Abide with Me

[king'sbloomingrose]

It's absolutely beautiful! \o/

[mattfivefour]

WorshipSmiley.gif

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, oh, abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see—
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
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, and tears no bitterness;
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

And the awesome fact is that He has indeed promised that He will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5); that He will indeed abide not just with us but in us, as we abide in Him (John 15:4); and that though rivers rise and fire rages, He will indeed be with us (Isaiah 43:2).

[Hannah]

I was in the school choir from the age of 7, I sang this Hymn every year through my school years to commemorate Anzac Day. That is the Day Australians commemorate our fallen soldiers on the 25th April every year.

Part of the standard service was this Hymn Abide with Me and that the 23rd Pslam. It is why today I know Pslam 23 off by heart because I had sung it so many times.

It always brings tears to my eyes that this Hymn and the 23rd Pslam is probably the only exposure some have to God's Word when young people today attend an Anzac Day service in memory of some relative that had Served our Nation in past or recent military actions or wars. Most would tune out while any sermon was spoken but as they are encouraged to sing these Hymns you would hope some of the words might penetrate their darkened and Unsaved minds (Who knows?).

Though I didn't know anything about Jesus and God or the Bible in those days when I sang these Hymns, how wonderful years after finishing High School to come to have the opportunity to hear and recieve the Gospel. I finally came to understand who this Shepherd was that Abides with us each and every day and will for Eternity.

[anath]

Oh I dearly love this old hymn too.

Here's a bit of history:

Henry Lyte, 1847

Lyte was inspired to write this hymn as he was dying of tuberculosis; he finished it the Sunday he gave his farewell sermon in the parish he served so many years. The next day, he left for Italy to regain his health. He didn’t make it, though—he died in Nice, France, three weeks after writing these words. Here is an excerpt from his farewell sermon:

O brethren, I stand here among you today, as alive from the dead, if I may hope to impress it upon you, and induce you to prepare for that solemn hour which must come to all, by a timely acquaintance with the death of Christ.

[Navyblue]

With Praise like that available to the ear, eyes, and heart, I could become totally unproductive, just enjoying my senses, focused on Jesus. AMEN

Thanks for this offering, poem and what all have said so far. My spirits are raised, and I didn't even start the thread. Yeee-Haaa!!! and AMEN,,,,again.