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HERE is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:4-6)
This is a blessed old hymn from 1873 and composed by Frank M. Davis (both lyrics and tune). It is a reverential hymn that asks no favors except to be led by our Lord in all walks. It expresses our complete dependence upon the Lord through verdant pastures as well as stormy seas.
Savior Lead Me, Lest I Stray
Savior, lead me lest I stray,
Gently lead me all the way;
I am safe when by Thy side,
I would in Thy love abide.
Refrain:
Lead me, lead me, Savior,
lead me, lest I stray;
Gently down the stream of time,
Lead me, Savior, all the way.
Thou the refuge of my soul,
When life’s stormy billows roll;
I am safe when by Thy side,
All my hopes on Thee rely.
Refrain
Savior, lead me, then at last,
When the storm of life is past;
To the land of endless day,
Where all tears are wiped away.
Refrain
1 Savior, lead me lest I stray, Gently lead me all the way; I am safe when by Thy side, I would in Thy love abide. The word ‘lest’ in the first line of the hymn is a throw-away word since, if Christ does not lead us, we will certainly stray. The leading of Christ is always GENTLE. The billows may roar and the mainsail rip, but Christ is in the storm and He leads peacefully and gently on in spite of the torrents. Furthermore, our Lord does not lead halfway, but ALL the way. We may stumble and wander from following, but His leading is sure and constant. Growing up, I had a little brother – Kenneth. When we were in unfamiliar crowds, such as the annual country fair, Kenneth wanted to hold my hand as we walked from ride to ride and vender to vender. He felt safe with big brother by his side under every circumstance. I would have died for my brother, and he knew it. Christ is that Friend that “sticketh closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24) If we walk by His side and hold His hand, no danger can threaten. And He has, indeed, laid down His life for us!)
2 Thou the refuge of my soul, When life’s stormy billows roll; I am safe when by Thy side, All my hopes on Thee rely. We have remarked often of how our Lord Jesus Christ is typified by the Ark of Noah. He is our only refuge when the devastations come in life. When He calls us into that Ark, as He called Noah, we must board without delay. It is God’s responsibility to close the Door of that refuge to those screaming masses without. But it is OUR responsibility to preach and testify of the destruction that cometh at midnight. When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. (Proverbs 1:27)
3 Savior, lead me, then at last, When the storm of life is past; To the land of endless day, Where all tears are wiped away. Many young people come to the Banks of Jordan Water at unexpected moments. Our best of youth are sometimes killed in tender years in battles on far-flung battlefields. But those of us whom the Lord has seen fit to spare to elder status, we can see the great Banks looming in the distance for us. We may have been spared simply to enable us to realize the critical importance of faith and service to God. Standing on the quaking banks of the Jordan, we know that it is time to cross over to that better land of promise than Moses could have imagined from Mount Nebal. But our footing is unsure, and our feet falter. As we begin to sink into the foaming waters, we feel that strong and brotherly hand upholding us – stronger than any we have ever known. Taking our eyes off the swirling waters, we look up into the strong, smiling face of our Lord. It is then that we are reassured - we will not have to cross Jordan alone.
Refrain
Lead me, lead me, Savior, lead me, lest I stray; Gently down the stream of time, Lead me, Savior, all the way. The stream of time is a relentlessly flowing river. The same water does not pass the same point twice. Life is like that river. Joys, sorrows, opportunities, worries, pains, and comforts are constantly rolling to the sea of eternity. All things earthly pass on to that sea, but the love of God and of others does not pass away. Neither does God’s immutable Word and Promise.
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