And I must admit that I am not a good one to give advice about stress and anxiety. I, too, and concerned about the health of my family as well as my own health. I wonder how the stock market will affect my retirement? Will the businesses that my sons work for avoid bankruptcy? Will they have jobs? Will we be able to get our needed medicine, some of which comes from China? Will we run out of food? Will my granddaughter be able to have her wedding in December? There certainly are enough concerns to keep us worriers busy.
Now if you are a believer you know that the answer to this problem is to fully trust the Lord. Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you didn't even expect." Proverbs 3:5, 6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Now we may know these truths, but obeying them is not always easy.
When I was in college I was stunned to hear that my pastor, Rev. Rudy Gehman, had died of a sudden heart attack while preparing for a VBS closing program Although that was over 50 years ago, I still vividly remember his funeral service. One of the things that has remained in my mind is the hymn sung by the Pastor's Quartet - "All Your Anxiety". I had never heard this hymn before and I have now never forgotten it.
Years later it was in our new hymnbook at church, but I don't recall that we sang it very often. However, over the years the words have often come back to me and have been a comfort to me in times of stress and anxiety. Recently we were listening to some of our old 33 rpm 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 had to include it in a blog, and I have done that a few times over the years. Hopefully the words will be a help and comfort to many of you.
The hymn was written in 1920 by Edward H. Joy (1871 - 1949) who had a long career serving in the Salvation Army. He was inspired to pen the words of this hymn by the words from Philippians, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." And also by the words from 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
Joy described the challenges that we all face at different times - sorrows, cares, burdens and anxieties. We all encounter these at various times in life and are currently doing so today. They often cause us emotional stress, and too often even serious physical problems. But there is a solution. It is that we bring our anxieties to the Lord in prayer. For this, the hymn writer uses the imagery of coming to the cross, and of coming to the mercy seat. How much better our lives would be if only we could claim and apply the words of this hymn and leave all of our anxiety with the Lord. I admit that this is a lesson that I must often still learn. But there is never a burden that He can't bear. And He asks us to leave ALL of them with Him. 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.
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.
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!
(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.
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!
Listen to it here. ANXIETY
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