Jesus abides with me still

“You learn an intimacy with the Lord and an appreciation of His grace, and there are great rewards right now in your personal fellowship with the Lord, your personal maturity and your growing, and you’re able to be comforted with the comfort of God."

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.