God Will Take Care of You…
- Richard Niell Donovan
Marriages tend to work especially well when husband and wife have shared
interests… and even more so if their shared interests have a creative bent.
That was the case for Walter Stillman Martin (1862-1935) and his wife,
Civilla (1866-1948).
They had been drawn to each other, in large measure, because of shared
interest in music and their shared faith.
That turned out to be a blessing for the church, because the Martins wrote
several hymns, some of which became quite well known.
“God Will Take Care of You” is one of those. “His Eye Is on the Sparrow”
is another. Civilla wrote the words, and Walter set her words to music.
The story behind “God Will Take Care of You” is especially interesting.
Walter had a preaching engagement, but was considering cancelling
staying home with Civilla, who was sick.
However, their nine-year-old son said, “Father, don’t you think that if God
wants you to preach today, he will take care of Mother while you are away?”
Challenged by his son’s faith, Walter went to his preaching engagement,
leaving his wife’s well-being to God.
By the time Walter returned, Civilla was much improved.
Furthermore, inspired by their son’s faith, she had penned the words to
this song. Walter sat down at the keyboard, and in short order created the
music to go with the words.
It was first published in 1905 and became one of the best-loved hymns of
the 20th century.
The hymn assures us that God will take care of our needs.
We need not be dismayed, because “God will take care of you.”
“Through days of toil” we can be assured that “God will take care of you.”
When in need, we can be assured that God will provide.
No wonder this became such a popular hymn.
We have all been dismayed—in some cases, often.
We all toil with no guarantee of a reward.
All of us have needs that we can see no way of filling.
The chorus to this hymn encourages us to trust God.
It promises:
God will take care of you,
Through every day, o’er all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
And so, he will.
Edited by H.C.
***
An infant is born with a clenched fist.
A man dies with an open hand.
Life has a way of prying free the things
We think are so important.
- Anonymous
“Every farmer that produces “seed corn”
(etc.) dries it, buries (plants) it
and looks forward to a new crop
believes there is “life after death.”
- Manly Luscombe
Give someone some happiness,
It will make you smile.
- Cecelia Weir
The work an unknown
Good man has done is
Like a vein of water
Flowing hidden underground,
Secretly making the ground green.
- Thomas Carlyle
I took it to heart
That to be
A good person,
You never said
Anything mean
About anybody.
- Carly Simon
Sweat plus sacrifice
Equals success.
- Charlie Finley
“Think of what the (British) Empire would be
Tomorrow if in every home there was a
copy of the Bible that was read, studied,
And loved by every member of the family.
It would be a different Empire.
It would be a different world.”
“Turned upside down”
- Sir William Joynson-Hicks, M.P.,
(See Acts 17:6)
What The Bible Is…
I am the Bible, God's wonderful library,
I am always, and above all, the truth.
To the weary pilgrim,
I am a strong staff.
To the one who sits in darkness,
I am glorious light.
To those who stumble beneath heavy burdens,
I am sweet rest.
To him who has lost his way,
I am a safeguard.
To those who are sick in sin,
I am healing strength and forgiveness.
To the discouraged, I am a glad message of hope.
To those who are distressed and tossed about by
The storms of life,
I am an anchor, sure and steadfast.
To those who search for salvation,
I reveal the Savior of the world.
- Anonymous
“He who has no vision of Eternity
Will never get a true hold of Time.”
- Thomas Carlyle
“Things not seen... eternal”
(2 Cor.4:18)
***
“Since life is…short…,
it highly concerns you to…
take good heed how you employ it.
Today the man is vigorous…and flourishing,
and tomorrow he is cut down…and gone.
Ah, stupid, unthinking sinner!
how wilt thou appear at the tribunal,
or what plea canst thou urge
at the bar of sentence
to him who needs no evidence,
but is himself privy
to thy most concealed impieties?
How shalt thou escape the terrors
of that dreadful day?”
Via The Christian Pattern
(These are the words that John Newton
read on the ship in the terrible storm that
Got him to think about his soul.)
“What mercy can I expect…
I, the chief blasphemer?”
“The more I looked at what Jesus had done
on the cross, the more he met my case exactly
I needed an Almighty Savior
who should step in and take my sins away,
and I found such a one in the New Testament.”
- John Newton, Author of “Amazing Grace”
****
“For God so loved the world
That He gave His only begotten Son,
That whoever believes in His should not perish
But have eternal life” (John 3:16).
"3:16"
Some say they're nothing but numbers
Next to words that don't mean anything
Oh, but I found the truth and a friend like no other
The moment I read 3:16
Some say it's old-time religion
For the led-astray fools who believe
Oh, but I found the hope that my lost soul
was missing The moment I read 3:16
For God so loved, how can it be
That He sent His son to die for me?
My shame is gone, my sin washed clean
And I owe it all to 3:16
Some say you have to be perfect
Cause nothing in this life is free
Oh, but I found a grace I know I don't deserve
The moment I read 3:16
For God so loved, how can it be
That He sent His son to die for me?
My shame is gone, my sin washed clean
And I owe it all to 3:16
So lay down your burdens, you're broken
Lift up your eyes and see
A Savior with arms stretched wide open
On a cross meant for you and for me
Oh, thank God for 3:16
For God so loved, how can it be
That He sent His son to die for me?
My shame is gone, my sin washed clean
And I owe it all to 3:16
And I owe it all to 3:16
Oh, thank God for 3:16
Writer(s): Jeffrey Thomas Pardo,
Matthew West, Anne Wilson
***
For Further Bible Study…
http://www.searchingfortruth.org/
