In my last blog post, I wrote about the hymn, “Abide with Me”. Since God continues to use it to minister to my soul, I want to offer some further reflections on the beautiful truth it contains.

Thou on my head, in early youth didst smile;

And, though rebellious, and perverse meanwhile,

Thou hast not left me, though I oft left Thee,

On to the close Lord, abide with me.

In this second verse, the hymn writer points us to the gracious nature of God’s abiding with us. He was with us in our earliest days, even before we were aware of Him or could speak words asking Him to abide with us. And as we grew and our sin natures began to reveal themselves, God did not leave us. And notice this sin was no small thing. It was rebellious and even perverse. It caused us to want to flee and leave God. And yet, even in those times, He remains. And so, looking on the past faithfulness of God becomes the basis for the plea that God would continue to do as He has always done, all the way until the end (“the close”).

This verse highlights the reality that our relationship with God ultimately rests on God’s steadfastness, not ours. A tangible example of this can be found in Genesis 15 when God makes a covenant with Abraham. And yet this is one of the truths where the enemy seeks to gain a foothold. He comes with his accusations that our ignorance and our sins are so great that surely God must distance Himself from us and discard us. But the hymn reminds us that even “if we are faithless, he remains faithful” (2 Timothy 2:13). We may try to leave Him but He never leaves us (Hebrews 13:5).

I need Thy presence, every passing hour.

What but Thy grace, can foil the tempter's power?

Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?

Through cloud and sunshine, abide with me.

Knowing the ongoing nature of that battle with the world, the flesh, and the devil, we move to sing of our continuous need for God’s abiding presence. Why? Because only the grace of God is powerful enough to squash all the plots and plans and power of the evil one. Given all the deceitful tricks of the enemy as well as the remaining corruption in our own hearts, we need God to lead us as we navigate life in this world and to be a check or curb (“stay”) that keeps us on the path of righteousness.

And when do we need this abiding guidance? Only in the tough time, the times of “cloud”? Well, certainly in those times but also in the times of “sunshine”, when all is going well. For often, the greater danger to our sense of needing the Lord to abide with us comes when life is easy. We begin to think we can handle it in our own wisdom and strength. And so, the hymn reminds us that we need God to be with us every moment of every day.

So, saints, let’s continue to grow in our dependence upon the Lord in all things. Not just the big things but the little things as well. Not just for the hard parts of the journey but also in the times of ease. For in doing so, we will be able to sing:

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless

Ills have no weight, tears lose their bitterness

Where is thy sting death? Where grave thy victory?

I triumph still, abide with me.