you arrived at Hampton Park Baptist Church in 1994. (Can you even remember back that far?!) Let me start with this question. What did our campus look like back then?
Well, since Candice was born in 1986, I can remember back that far…haha. 1994 was a long time ago, and yet at times it seems like just yesterday! I remember coming, and our children were 1, 3, 5, and 7. Now our children are all married and we are privileged to have 12 grandchildren. But what did the campus look like? When I attended as a student, the auditorium wasn’t even here, and we used the Miller Activities Center as our place of worship. So, when we arrived in 1994, the Main Auditorium was here, as was the Collins and Brown Buildings and Miller Activities Center. The office extension (everything past the nursery area on both floors) and the upper school building were all still under construction, and the Yearick Center and Mizell Pavilion did not exist, in mind or blueprint. In fact, my first office here was shared with Steve Ridge in what is now one quarter of the office that Dana uses as the Food Services Manager (upstairs MAC). In fact, when I got here, I actually had to build my own bookshelves!
Thinking back to when you first arrived, who were some of the church members that you first got to know who are still here today?
The first ones to meet me were Scott and Cheryl Koenke. We were going to be staying in his parent’s basement, and since our van broke down in Buford, Georgia, we had to be towed here. We arrived at their home, and Scott helped us get unhitched from the tow truck and unloaded into our apartment downstairs. Jon Peery was very quick to invite us out to dinner. The second day we were here was our official interview with the search committee. Jon and Debbie Peery kept our four children, and after the interview was done, he said that our interview was really a smokescreen and that they had actually asked all of the hard questions about us to our children! Mike Cruice invited us over shortly after we arrived, and the plumbing under his sink went bad that evening. So, the two of us got to know each other quite well as we both tried our hand at, and fixed the leak! Ray and Sarah Shaffer invited us to go out on the lake with them in their canoe, and we enjoyed several trips like that. When our van broke down, Ron Stepp came to our rescue and graciously offered a gift to help us on our way! Prior to our arrival here, we had gone through the most trying time up to and in our ministry lives. Karis Wickensimer prepared us a delicious dinner, but prior to eating it, I had to fill out my application for employment. Between the turmoil of our past few years, and the uncertainty of our present, I had worked so hard on the application that prior to leaving for the dinner, I threw up! At the meal, I basically didn’t eat anything because my stomach was in knots. Later, she told me she thought I hadn’t liked her food, but I reassured her it was me and not her. Ken and Joan Jensen took a special interest in us as they were involved in EMU, missions, and raising their own family, and seemed to share that ministry perspective with us. Now it’s special to be even more involved with them as partner missionaries. Little did I know then that David and Pat Fetterolf’s lives and ours were going to intertwine later, as Pat was my secretary for 16 years, until their son Ben graduated from college.
Your background was both in ministry (and counseling specifically) and in school administration. How did God specifically lead you to pursue a pastoral position at HPBC back then?
We went to Calvary Baptist Church and School in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, in 1982 for me to teach business and Suzie to teach home economics. After one year, a position in the school administration opened up, and they asked me to fill it. So, I pursued a Masters in Educational Administration.
After completing the Masters, Pastor Tim Jordan, who had recently been installed as the senior pastor, asked if I would come on the pastoral staff, primarily working with the school but also leading the pre-marital counseling and teaching a Newlywed Sunday School class. (I guess I never got away from newlyweds as we are still teaching that at HPBC today! I love that position!) It was during this time and new role that I pursued my seminary training. When we were in Indiana, and I was the Education Pastor there, the position became available to help Pastor Yearick in his latter years. I was specifically given 10 responsibilities in my job description. It’s been a blessing to see how the Lord has, in these 30 years, brought different people to assume those original roles and responsibilities. In fact, it is awesome to know how the Lord has directed and blessed us with Ben Fetterolf in the administration role, Steve Pack in the counseling role, and Joel Gearhart in the missions role. God began orchestrating this many years ago before I ever had a clue about this transition.
You’ve served in a variety of ways over the years. What are some of the different roles that you’ve had as a pastor here?
As I mentioned earlier, I had 10 specific roles when I first arrived. It seems that missions and counseling have always been my main responsibilities. At different times, I would also help with membership. At the time I came, I was responsible for our Sunday School program, Men and Women for Missions, Counseling, Missions in general, and the title that everyone thought was the most unique was “anything else Pastor Yearick wanted me to do!”
Do you know how many different countries you’ve visited during your 30 years here?
Susie and I were counting up the other day and I believe it is 28.
What has been one of the most fulfilling parts of your ministry at HPBC?
One of the most fulfilling parts of my ministry here is that there are folks taking my positions who are much better qualified and have much better ideas and direction for them! I love that we have a counseling director who is fully responsible for that aspect of the ministry, and having the privilege of sitting in with Steve Pack and hearing him counsel is such a blessing! Being able to observe, and follow Ben Fetterolf as my leader in his role of administration is both amazing and a blessing to me! And being part of Joel’s life as he has come into this role of missions shows how it has taken on new direction and is even more intentional with the missionaries.
You got to Hampton Park not too long after another one of our other pastors arrived, Mike Cruice. You two have been serving together here for a really long time! Can you tell us a funny memory of Pastor Cruice and also something you appreciate about him?
I can still remember the time Mike told me he would like to begin running. So, since it was a rainy morning, I carried a lightweight poncho as I ran to his house from mine. When I got there, he told me that Susan had said she didn’t think I would be coming. He told her that knowing me, I would! Sure enough, I showed up with the rain jacket and my dogs. He ran 3 miles with me, and then I went back to my house. For some reason, we’ve never done that together since.
When the first season of softball came around, he encouraged me to join, as he said that was such a great way to make friendships! I’ve enjoyed all 29 seasons I’ve been able to play (that’s one aspect of our new ministry that is sad for me, since our travel schedule may not permit me to do so).
Mike also placed a great priority on being able to get away with just his wife, Susan. He was always telling me how important it was to spend time with family, and he not only told me that but he showed me how to do that through his life.
One thing you and Suzie are known for is using your home to serve other people. How did God grow that desire in you both, and how important has your home been to your ministry life?
It started when we began teaching a newlywed class at Calvary. We started having fellowships after the evening service, and it amazed me how well we got to know people with just a little bit of time and a little bit of food. It was such a great way to get to know people. When we began doing that here, there would occasionally be Sunday nights we wouldn’t have anyone over, and if we didn’t, our children would share their disappointment with us! You realize that it was not only us that enjoyed that aspect of the ministry, but they did too!
This is a random question but one that I think many of our church members might not know. When did you first get into running? And how/when did you get connected to Greenville Track Club?
Thank you so much for asking that question. I recall that it was my senior year in high school, in Taiwan, and our basketball team was going to go to Hong Kong for a basketball tournament. We had to raise our own money. So, our team got together and created a lap-a-thon. We would raise money per lap with the cap being 10 miles. I remember a bunch of us high school boys thinking we would just trudge along and get our miles in. However, the slower and longer that timeframe lasted, the worse I felt. So, I just started running a normal pace and before long I lapped everybody, and some several times. I ended up being the only one to finish the 10 miles. And then in grad school, I was weary but not tired, and I started running every day and it cleared my mind and made studying so much easier for me. Shortly after we moved to Greenville, I was running in the Paris Mtn Road Race, which comes over Altamont, and the man I was striding with had to use the restroom. Suzie was just coming by in our van, with our 4 children, to see the finish, and so I asked her to let him in. That started a friendship with a Greenville anesthesiologist that continues today. From there, I began making more and more acquaintances with various runners. What really started the long-"running" relationship with Greenville Track Club was when I was asked to help direct a race. That was in 2002. I started with one, and they kept needing help; and eventually, through various venues and organizations, I’ve directed over 100 races in the community. I have loved the interactions it has allowed me to have here in Greenville! The Greenville Track Club was actually my very first contribution toward Words Fitly Spoken! They gave me $3,000!
I know many of our members were happy to hear that your home base for your next phase of ministry was going to be here in Greenville (and more specifically, here at Hampton Park). In other words, we’ll still get to see you whenever you are not traveling. How do you hope to continue to be involved here at Hampton Park in the coming years?
One thing I have loved about being here is the fellowship of the saints before and after services. I want to be intentional about continuing to do that. Another part of our ministry is driving buses for various lower and upper school field trips and needs. I want to be able to continue to help with that as long as my CDL is active and my schedule permits. I also hope that I can help in the counseling ministry as folks may want to just discuss a simple issue that would not take several sessions. And, of course, if Hampton Park needed a missionary visited, and no one else could do that, I’d love the opportunity to do so!
What most excites you when you look at how God is at work at Hampton Park right now?
I can still remember the day when it seemed that anytime anyone was in the hospital or had needs, I was the one assigned to help with the situation. Now, there are many times when I look into something or someone that has needs, and they are already met by our deacons and non-staff pastors! I also can’t get over how involved our membership is with each other! It is such a blessing to be on the front end and know that if someone needs meals, before we can even get to that sign-up, the meals are already covered! Or, if there are needs for other assistance, I can hardly help as there are so many others already involved!
You are known for being an encourager. If one of our members asked you how they could be more of an encouragement to people around them, how would you respond (other than giving them your book on it)?
That book was one of the most enjoyable ones to write. Two verses helped me. In Matthew 7:12, Jesus says, “whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them…” I don’t know anything I enjoy more than folks being kind to me and helping me. That just motivates me to want to do that for them. And I also love to be encouraged, so that inspires me to do that. Secondly, I love how Romans 12:10 says to “love one another with brotherly affection, and to outdo each other in showing honor.” Instead of wanting honor for myself, I need to do more for others, and even try to outdo them in their efforts, whether their honor is to others or even to me. After I wrote my book on Encouragement, and had 2,000 copies printed, I wished I would have named it Encourage rather than Encouragement since that was my intention all along, to encourage others to encourage!
Any final words of encouragement for those who will read this?
Thanks for the joy of serving Christ while serving you, the membership of Hampton Park. As Paul said in Philippians, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you! And, my prayer for all is the Lord bless and keep you, causing His face to shine upon you, giving you peace!
As you see John and Suzie over the coming weeks and months, be sure to thank them for their faithfulness in our church over decades of ministry. We are happy that they’ll still be around throughout the year whenever they are not traveling abroad.
2 Thessalonians 3:17 – “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write.”
Some of the verses at the end of Paul’s epistles can seem like mere formalities, sentences and phrases that are absent of any deep theological truth. These words, it seems, do not pack the punch that the body of Paul’s letters do. After all, what’s the big deal that Paul writes this greeting himself as opposed to using a scribe (Romans 16:22)? It doesn’t seem like much spiritual significance can be drawn from such plain language.
But Paul’s words at the end of 2 Thessalonians are not unimportant or spiritually insignificant. In fact, one might argue that they are some of the most relevant verses in the entire letter because they get at whose words ought to be authoritative for God’s people. Whose words ought to influence us and guide our thinking?
Watch as Pastor Conley teaches on this important, if often-overlooked, verse.
Psalm 63:8 – "My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me."
Psalm 63:8 is a perfect summary of this entire Psalm. The first seven verses, in many ways, repeat the first half of verse eight: “my soul clings to you.”
"earnestly I seek you" (v.1)
"my soul thirsts for you" (v.1)
"my flesh faints for you" (v.1)
"I have looked upon you in the sanctuary" (v.2)
"your steadfast love is better than life" (v.3)
"my soul will be satisfied" (v.5)
"I remember you upon my bed" (v.6)
"I meditate on you in the watches of the night" (v.6)
The last five verses, in many ways, repeat the second half of verse eight: “your right hand upholds me.”
"you have been my help" (v.7)
"those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth" (v.9)
"they shall be given over to the power of the sword" (v.10)
"they shall be a portion for jackals" (v.10)
"the mouths of liars will be stopped" (v.11)
This verse (and the whole Psalm) clearly articulates something that we do (“my soul clings to you”) and something that God does (“your right hand upholds me”). And we might be content to rejoice in those two realities and move on with our day. And that would be fine because those two realities are true. But if we take a moment more to meditate on this verse, we might ask these questions, “How do these two lines relate to each other? Are they purposefully put next to each other to teach us something more about how we relate to God?”
A Brief Meditation on Connecting Words
Let’s meditate on this a little more and see if we can determine how they rightly relate to each other. Often, we know how two lines relate to each other by a connecting word between them. We see this in verse 3 of this Psalm. The two lines are (1) "your steadfast love is better than life" and (2) "my lips will praise you." But I left out one word, the connecting word that tells us how the two phrases relate to each other: because. "Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you." We could reverse the order of the two lines, and it would say the same thing: "My lips will praise you because your steadfast love is better than life." So, the connecting word in verse three ("because") tells us that the first line ("your steadfast love is better than life") is the ground of the second line ("my lips will praise you"). In other words, God’s steadfast love is the reason or foundation or cause for the praise. God’s steadfast love produces the praise. The praise praises God’s steadfast love.
So, sometimes the relationship between two sentences or phrases or paragraphs or lines is obvious because of connecting words like that. But other times connecting words are not supplied. That does not mean, however, that the two grammatical units do not have a logical connection between them. It simply means that you have to think a little harder about it in order to figure out the connection. Here’s a quick illustration. After working outside on a 95-degree day, I might come inside and say, "I need a drink of water. It’s hot outside." Now, there’s no connecting word between those two sentences, but I don’t think my wife would think, "Hmm. That’s odd. What do those two things have to do with each other?" It ought to be obvious in this instance that you could easily insert the word "because" between the two sentences to clarify the relationship between the two: "I need a drink of water because it is hot outside." The heat is the foundation/ground of my need for water. So, a logical connection between two grammatical units often exists even when no connecting word is present.
An Implied Connecting Word in Psalm 63:8?
Alright, back to Psalm 63:8. Let’s think through this verse a bit more and test out some possible connections between these two lines.
Therefore – Let’s test out this connecting word first: "My soul clings to you; therefore, your right hand upholds me." This could make sense as a logical connection between the two. We cling to God. And as we cling to God, He upholds us by His power. It would make sense that our clinging to God would logically result in Him upholding us.
If/Then – These lines could contain an if/then idea. Let’s test it: "If my soul clings to you, then your right hand [will] uphold me." While similar to the previous, this relationship would emphasize a condition between the two phrases. If you want God to uphold you, then you must cling to Him. And positively, if you cling to God, then His right hand will uphold you.
In order that – Here’s another option: "My soul clings to you in order that your right hand [might] uphold me." The emphasis on this connection would be that there is a distinct purpose to my clinging to God. My soul is desperately clinging to God for the purpose of demonstrating my complete dependence on Him to uphold me. My soul clings to nothing else because no one else and nothing else can uphold me. My soul desperately clings to God for the purpose of Him upholding me.
For/because – Let me give one final option: "My soul clings to you; for/because your right hand upholds me." This connection would emphasize that God’s powerful right hand which is at work in my life to uphold me is the ground/cause/motivation of my clinging to Him. My soul clings to God because He upholds me, and He has constantly been there to uphold me. God initiates upholding me, and I cling to Him as a response to His faithfulness.
So, which is it? As you looked through those options, which seems most likely? While more than one of the options may be compelling when looking at verse 8 by itself, I think the rest of the Psalm gives us a clue that the logical connection between the two clauses is "for/because." In other words, the idea of verse 8 is that "my soul clings to you; because your right hand upholds me." Why do I say this? Because this same idea is stated in other places in this Psalm close by.
Example 1: Look at verse 7. It begins, "for you have been my help." That starts with our same connecting word ("for"). But where does it connect to? You have to go back up to verse 5 to find the particular phrase it connects to: "my soul will be satisfied…and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips…for you have been my help." Why will my soul be satisfied and my mouth praise? Because God has been my help! See the similarity? God being my help ("your right hand upholds me") is the cause of the satisfaction of my soul ("my soul clings to you").
Example 2: Look at verse 11. It ends, "for the mouths of liars will be stopped." This again starts with the connecting word "for." And what does it connect to? It connects most immediately to the previous line: "all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped." Why will all who swear by Him exult? Because He will stop the mouths of liars. God’s judgment on the enemies of His people (the liars) is the cause of the exultation of those who trust in Him. This, again, is parallel to our reading of verse 8.
The Hope of Every Christian
The two short clauses in verse 8 contain the hope of every Christian. These ten words are filled with gospel hope. No one comes into this world clinging to God in Christian hope. Rather, we come into the world believing the lie that we are the captains of our fate, that we are in control. "Folly is bound up in the heart of a child" (Proverbs 22:15). "The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one" (Psalm 14:1-3; cf. Psalm 53:1-3).
This is a bleak situation. Our soul does not by nature cling to God. And yet, despite that, God reached out to us to work out salvation on our behalf. While our souls were not clinging to Him (Romans 5:8), God stepped in to work salvation for us with His strong right hand. "Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things! His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him" (Psalm 98:1). "The LORD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: ‘The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly’" (Psalm 118:14-16). "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:4-5).
God’s strong right hand has worked salvation. And when our eyes are opened to the glory of His salvation, our souls cling to Him. "My soul clings to you; [for] your right hand upholds me." The moment of our salvation is the moment when we first cling to God. But God continues to uphold us by His right hand. Each day Jesus upholds the universe (including us!) by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). That means that yesterday, even when you were not thinking about Him, God was sustaining you, giving you breath, keeping you safe, and blessing you with countless good gifts. His right hand was at work upholding you the entire day and throughout the night. Every day is a gift. Every day is a new chance to cling to Him and to watch Him work.
So, if you are discouraged, cling to Him in faith. If you are joyful, cling to Him in thanksgiving. If you are struggling, cling to Him in hope. He’s always at work, upholding us with his powerful right hand. Our clinging to Him brings Him honor and praise and glory because it shows that He is our highest treasure. Our clinging to Him magnifies the glory of His name because it shows those around us that everything else that this life can offer us cannot truly satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. But He has satisfied the deepest longings of our hearts, and His every act towards His children is only of grace (Romans 8:32). So, cling to Him; for His right hand upholds you! Hallelujah!
It’s no wonder the Psalm is filled throughout with praise.
"my lips will praise you" (v.3)
"I will bless you" (v.4)
"in your name I will lift up my hands" (v.4)
"my mouth will praise you with joyful lips" (v.5)
"in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy" (v.7)
One of the greatest gifts that God has given us in this life is music, particularly music that pairs biblical truth with powerful melody, harmony, and instrumentation. The pairing of truth to music has the unique capacity to stir our emotions and affections in a Godward direction. Certainly, music has at times been used to wrongly manipulate people’s emotions apart from truth. But music that is powerfully and fittingly linked to biblical truth ought to encourage us and influence our emotions. This is why one of the largest books of the Bible is a song book: Psalms. It is a book of the Bible that was intended to be sung. Why? Because biblical truth that is sung influences our hearts and affections in a uniquely powerful way and makes the truth more memorable.
Many of you who have been through significant trials know how helpful truth-filled music is in directing your thoughts to who God is and to the hope we have in our relationship with Him through Jesus. This has certainly been the case for me as I’ve worked through my current trial with a voice disorder. Both the songs we sing on Sunday and the songs I listen to throughout the week (which are often the same!) direct my mind and heart to trust in the unwavering character and kind providence of our faithful God.
So, I wanted to share some of the songs that have been most meaningful to me over the past year. This list started with 10 songs and then quickly moved to 15 songs. It could easily be 30 or 50 or more! But I decided to stop at 15. The vast majority on the list below are songs that we’ve sung (or heard the choir sing) in our corporate worship services. I’ve listed them below with the portions of the text that have been particularly encouraging to me. Next to the title of each song, I’ve linked to a YouTube version of the song (and for the songs that are public domain, I’ve also included a video of our congregation singing the song). I’ve also linked to YouTube, YouTube Music, and Spotify playlists that I made which include all 15 songs. My hope is that these songs will move your heart and affections to trust God in the middle of whatever circumstances you find yourself.
Note: The versions of the songs that I’ve chosen may not be your preference. That’s totally fine. Take what you find helpful. Leave what you don’t. Feel free to search for other versions of the song if you want. Or create your own playlist. I’d be happy to help you with either of these things. So, feel free to reach out if you want. And please share other songs with me that have been encouraging to you when you’ve gone through trials. I’d love to expand my playlist beyond these!
This song was the first that came to my mind when I thought of helpful songs during times of discouragement. It has stood the test of time, and each stanza is packed with helpful truths. While I’ve only included excerpts of most of the songs below, this one is simply too good to exclude any part.
Day by day and with each passing moment, Strength I find to meet my trials here; Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment, I’ve no cause for worry or for fear. He whose heart is kind beyond all measure Gives unto each day what he deems best– Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure, Mingling toil with peace and rest.
Ev’ry day the Lord himself is near me With a special mercy for each hour; All my cares he gladly bears and cheers me, He whose name is Counselor and Pow’r. The protection of his child and treasure Is a charge that on himself he laid: “As your days, your strength shall be in measure,” This the pledge to me he made.
Help me then in ev’ry tribulation So to trust your promises, O Lord, That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation Offered me within your holy Word. Help me, Lord, when, toil and trouble meeting, E’er to take, as from a father’s hand, One by one, the days, the moments fleeting, Till I reach the promised land.1
Questions are natural when we serve a good, faithful God in a broken, fallen world. This song encourages us that “one day every question [will be] resolved.” It’s a glorious pairing of new lyrics with the chorus of the old hymn “When We All Get to Heaven.” I love Matt Redman’s musical meditation on the new heavens and new earth at the end of this song (“…no depression, no cancer…”).
One day You’ll make everything new, Jesus One day You will bind every wound The former things shall all pass away No more tears
One day You’ll make sense of it all, Jesus One day every question resolved Every anxious thought left behind No more fear2
Our church has enjoyed hearing the choir sing this song for the past ten years, and we’ve sung it in more recent years. Jesus is our shelter in times of storm.
O Jesus, I will hide in You My place of peace and solace. No trial is deeper than Your love That comforts all my sorrows.
I have a shelter in the storm When constant winds would break me. For in my weakness, I have learned Your strength will not forsake me.3
This is another song our church has enjoyed singing congregationally since it was published in 2015.
Christ, the sure and steady Anchor In the fury of the storm; When the winds of doubt blow through me, And my sails have all been torn. In the suffering, in the sorrow, When my sinking hopes are few, I will hold fast to the Anchor; It shall never be removed.
Christ, the sure and steady Anchor As we face the wave of death; When these trials give way to glory, As we draw our final breath. We will cross that great horizon, Clouds behind and life secure. And the calm will be the better For the storms that we endure.4
In more recent days, we’ve sung this as a congregation after hearing the choir sing it for a couple years. The second stanza particularly zooms in on our hope in Christ in the midst of trials. This song has one of the greatest choruses of any song I’ve ever sung.
What truth can calm the troubled soul? God is good, God is good. Where is his grace and goodness known? In our great Redeemer’s blood. Who holds our faith when fears arise? Who stands above the stormy trial? Who sends the waves that bring us nigh Unto the shore, the rock of Christ?5
The choir has sung this song a couple times in the past six years. The text is very real-to-life and encourages you to ponder this question: “What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?”
‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops? What if Your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You’re near? And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
What if my greatest disappointments, Or the aching of this life Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy? And what if trials of this life, The rain, the storms, the hardest nights, Are Your mercies in disguise?6
One of the hardest parts of trials in this life is knowing that God is sovereign in the midst of them. And yet, that is our hope as well. This song leads us to that sometimes hard but hopeful truth.
There is strength within the sorrow. There is beauty in our tears. And you meet us in our mourning With a love that casts out fear. You are working in our waiting. You’re sanctifying us. When beyond our understanding, You’re teaching us to trust.7
This song was written to be a companion to the book Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God, a book by Tim Challies after his college-aged son unexpectedly passed away.
When the path that I feared Is the way He has set And I long to give in and retreat Still to Jesus I hold As I face every step For the Lord he will give me His peace
When the road that I tread Fills my heart with despair And it seems like my grief has no end Still to Jesus I hold Who will walk with me there And the Lord he will give me His strength.8
“Still My Soul, Be Still” has been a regular for us at Hampton Park. Often in the Psalms, David speaks to his soul and tells himself how he ought to be responding to his external circumstances. This song helps us to do that well.
Still, my soul be still, and do not fear Though winds of change may rage tomorrow. God is at your side; No longer dread the fires of unexpected sorrow.
God, You are my God, And I will trust in You and not be shaken. Lord of peace, renew a steadfast spirit within me To rest in You alone.9
Similar to the previous song, this song encourages us to speak truth to ourselves when we face discouragement and pain in this life. Similar to “Day by Day,” I couldn’t decide which lyrics to leave out because they are all so good and helpful. This also includes a third stanza that may be unknown to some.
Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side; Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; Leave to thy God to order and provide; In ev’ry change he faithful will remain. Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heav’nly friend Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake To guide the future as he has the past; Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know His voice who ruled them while he lived below.
Be still, my soul; when dearest friends depart And all is darkened in the vale of tears, Then shalt thou better know his love, his heart, Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears. Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay From his own fullness all he takes away.
Be still, my soul; the hour is hast’ning on When we shall be forever with the Lord, When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored. Be still my soul; when change and tears are past, All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.10
These really helpful words have been paired to many tunes. However, this seems to me to be the most “singable” of them all. The text is another one that is especially helpful in its entirety, one worth memorizing.
Whate’er my God ordains is right, His holy will abideth; I will be still whate’er He does, And follow where He guideth. He is my God, though dark my road; He holds me that I shall not fall; And so to Him I leave it all, And so to Him I leave it all.
Whate’er my God ordains is right, He never will deceive me; He leads me by the proper path, I know He will not leave me. I take, content, what He has sent; His hand can turn my griefs away; And patiently I wait His day, And patiently I wait His day.
Whate’er my God ordains is right, Though now this cup in drinking May bitter seem to my faint heart, I take it all, unshrinking. My God is true, each morn anew Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart; And pain and sorrow shall depart, And pain and sorrow shall depart.
Whate’er my God ordains is right, Here shall my stand be taken; Though sorrow, need, or death be mine, Yet I am not forsaken. My Father’s care is round me there; He holds me that I shall not fall; And so to Him, I leave it all, And so to Him I leave it all.11
The gospel is the reason that we can say that it is well with our souls no matter what we are facing in this life. This song is rich with gospel truth, gospel hope.
When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea-billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, “It is well, it is well with my soul.”
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And has shed His own blood for my soul.12
Waiting. This theme is prevalent in the Psalms. A friend recently told me that he thinks the biblical idea of “waiting” is kind of like a spiritual discipline. God calls us to wait on His perfect timing. That is the theme of this song.
Out of the depths I cry to You, In darkest places I will call. Incline Your ear to me anew, And hear my cry for mercy, Lord.
I will wait for You, I will wait for You, On Your word, I will rely. I will wait for You, Surely wait for You, Till my soul is satisfied.13
I read these old lyrics before I sang them. And I remember distinctly the first time I read through them. I got to the sixth stanza and stopped. This song is like a story from beginning to end. And the final two stanzas drive us to consider the fact that the trials of this life are often God’s answer to our prayers to grow closer to him.
I asked the Lord that I might grow In faith and love and ev’ry grace, Might more of His salvation know, And seek more earnestly His face.
‘Twas He who taught me thus to pray, And He, I trust, has answered prayer, But it has been in such a way As almost drove me to despair.
I hoped that in some favored hour At once He’d answer my request And, by His love’s constraining pow’r, Subdue my sins and give me rest.
Instead of this, He made me feel The hidden evils of my heart And let the angry pow’rs of hell Assault my soul in ev’ry part.
Yea, more with His own hand He seemed Intent to aggravate my woe, Crossed all the fair designs I schemed, Humbled my heart and laid me low.
“Lord, why is this,” I trembling cried; “Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?” “’Tis in this way,” the Lord replied, “I answer prayer for grace and faith.”
“These inward trials I employ From self and pride to set thee free And break thy schemes of earthly joy That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”14
