Wednesday; July 10

During church services last weekend, our song leader took us down Memory Lane leading us in a few old classics including the hymn “Yield Not To Temptation”.  According to a brief internet search, Horatio R. Palmer wrote the song in 1868 and published it in the National Sunday School Teacher’s Magazine.  From that point the song developed a following and it became a favorite for a lot of people.  We used to sing this song a lot when I was a youngster, but like many of the old standards, we don’t sing it as much anymore.  However, as we sang it the other day I was struck by the simplicity of the second verse, “Shun evil companions, bad language disdain, God’s name hold in rev’rence, nor take it in vain; be thoughtful and earnest, kindhearted and true; look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.”.  I am not going to argue the point of the eloquence of the verse, but the practicality is self-explanatory.  Whether it is the middle of the 19th Century or at the beginning of the 21st Century, the message is as true today as it was the day it was written.
We spend a lot of time and effort trying to gain insight into how we should live our lives, but sometimes I wonder if we over-think it.  What would happen if we lived by the simple messages of being smart, being kind, being respectful and being pure?  How much better would our lives be if; rather than seeking deep understanding, we simply sought a deeper relationship with Jesus.
I am not one of those people who has a disdain for the new and different, but every-once-in-a-while it might be a good idea to take a step back and remember where we’ve come from.  Truth is truth – whether it is discovered today or was penned over a century ago.
          Think About It!

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