Sometimes An Old Hymn Says It Best

Over the past two years, I have been trying to start a construction management and development business along with two Christian friends that I met in my previous job. We prayed for a long time about it and really feel that God was calling us to do this. We have great plans for what we would be able to do in the kingdom! However, over the past several months it has become obvious that things were not going well financially. We have several projects that have been put on hold due to the tightening credit markets and as a result, we felt it was necessary to "do something else" until some of these projects were funded by the lenders and investors. We had been talking with a large engineering and construction company about doing some contract work in the Middle East and had agreed to start rotating back and forth between the States and the Middle East. In fact, I had a flight itinerary and a detailed travel schedule for the next several months. This was going to allow us to pay off some of the debts we had piled up and hold on with our business until one of our projects got started. However, as usual my plans were not necessarily those of God. Just about 24 hours before I was set to leave the country, the project was put on hold due to contract issues. I have to confess that when I received the call informing me about this, it made me physically sick. For most of the day, I sat in my office in a state of shock. I called Anita, who was out of town visiting her parents and told her the news. Then I also called my son and my daughter. Everyone was so concerned about me and how I was doing. Late in the day, my son wrote me one of the nicest emails I have ever received. Then I received an iTunes gift from my daughter and son-in-law for a download of a collection of hymns called "All I Owe" by Matthew Smith. I can tell you that receiving the email and the hymns were the best things that happened to me in the midst of a great outpouring of love from friends and family.



As I contemplated the day, I realized that even in the middle of this struggle, I have been blessed beyond belief and certainly beyond anything I deserve. As I listened to the hymns that Alicia and Tim sent, I really homed in on a hymn that was written more than 200 years ago, by a man who knew and understood the undeserved mercy and grace of our Lord, John Newton. Yes, the same John Newton who wrote "Amazing Grace" also wrote a hymn titled "The Lord Will Provide." I had never heard this hymn, but was struck by the truth of the lyrics and comforted by the peaceful melody. The words to this hymn were exactly what I needed to hear. The last verse of the song goes like this:

When life sinks apace, And death is in view, This word of his grace Shall comfort us through: No fearing or doubting With Christ on our side, We hope to die shouting, The Lord will provide.
I love to sing choruses and praise music and I love to hear Southern Gospel and Gospel Bluegrass music. However, I am more and more convinced that the old hymns written by people like John Newton, Horatio Spofford, B. B. McKinney, Fanny Crosby, Martin Luther and others, sometimes offer a deep truth and comfort that comes straight from the Word of God. I guess that sometimes an old hymn says it best!