God's Hymn

One hymn that I enjoy singing is Trust and Obey by John Sammis (1846-1919).

“When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
When we do his good will, he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

The story behind the hymn is during Dwight L. Moody’s famous revival meetings a young man stood up in a testimony meeting to say, “I’m not quite sure – but I’m going to trust, and I am going to obey.” That short sentence was recorded by the music composer who sent the line to John Sammis who later wrote the hymn, Trust and Obey.

As a child, happiness in Jesus was a supreme feeling in a season where it seemed bright, exciting to be alive and with a wide path leading to a hopeful future.

Entering into adolescence, I became painfully aware that not everything was right or bright in the world. There was a cry in my heart to really trust God as life became increasingly more difficult. “I’m not quite sure – but I’m going to trust, and I am going to obey.”

Then the Lord answered my cry many years later in a very difficult and challenging crisis (as result of my foolishness not to obey Him). In the fall of 2009 He spoke to me strongly to worship Him and not consider the situation or give it more thought than it ought. I knelt before the Lord with hands lifted up thanking Him that I was finally free to trust Him, though it may very well cost my life.

I believe no matter what sad sweet song we wrote over our lives because of sin and failure. Or a song our captors demand that we sing about a heavenly place we can only dream of being in its walls safe from harm (Psalms 137:7).

God says to you and me, the hymn I sing over your life is new song. A song that many will see (we become living lyrics of God’s manifested presence). It’s a hymn that will cause many to fear and put their trust in God (Psalms 40:3).

For every verse that was written against you, your home and family and verses of defeat and failure wielded against your mind, God has another verse of victory, of power and blessing. Together this forms a holy stanza, a musical verse that echoes the refrain. “I’m not quite sure – but I’m going to trust, and I am going to obey.”