Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
The woman who wrote this hymn was Fanny Crosby. She was a prolific hymn writer and one of the most well know women in America during her life-time. I love her story because Fanny Crosby was blind from infancy. Yet despite her handicap, she wrote of visions of angels and echoes of God’s love. I believe she was a woman whose handicap became her greatest blessing.
Perhaps we aren’t able to see visions of angels because our earthly vision gets in the way of the other reality. Fanny’s darkness was indeed the portal to her light. What a cool gift! Isn’t that just like our God?
I’ve caught myself saying these words lately when good things happen in our family: “Oh…God loves us!” But today I felt a catch in my spirit when I said those words, and I knew the danger of my theology. I must remember and teach my children that God often withholds “gifts” too because He loves us. Sometimes He lets bad things happen because He loves us. Our darkness can be the avenue where His light can shine. Sometimes we need to be blind in order to see.
Whatever it takes. God’s goodness is beyond fathoming.
Read the words to Blessed Assurance again. If you know the tune, I hope this post puts it in your heart and you hum it all day long. It’s a good one to claim. What’s your favorite part of this hymn?
Much love,
andy
ps. thanks Kim for calling me with this song!
