One who knows our deepest care

A great Bible "valentine" can be found in Song of Solomon 2:16: "My Beloved is mine, and I am His."

In her 1916 commentary on the Song of Solomon, Bible expositor Cora MacIlravey writes about this particular verse, "She is assured of her union with Him, which is eternal and indissoluble. Her heart is filled with rest because He is hers; she is apprehending that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate her from the One who died for her, and from His love.

"In deep settled peace, she rests in the assurance that, though she is unworthy and many times unfaithful, He abideth faithful for He cannot deny Himself. As she recalls all He has done for her, she comforts and strengthens herself in Him and His undying love. She rejoices that, whether together or separated, whether seen or unseen, her Beloved is hers and she is His. Literally: 'My Beloved is for me and I am for Him.'

"There is such joy and sense of holy possession in the thought that our Beloved is ours . . . His beauty and attributes are for us that we may put them on. . .  He is all we need for He is our precious Storehouse, and in Him are hidden all God's riches in glory. He is our refuge and strong tower.

"She rejoices not only that her Beloved is hers, but that she is His. She is His because He created her, because He has redeemed her, because He has loved her with an everlasting love . . ."

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I will have a new article tomorrow and in the meantime here's one more hymn story:

About the classic hymn "Moment by Moment," Ira Sankey, the gospel singer known for his long association with Dwight L. Moody in religious revival campaigns across America and Britain in the late 1800s, once wrote:

"While Major Daniel W. Whittle was attending the World's Fair in Chicago, Henry Varley, a lay preacher from London, said to Major Whittle: 'I do not like the hymn I Need Thee Every Hour very well, because I need Him every moment of the day.' 

"Soon afterwards Major Whittle wrote this sweet hymn…[He] brought the hymn to me in manuscript a little later, saying that he would give me the copyright of both the words and music if I would print for him five hundred copies on fine paper, for distributing among his friends. His daughter, May Whittle, who later became the wife of Will R. Moody, composed the music.

"I did as Mr. Whittle wished; and I sent the hymn to England, where it was copyrighted on the same day as at Washington. In England the hymn became very popular. Falling into the hands of the well-known Rev. Andrew Murray, of South Africa, then visiting London, he adopted it as his favorite hymn.

"A year later, Mr. Murray visited Northfield, Massachusetts, and while holding a meeting for men in the church, he remarked, 'If Sankey only knew a hymn which I found in London, and would sing it, he would find that it embraces my entire creed.' I was very anxious to know what hymn it was, and when he had recited it I said to him: 'Doctor, that hymn was written within five hundred yards of where we are standing.' "

For years afterward, Murray had his wife sing this hymn in nearly all his meetings and it became a great favorite in South Africa during World War I.

1.     Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine;

Living with Jesus, a new life divine;

Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,

Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

Moment by moment I'm kept in His love;

Moment by moment I've life from above;

Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;

Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

2.     Never a trial that He is not there,

Never a burden that He doth not bear,

Never a sorrow that He doth not share,

Moment by moment, I'm under His care.

Moment by moment I'm kept in His love;

Moment by moment I've life from above;

Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;

Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

3.     Never a heartache, and never a groan,

Never a teardrop and never a moan;

Never a danger but there on the throne,

Moment by moment He thinks of His own.

Moment by moment I'm kept in His love;

Moment by moment I've life from above;

Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;

Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

4.     Never a weakness that He doth not feel,

Never a sickness that He cannot heal;

Moment by moment, in woe or in weal,

Jesus my Savior, abides with me still.

Moment by moment I'm kept in His love;

Moment by moment I've life from above;

Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;

Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

Another great old hymn, It Will Be Worth It All, When We See Jesus, goes:

(2) Sometimes the sky looks dark with not a ray of light,

We're tossed and driven on, no human help in sight;

But there is one in heav'n who knows our deepest care,

Let Jesus solve your problem - just go to Him in pray'r.

Refrain

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,

Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ;

One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,

So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

(3) Life's day will soon be o'er, all storms forever past,

We'll cross the great divide, to glory, safe at last;

We'll share the joys of heav'n -- a harp, a home, a crown,

The tempter will be banished, we'll lay our burden down.