Blessed Assurance
By Tricia Carrier
Recently my mom casually referenced a part of this song in a conversation. It reminded me of the power of praise and the need to fill my heart and soul with it in the midst of the unknown and ever changing world we are waking up to daily. So, I downloaded the song and looked up the lyrics. What a feast of truth packed into this old hymn.
It was written by Francis Crosby over a hundred years ago. She saw the world through a different lens than most of us. She became blind at an early age and was raised by her grandmother. She eventually attended and taught at the New York Institute for the Blind and helped many others overcome their disabilities. Even today, a century later, the words she penned have been a balm to my weary soul. Chew on these lyrical nuggets with me:
“Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest. Watching and waiting, looking above, filled with His goodness, lost in His love.”
Aw, take a deep breath, and let that soak in for a minute. In this world of forced margin and wondering what other modern luxury will be taken from us next, I was reminded that I must watch and wait and look above to the One who can give us true rest. I cannot focus on the circumstances around me. The One who can lose us in His perfect love that casts out fear is where we must turn so that we do not drown ourselves in self pity and worry of the unknown.
I challenge you to listen to the hymn below and soak up the truth found only in His blessed assurance. And, then, take it a step further in the midst of our season of social distancing. Use this song or another praise song that speaks to your heart and send it as a group text to some friends and encourage each other to share their thoughts on how it speaks to them in their time of need. It’s a great way to start an encouraging conversation and stay connected to the Source and to each other!
