'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus!

Yesterday evening, managed to head down to church earlier before Bible Doctrines Class after a busy day of work..made my way to the sanctuary, opened a Majesty Hymnal and enjoyed a personal time of prayer and worship with the Lord. Thank God for the truly precious time..thank God for His sweet presence as i sat alone in the church sanctuary meditating on the words of some hymns and singing them to the Lord. Really felt God's amazing love and comfort in a very deep and unexplainable way yesterday..prayed for a number of dear people that He brought to my mind too. This very, very special and meaningful hymn - 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus - is one of my favourites. May all of you ponder upon the wonderful lyrics and the story behind this beautiful song...

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
And to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus says the Lord!”

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

~ The Story behind the Song ~

"Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus" was written in 1882 by Louisa M. R. Stead. Louisa had always felt the call of God upon her life to be a missionary and to serve in China. But due to fragile health, she remained in America. She married Mr. Stead and they had a daughter named Lily. When Lily was 4 years old, the family went on vacation to a sunny beach at Long Island Sound, New York. While eating their picnic lunch, they suddenly heard cries of help and spotted a young boy drowning in the ocean. Mr. Stead swam out to sea and tried to rescue him. The struggling boy pulled his rescuer under the water with him and both of them drowned before the terrified eyes of both wife and daughter. Louisa was left without any means of financial support after her husband's sudden death and she only had God's divine providence and care to depend on wholly during this very dark period of her life. She and her daughter were in dire poverty - one day when there was no food in the house and no money to purchase any, Louisa opened the front door to discover that someone had left groceries and money sitting at the doorstep for her.

That very same day she sat down and wrote "Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus"...out of her deep "Why?" struggle with God, flowed the hymn's precious lyrics from the soul of Louisa Stead. She later became a missionary to Africa and remarried. A few years after, she was forced to stay in America due to her ailing health. By God's grace, Louisa recovered completely and she headed back into the missionary field in Rhodesia and later died in Zimbabwe. Her daughter Lily married and became a missionary as well.

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,

And to take Him at His Word;

Just to rest upon His promise,

And to know, “Thus says the Lord!”

These beautiful words were written during a time of deepest grief. Why is that? Where is the comfort? In the simplicity of taking God at His Word and in the absolute confidence in the divine character of God, knowing that 'Thus saith the Lord,' means that all that God decrees for our lives is for His utmost glory and our ultimate good.

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,

Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;

And I know that Thou art with me,

Wilt be with me to the end..

* With me..in me..to the end. This is true peace, the peace of Christ within the heart of a child of God. This is and will always be our eternal treasure..forever and ever..Amen. *

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

~ Psalm 28:7