ALL YOUR ANXIETY

When I was in college we were shocked to hear that our pastor had died of a sudden heart attack.  Although that was  almost 50 years ago, I still remember the funeral service.  One of the things that has remained in my mind is one of the hymns that the Pastor's Quartet sang - "All Your Anxiety".  I had never heard this before and I have never forgotten it.  Years later it was in our hymnbook, but I don't recall that we sang it too often.  However, over the years the words have often come back to me and have been a comfort to me.  A few days ago we were listening to some of our old 33rpm records (do you remember these?).  One of the albums was by my favorite trombone player, Bill Pierce, and one of the numbers that he played and sang was this hymn.  I immediately thought that I should list this as one of my hymns of the week.  Hopefully the words will be a help to some of my readers.  The hymn was written by Edward H. Joy (1871 - 1949) who was inspired by the words from Philippians 4, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."  Now if only we could claim and apply both the words and the hymn and leave all of our anxiety with the Lord. That's a lesson that I must learn. For there is never a burden that He can't bear and there is never a friend like Jesus. 

(1)   Is there a heart o'erbound by sorrow?

Is there a life weighed down by care?

Come to the cross, each burden bearing—

All your anxiety, leave it there.

Refrain:

All your anxiety, all your care,

Bring to the mercy seat, leave it there;

Never a burden He cannot bear,

Never a friend like Jesus!

(2)   No other friend so keen to help you,

No other friend so quick to hear;

No other place to leave your burden,

No other one to hear your prayer.    Refrain

(3)    Come then at once, delay no longer!

Heed His entreaty kind and sweet;

You need not fear a disappointment,

You shall find peace at the mercy seat.   Refrain

You can listen to the music here.      LISTEN