In vale of sorrow and tears, life is like a mountain railroad

One of the first hymns Isaac Watts ever wrote began with, "God Is The Refuge Of His Saints,

When Storms Of Sharp Distress Invade;
Ere We Can Offer Our Complaints,
Behold Him Present With His Aid!"

The hymn was inspired by Psalm 46: [1] God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Watts, recognized as one of the most prolific hymn writers of all time, suffered a stroke in 1739 that left him unable to write.  A secretary was provided to transcribe his dictated poems and books, but he became increasingly weak and eventually bedridden and died nine years later.

***** 

I heard this the other day: "I just wish the Lord would come; I just want to get out of here." Well, that's not patiently waiting. Patience is the ability to endure; it's that steadfastness that grows under pressure, says Richard Jordan.

II Thessalonians 1:4: [4] So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

These Thessalonians were under tremendous persecution. They just didn't have the little nitnoid problems of life most of us face on a daily basis. They faced all of that too, but they had people using the government to try to get them.

They had people using the religious system around them to try and get them. They were suffering physical assaults, intimidations, persecutions, all kind of financial things, social things, economic things, governmental things.

He told them in I Thessalonians 3: [3] That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

[4] For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

Paul's saying, "You know that you were appointed to these things and I'm just worried about you that the tempter doesn't tempt you and get the best of you and cause you to fall by the wayside."

"So I'm praying that God would direct your heart into the love of Christ." You just constantly be focused on how much God loves you; that the love of Christ be what constrains you and the "patient waiting for His Son." There's your faith, hope, charity kind of thing. 

Romans 8: [18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

[19] For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
[20] For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
[21] Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

We know the reason we haven't been delivered from the bondage of corruption, and that the reason that hasn't happened, is because God has postponed that event in order to extend the dispensation of grace another day.

In order to let the Body of Christ continue to be formed and matured, He has to put off the kingdom program over there. When you understand that you can say, "Okay, I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, the things we're going through now because God is doing what He's doing, and we know where we stand in His program, they're not worthy to be compared to the glory which will be revealed in us when He comes."

Verse 22: [22] For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Somebody says, "Well, why are we having so much trouble in life?" Somebody answers back, "Well, because you're here." The alternative is not to be here because this is a vale of sorrow and tears.

In verse 22, you see that little dispensational term stuck at the end there? There's a timeline here. We're not over there yet where the deliverance is; we're still over here in the "but now."

A song from the 1950s I recently came upon, entitled, "Life is Like a Mountain Railroad," is written by Charlie D. Tillman. Here it is:

1    Life is like a mountain railroad,

With an engineer that's brave;

We must make the run successful

From the cradle to the grave;

Watch the curves, the fills, the tunnels,

Never falter, never quail;

Keep your hand upon the throttle,

And your eye upon the rail.

Refrain:

Blessed Savior, Thou wilt guide us,

Till we reach the blissful shore,

Where the angels wait to join us

In Thy praise forevermore.

2    You will roll up grades of trial,

You will cross the bridge of strife;

See that Christ is your conductor

On this lightning train of life;

Always mindful of obstruction,

Do your duty, never fail;

Keep your hand upon the throttle,

And your eye upon the rail. [Refrain]

3    You will often find obstructions,

Look for storms and wind and rain;

On a fill or curve or trestle,

They will almost ditch your train;

Put your trust alone in Jesus;

Never falter, never fail;

Keep your hand upon the throttle,

And your eye upon the rail. [Refrain]