In Heavenly Love Abiding
In Heavenly Love Abiding
In heavenly love abiding,
No change my heart shall fear;
And safe is such confiding,
For nothing changes here.
The storm may roar without me,
My heart may low be laid;
But God is round about me,
And can I be dismayed?
Wherever He may guide me,
No want shall turn me back;
My Shepherd is beside me,
And nothing can I lack.
His wisdom ever waketh,
His sight is never dim;
He knows the way He taketh,
And I will walk with Him.
Green pastures are before me,
Which yet I have not seen;
Bright skies will soon be o’er me,
Where darkest clouds have been.
My hope I cannot measure,
My path to life is free;
My Savior has my treasure,
And He will walk with me.
ANNA LAETITIA WARING was a shy, retiring woman who lived in south Wales. If her best-known hymns are any indication, she was also concerned about the changes that she might have to face in the future. In another hymn she prayed, “So I ask Thee for the daily strength to none that ask denied, and a mind to blend with outward life while keeping at Thy side, content to fill a little space if Thou be glorified.”
A brilliant woman, Waring taught herself Hebrew so she could read the Old Testament in the original language. Despite her shyness, she spent much of her later years visiting prisons, yet she always avoided publicity. She was “content to fill a little space.” And despite the changes in society—and there were plenty during her long life—she learned the truth of this hymn. When God is round about us, how can we be dismayed?
Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes. He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.
Isaiah 40:10-11
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