Trust/Obey

" I'm not quite sure. But I'm going to trust, and I'm going to obey." 

These words were spoken at an evangelical meeting by a new believer and follower of Christ. A guy at the meeting in a letter to friend John H Sammis mentioned this quote and by return an entire song was sent. The guy put it to music and it is still sung today. 

All quotes are from hymns written by Mr Sammis

"All this is Jehova Ropheka and more

My Bread and my Water my Dwelling my Door

My Branch and my Vine, my Lily and Rose

Rock, Hiding Place, Refuge, Shield, Covert, Repose,

my sure Ressurection, my Glory above,

My King and His beauty, my Bridegroom, my Love

My All  and in all in Christ Jesus I see

For God hath made Him to be all things to me

Now say to thy soul "What is He to thee?"

It is a favourite hymn of one of my friends and at every opportunity they launch into it with such joy and vigour, we can't help but join in not just in the singing, in the praising but in the words. We trust in God and we obey Him.

"Christ fills my daily cup of peace

With blessing to the brim

I shall not want, I rest at ease,

'I am complete in Him'  "

Obey is one of those words that has been given a bad name by evildoers in the world, by parents who did not spare the rod, by an education system that led to abuses in the name of obeying. But mostly I think about gangs when thinking of obeying, the gang leader giving brutal orders that must be obeyed on pain of death. It makes it an ugly word.

"It's all of Grace though marred by sin

When on the Lamb our sin was laid

No gifts, no toils, no tears, no sighs.

Add value to that sacrifice"

It is the first day of Lent today and many people will be obeying an internal command to give up something. There will be a huge media campaign about giving up smoking tobacco. A relative of mine gives up alcohol to prove they can - they never get to 40 days. My test will be Saturday.

"I'll trust in Thee, whose boundless grace,

Resored my soul, and turned my face

To Zion's blissful hill

And if I tread the heights of faith

Or walk the gloomy shades of Death

My God, I'll trust Thee still"

Mr Sammis was a businessman and attended presbyterean church, he volunteered at the YMCA and then answered the call to ministry and finished his work and ministry at Biola (I love that acronym)

Sing loud, sing clear, hear the words sung. 

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” John 16:21

 

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

 

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

 

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.

Or we'll walk by His side in the way.

What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.