I'd like to take a look at one of the great mysteries of the gospel, the concept of one's life being "hidden in Christ." The main scriptural basis for this study is found in Colossians 3:1-3, where we read..."If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."
In order for our life to be hidden with Christ, we must consider ourselves to be dead to this world. Paul tells us in Galatians 2:20..."I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." He also goes on to write in Galatians 6:14..."But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."
We must be buried in the waters of baptism in order for our life to be hidden with Christ, as we read in Romans 6:4..."Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." We also read in Galatians 3:27..."For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Only then is our sin debt paid in full, and only then can we consider ourselves to be dead to this world, and dead to sin, as we read in Romans 6:11..."Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." However, this does not mean that we will no longer be tempted to sin, just that we have a Higher Power operating within us, which will guide us in the right way, leading us in the path of righteousness. We read further in Romans 6:12-14..."Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Though Satan will still do all within his power to tempt us, and to pull us away from God, we are endowed with the Holy Spirit, and with His strength and guidance we are able to overcome these temptations. We are promised in 1 Corinthians 10:13..."There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
If one's life is hidden with Christ, their priorities are no longer worldly matters, but are naturally shifted to spiritual matters and concerns. No longer should we be influenced or controlled by lusts or desires for the things of this world. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:19-21..."Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
There is a line from a beautiful old hymn entitled "A Wonderful Savior Is Jesus My Lord", which reads..."He hideth my soul in the cleft of the Rock, that shadows a dry, thirsty land. He hideth my life in the depths of His love, and covers me there with His hand." This is the general idea behind a person's life being hidden in Christ. When we belong to Him, He hides us in the cleft of the Rock, far away from the cares and concerns of this present world. His love is so powerful that it supersedes any troubles that we may encounter, and we are hidden in the palm of His almighty hand. No greater safety exists than the security that we experience as children of God, sheltered in His hand. Jesus tells us in John 10:27-30..."My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."
Paul expounds upon this concept in Ephesians 2:4-7..."But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." Our obedience, in conjunction with God's rich mercy, affords us the opportunity to be transformed from a state of being dead in sin, to a state of being dead to sin, when our life is hidden with Christ. Furthermore, our eternal destiny is secured, that is, it has become our "treasure laid up in heaven", and as Paul asserts in 2 Timothy 1:12..."For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Paul is telling us here that we can have the assurance of eternal life, because it is not within our grasp to keep or to lose, to hold onto or to let slip away. Our eternal destiny has been secured by our faith in the all-encompassing sacrifice made by Jesus on the cross. Paul reaffirms this in Romans 8:38-39..."For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Finally, we have a beautiful promise which immediately follows our original reading. In Colossians 3, verse 3, we are told that we are dead, and that our life is hidden with Christ in God. Then we read in verse 4..."When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." Jesus is our life, as we read in Phillipians 1:21..."For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." At the second coming of Christ, all those whose lives are now hidden with Him will appear with Him in glory, as Jesus Himself prayed in John 17:24..."Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." Heaven is the treasure that we seek, and that is where our heart is, where we hope to behold His glory forever more.
May we find rest and reassurance in the knowledge that our sins are nailed to His cross, and that our souls are safely anchored, secured by our faith in His blood sacrifice. We are covered by His Hand, and saved by His grace. This is the true meaning behind one's life being hidden in Christ.
This week, I'd like for us to take a look at the opening verses of Ecclesiastes chapter 3, as Solomon compares and contrasts different aspects of the seasons of life. This is a much quoted section of Scripture, but beyond the obvious, literal meanings there are many figurative and indirect interpretations. So, we'll read verses 1-8, and then take a closer look at them...
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."
Verse 1 gives us a general overview, as we read..."To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Our world is in an ever changing state, and has been since the beginning, although, by contrast, Solomon tells us earlier in Ecclesiastes 1:9..."The thing which hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." It seems that the only constant is change itself. One season leads into the next, and all things proceed according to the plan of God. He has appointed a time for every purpose, every change that we are to undergo. If we will learn to rely on His provision and mercy, we can find great contentment in the knowledge that He already has all things planned out. In Romans 8:28, Paul tells us..."And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
With verse 2, Solomon continues this thought..."A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted." It is interesting to note here that while Solomon acknowledges the fact that there is a time to be born, and a time to die, he makes no mention of a time to live. Our lives here are of such a brief nature, and not to be relied upon, as we read in Job 14:1..."Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." Perhaps Solomon, in his wisdom, felt it not worthy of mentioning a time to live, considering the fact that as soon as we are born, we begin to die. Just as there is a time to plant crops, or flowers, and a time to pluck them up, sometimes God will plant us in a particular place or situation, for His purpose, and He may pluck us out of these situations just as easily, in His own timing. We must come to the realization that God is in control, and then allow this knowledge to filter our perceptions.
With verse 3, Solomon speaks of life, death, and healing..."A time to kill, a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up." Criminals were often killed in Solomon's day, just as we have the death penalty today, although it is rarely utilized. Just as there is a time to kill, there is a time for God to heal, as we read in Hosea 6:1..."Come, and let us return to the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up." There are times when things must be broken down, relationships come to an end, partnerships dissolve, estates or kingdoms are divided. Great sadness can accompany these types of changes, but again, we must rely on God and know that He is in control, and just as surely, there will once again come a time of building up, of strengthening and renewal. We read in Isaiah 40:31..."But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
Verse 4 tells us that there is "A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." God intends for us to serve Him with gladness of heart, however, we must come to a place of repentance and humility before we can be pleasing to Him. We read in James 4:8-10..."Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." God also intends for us to have empathy and compassion for other people. Romans 12:15 tells us..."Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." We also read in Galatians 6:2..."Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
In verse 5, we read that there is "A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing." The scribes and Pharisees cast away their stones, when their consciences convicted them, as they were about to stone a woman caught in adultery. Jesus forced them to look at their own sin, as He told them in John 8:7..."...He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." In contrast, a more figurative interpretation would be that the Gentiles were like stones cast away, and then gathered together, under the common bond of Christ, as we read in Ephesians 2:19-20..."Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." God has His time for embracing His people, and also His time for rejecting them, the nation of Israel being the prime example. As they turned away from God, and turned to idols, they were rejected by God, but when they repented, God was willing to gather them to Himself once more. It is the same with us, today, as it was with the nation of Israel thousands of years ago. We read in 2 Peter 3:9..."The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
Solomon tells us in verse 6 that there is "A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away." One interpretation of "a time to get" would be that of a man earning a living for his family, as we read in Ephesians 4:28..."Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." The petitioning of God for wisdom, which Solomon himself did, is another interpretation. Proverbs 4:7 tells us..."Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding." Just as there is a time to get, there is also a time to lose. We will all face loss at some point in our life, and when it is God's will for us to lose something or someone, we must learn to rely on Him for strength. We read in Hebrews 13:5..."Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." And this needs to be enough for us. God wants us to have a good life, to enjoy the fruits of our labor, but He would not have us to be controlled by them. There is a time to keep those things which we love and enjoy, but if these things become a hindrance, or a point of separation from God, they must be relinquished. Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:37-38..."He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." Even the bond between a parent and a child is not to be closer or more valued than the relationship that we have with God.
With verse 7, we are told that there is "A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak." Garments were rent in mourning, or in times of distress, and even the veil of the temple was rent, at the time of Jesus' death, as we read in Matthew 27:50-51..."Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent." There is a time for us to keep silence, when our testimony would only be ridiculed, as Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:6..."Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." However, we must strive to keep ourselves in tune with the Spirit of God, that we would be led to speak at the appropriate times, so as not to miss out on an opportunity to spread the gospel, as God told Paul in Acts 18:9..."Then spake the Lord to Paul by night in a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace."
Finally, with verse 8, Solomon tells us that there is "A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." As Christians, we are to be predisposed to love others, as Jesus tells us in Mark 12:30-31..."And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." So, how are we to reconcile the fact that, just as there is a time to love, there is also a time to hate? David considered those who hated God to be his enemies, as he writes in Psalms 139:21-22..."Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them as mine enemies." However, along with these feelings of hatred, David sought God's guidance so that no wickedness would overcome him, as we read further, in verses 23-24..."Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." We should always be willing to allow God to search our hearts, and to reprove and rebuke any wickedness which is found within us. As long as there is evil in the world, there will be a time for war, a time for the sword to be drawn for justice and judgment, for the maintaining of rights or for the common good, and, conversely, just as there is a time for war, there is a time for peace. We read in Isaiah 54:10..."For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." We, as Christians, have a covenant of everlasting peace with God secured through the supreme sacrifice given by Jesus on the cross. We read in Hebrews 13:20-21..."Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
No matter which season of life we may find ourselves in, may we find peace and reassurance as we rest in the knowledge that our God is in control, and that He has a purpose and a plan for each of us.
This week, I'd like for us to examine the fact that God uses broken vessels in order to accomplish His will. In contrast to men, who throw out broken things, God never uses anything without breaking it first. Before we can ever hope to fulfill God's purpose for our life, we must reach a point in our journey where we are stripped of pride and arrogance, where we realize the futility of our own efforts, in other words, we are broken. Until we come to a point where we acknowledge our need for God, and our inability to make it without Him, we will never yield our will. However, once we accept our brokenness, we can begin to be restored and made new.
Earnest Hemingway once said, "We are all broken. That's how the light gets in." God has a divine plan for each and every one of us. We read in Jeremiah 29:11..."For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." There may be times when we feel that we have no direction, or no sense of purpose, but we must realize that we are very valuable to God, and that He has a specific purpose for each of us. We are told in Isaiah 64:8..."...O Lord, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand."
It's not about the brokenness of the vessel, but rather what God chooses to pour into it. We read in 2 Corinthians 4:6-9..."For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed." We are weak, that the strength and power of God might be made manifest through us. He pours out His Spirit upon us, as broken vessels, in order that His Light can spill forth through us and illuminate the way for others. Paul relates in 2 Corinthians 12:9, after he had petitioned God to remove the thorn in his flesh three times..."And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
So we see that God doesn't reject broken vessels, rather He restores them and then uses them for His glory. The realization that we are weak and vulnerable leads us to seek for something greater than ourselves. Sadly, many people misinterpret this need and therefore they will attempt to satisfy this longing with material wealth, or addiction, or any number of other things. However, it is a yearning which can ultimately only be fulfilled by God. When we are running away from God, seeking to satisfy our own desires, and make our own way, we will eventually come to a dead end. Psalms 31:12 tells us..."I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel." This is a turning point which we all must reach at some time in our life. When we find ourselves at our lowest point, this is when God can begin to restore us. When we have hit rock bottom, there is a Rock at the bottom for us to cling to and stand on. 2 Samuel 22:2 tells us..."...The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;", and we read in Psalms 147:3..."He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds", and in Psalms 34:18..."The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."
It is the coming to terms with our sin and weakness, and the changing of our hearts, that God desires. He wants us to turn to Him if we never have before, and to turn back to Him if we've let sin and weakness, and the stresses and cares of this life, tear us away. We read in Romans 3:23..."For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." In his own time of brokenness, David's humble plea to God in Psalms 51:10 is an appeal which should resonate within each of us..."Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
Once we understand the nature of our brokenness, we begin to comprehend the fact that, due to our own sin, as well as original sin, we can never be reconciled to God on our own. Sin has separated us from God. So, what is the answer to the problem of sin? What can heal our brokenness? Only the precious blood of Jesus can take away the stain of sin, and cleanse and purify our hearts. We read in Isaiah 1:18..."...though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Jesus gives us the supreme example of Light shining through a broken vessel. In spite of the fact that He had no sin of His own, He allowed Himself to be broken in order to purchase salvation for you and me. We read in Isaiah 53:4-6..."Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we were healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Though we are all broken, yet we are not without hope. We are told in 2 Corinthians 5:17..."Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." We must relinquish control of our own lives, and humbly place ourselves as clay into the Hands of the Divine Potter. He will then fill us with His Spirit, He will mend our brokenness, and He will restore our souls.
This week, I'd like for us to take a look at learning how to walk with God, and what this means in our daily life. We'll try to take the perspective of a child learning to walk, and the steps involved, and use God's word to help us understand the process, because we are His children, and, just as a baby must learn to walk, so we must learn to walk in His ways.
Just as a child must learn to stand before they can learn to walk, so we must first learn to stand. The process of standing involves first getting up, and then having something firm on which to stand, or one cannot maintain their balance. Paul tells us in Romans 5:1-2..."Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Our foundation is firm when we stand on the Rock. We stand in grace, and in peace, when we lean on Jesus. Without Him, we cannot stand. His sacrifice has given us peace and freedom to stand, as we read in Galatians 5:1..."Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."
In order to walk, one must not only be able to stand, but also to remain standing. It is only with the help of God that we can stand firm, and remain faithful, in a world so filled with wickedness. We read in Ephesians 6:11-13..."Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."
Now that we are standing on a firm foundation, and getting stronger in the Lord, we must begin to take steps forward. Just as a father teaching his child to walk, God is there with us, holding onto our hands as we take our first wobbly steps, and, unstable and unsteady as we may be, He will not let go. Psalms 18:36 tells us..."Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip." Like a young child taking their first steps, we will inevitably fall. However, we have a Father who is there to pick us up and set us back on our feet once again. Psalms 37:23-24 tells us..."The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand." And we read in Psalms 119:133..."Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." We must lean on the Lord not only for strength, but also for guidance. Jeremiah 10:23 tells us..."O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."
To change the direction of one's life, and to step from the paths of darkness into the path of light, can prove to be a difficult transition. As we begin to walk with God, we will be faced with many temptations and trials. Often times it seems as if we are being intentionally targeted, because this is exactly the case. Satan is going to do all that he can to pull us off of the path of light. He will set traps and snares, and try to get inside of our heads, in an effort to make us stumble. So, how are we to avoid these obstacles and pitfalls on the path? Ephesians 5:8 tells us..."For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." It is in how we walk, but more importantly, who we walk with, that will determine our success or failure. 1 John 1:6-7 tells us... "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin." We cannot be dependent upon our own convictions, or our own strength, to keep us on the path of righteousness, but rather continually pray for purity, for wisdom and direction, as well as for God's provision. We read in Psalms 84:11..."...the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." It is only when we trust in God for our guidance and stability that our steps are secure. We read in Proverbs 3:23..."Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble."
We read in 2 Corinthians 5:7..."For we walk by faith, not by sight." What does it mean for us to walk by faith? And, how can we walk by something other than sight? The concept in itself seems perplexing. For those of us who can see to close our eyes and try to walk would be disastrous. Obviously, this verse is not meant literally, but rather, in a figurative sense. It refers to the fact that we serve a God that cannot be seen with human eyes, and therefore, our faith sustains our belief. Paul tells us in Hebrews 11:6..."But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." The faith that we have in this life will be rewarded by sight when we reach eternal life. Our faith has been given to us as a gift, as we read in Ephesians 2:8-9..."For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." When this life is over, when we have finished our course, we can look forward to an eternal home in heaven, as Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:7-8..."I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."
Eliza E. Hewitt wrote the hymn "When We All Get To Heaven" in 1898, and it has been sung countless times in thousands of churches all over the world. The lyrics of this beloved old hymn seem to tie all these thoughts together in a beautiful way...
"Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, Sing His mercy and His grace; In the mansions bright and blessed He'll prepare for us a place. When we all get to heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, We'll sing and shout the victory! While we walk the pilgrim pathway, clouds will overspread the sky; But when trav'lling days are over, not a shadow, not a sigh. Let us then be true and faithful, trusting, serving every day; Just one glimpse of Him in glory, will the toils of life repay. Onward to the prize before us! Soon His beauty we'll behold; Soon the pearly gates will open; We shall tread the streets of gold."
