To Christ Draw Near

 Afflicted Saint, To Christ Draw Near

Songwriter: Constance Dever

Sovereign Grace Worship

Afflicted saint to Christ draw near,

Your Savior's gracious promise hear.

His faithful Word you can believe

That as your days your strength shall be.

Your faith is weak, your foes are strong,

And if the conflict should be long,

The Lord will make the tempter flee.

That as your days your strength shall be.

So, sing with joy afflicted one,

The battle's fierce but the victory's won

God shall supply all that you need,

Yes, as your days your strength shall be.

Should persecution rage and flame,

Still trust in your Redeemer's name

 In fiery trials you shall see,

That as your days your strength shall be (so sing)

So, sing with joy afflicted one,

The battle's fierce but the victory's won

God shall supply all that you need,

Yes, as your days your strength shall be.

When called to bear your weighty cross,

Or sore affliction, pain, or loss,

Or deep distress or poverty,

Still as your days your strength shall be.

So, sing with joy afflicted one,

The battle's fierce but the victory's won

God shall supply all that you need,

Yes, as your days your strength shall be.

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This is a momentous occasion, this blog entry.  It's been two years since I posted on my poor, little, abandoned blog.  I have missed it.  More than I can describe really, which is funny you say, then why don't you write more?  Great question.  One I don't have a really intelligent answer for.  The responses that come to mind are along the lines of "Time.  Don't have enough of it."  "Survival: my daily mode setting most of the time, it feels."  "My daily tasks: they are just never done."  None of which are really very true.  I believe to the core of my being that this is true: we find time for things that are truly important to us.  And we have all been given 24 hours a day.  I wonder how I am using those hours and have determined, AGAIN, that this little blog is important to me on many levels and I believe is to my Lord and for His glory.

First, I want to thank a very sweet, gentle spirited, beautiful young lady at our home church in California that we just moved away from.  Through tears of goodbye a few weeks ago, she so gently rebuked me by saying, "I found your blog quite by accident the other day and I want to know when you are going to start writing again!"  I laughed and said something like, "Oh, my poor little forgotten blog.  I really do need to get back to writing!"  Bottom line, dear Hannah.  I have not been able to forget your sweet comments and so here I am.  I kept my blog while residing in Brazil all those years because I was sure if no one else read it, my mother sure would.  Now I may say I don't know who will read it, but hopefully Hannah will!  Here's to my dear friend whose quiet, sweet personality brought much joy to my heart on the Sundays I was able to visit with her.

It will take some time to catch my readers up on all that has happened between my last blog in 2021 (remember, those "covid days"??!!) and today.  I promise I won't do it all today or even in a few days or weeks.  It will be a work in progress.  Bear with me beloved.  God has been at work in our little family and I want most of all to share some of that journey so HE will get the glory and honor due His holy, right and good Name.

I took the time to write out the hymn above for a reason.  We sang it this morning with our new church family in the great "Lone Star State."  How it touched my weary little heart and offered a "between the eyes" sort of moment.  It is so easy to get caught up in our afflictions, our trials, the hardness of life. This hymn was a beautiful reminder to sing with JOY and keep looking to JESUS, who has already won the victory at the Cross.  I saw the child with a pretty bow wrapped around her shiny, bald head whose ready smile is not indicative of the pain and sorrow her young body has seen.  I see the four beautiful, Ukrainian sisters sitting in a row right in front of me who have brothers still in war torn cities.  They share stories of that dire situation that make my blood run cold and yet how God's protection spans the fear, the uncertainties, the constant physical danger.  I look at my precious missionary friend's picture on my refridgerator and remember how broken her heart is because she is not able to go back to her beloved mission field due to war and unrest.  I think of my dear friends facing unjust unemployment a few hours north of us. 

The list goes on.  And yet God!  He has won the victory and if we are saved, we have all we need today!  We can sing with joy.  Joy that is not at all dependent on our circumstances.  How incredibly glad I am about that!

Happy Lord's day to you all.  May this week be about Him and His name being glorified in our afflictions, our trials, our pain and yes, our victories and breakthrough and blessing as well.

                                                                                    Because He lives,

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