..."and a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the way of holiness; evil minded people shall not travel on it, but it shall be for those wayfarers who are traveling toward God. (Isaiah 35:8, adapted)



Thursday, February 02, 2012

Be Still My Soul...We Rest on Thee, Our Shield and Defender


The Christian hymn, We Rest on Thee, was written by Edith G. Cherry around 1895 . This hymn is probably most well known as it was the last hymn sung by the Jim Elliot and the missionaries involved in Operation Auca before their deaths. From thence came the title of  Elisabeth Elliot's book about that incident, Through Gates of Splendor.:


We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender;

We go not forth alone against the foe;
Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender.
We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.
Yea, in Thy Name, O Captain of salvation!
In Thy dear Name, all other names above;
Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,
Our Prince of glory and our King of love.

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
And needing more each day Thy grace to know:
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing;
We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.
We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender:
Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise
When reigning in the Kingdom of Thy splendor;
Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.



this song is sung to the tune of a hymn we know
as "Be Still My Soul"

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 every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly 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 dwelt below.



 photo taken of Marci's beloved Barney,
in Wilmington, Delaware

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