NOT NOW BUT IN A BETTER LAND/ SOMETIME WE'LL UNDERSTAND

          While Jesus was washing the feet of His disciples, Simon Peter questioned if Jesus was also going to wash his feet?  Jesus answered and said "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this."  (John 13:7)  And over the centuries scores of believers have asked similar questions concerning things that the Lord has allowed in their lives.  Why, we ponder or ask?  We wonder what His purpose may be.  And we learn that we must depend upon Romans 8:28 knowing that He is working all things together for our good and that someday we will understand.  Maxwell Cornelius (1842 - 1893) was brought up on a farm in Allegheny County in Pennsylvania.  As a young man he left his family's home to become a brick mason In Pittsburgh.  But while working there, a wall of a house collapsed on him and he had to have his leg amputated. He decided to go to college and, after completing his studies with honors, he became minister of a church in Altoona.  But because of his wife's poor health he was forced to leave that church and move to California for the climate.  There he built a large Presbyterian church.  But the economy failed, people lost their jobs, and the church had problems paying off the debt.  He was finally able to raise enough to pay off the debt, but then his wife died.  He preached her funeral service and at the end of the sermon he quoted the words of a hymn which he had just written, "Sometime We'll understand".  The words of his sermon and hymn were published in a newspaper and a Major Whittle saw them, tore them out, and placed the clipping in his Bible. Three months later Whittle added the words of the chorus and handed them to his friend, James McGranahan, who added the tune.  The hymn provides a wonderful statement of faith in God which allows us to look beyond the trials and tests of today and rest in God's wisdom.  What may be a mystery to us today will someday be revealed to us when we will understand God's purpose in these tests and trials.  Maybe today you are questioning why God is allowing you to go through some of these trials in your life. Meditate on the words of this hymn this week, penned by a man who, despite all of his hardships and setbacks, maintained a positive attitude and faith in God's ways for his life. "Not now, but in the coming years, it may be in the better land, we'll read the meaning of our tears, and there, sometime, we'll understand." And claim the words of the chorus, "Then trust in God through all thy days, fear not for He doth hold thy hand!"

1     Not now, but in the coming years,

It may be when in a better land,

We'll read the meaning of our tears,

And there, sometime, we'll understand.

Then trust in God through all thy days;

Fear not, for He doth hold thy hand;

Though dark thy way, still sing and praise,

 Sometime, sometime, we'll understand.

2     We'll catch the broken thread again,

And finish what we here began;

God will the mysteries explain,

And then, ah, then, we'll understand.

Then trust in God through all thy days;

Fear not, for He doth hold thy hand;

Though dark thy way, still sing and praise,

  Sometime, sometime, we'll understand.

3     We'll know why clouds instead of sun

Were over many a cherished plan;

Why song has ceased when scarce begun;

'Tis then, sometime, we'll understand.

Then trust in God through all thy days;

Fear not, for He doth hold thy hand;

Though dark thy way, still sing and praise,

Sometime, sometime, we'll understand.

4     Why what we long for most of all,

Eludes so oft our eager hand;

Why hopes are crushed and castles fall,

Till then, sometime, we'll understand.

Then trust in God through all thy days;

Fear not, for He doth hold thy hand;

Though dark thy way, still sing and praise,

 Sometime, sometime, we'll understand.

5     God knows the way, He holds the key,

He guides us with unerring hand;

Sometime with tearless eyes we'll see;

Yes, then, 'tis then, we'll understand.

Then trust in God through all thy days;

Fear not, for He doth hold thy hand;

Though dark thy way, still sing and praise,

Sometime, sometime, we'll understand.

Listen to it here.  LISTEN