This post is part three of a series on the song Abide with Me. Read part one, then part two!
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
Henry Francis Lyte, 1847
The song Abide with Me is a plea for God to be with you through life and death, sunshine and clouds. Every line is filled with Biblical references. In verse one, we sing that God is the “help of the helpless.” Here we’ll discuss verse two. The lyrics state that life on earth is short and full of change, but God is unchanging.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
James 4:14
We feel like we have so long to live on this earth. Especially when you’re young and just dying to graduate high school so you can move out of the house! Then, when you turn 36, you realize the 2nd 18 years of your life went by so much faster than the first half!
But I don’t think we truly realize how short 18 years is until we have kids of our own. All of a sudden, those years are flying by! I just can’t imagine my kids being responsible enough to live on their own so soon!
Perhaps as we get older we get wiser, because the message throughout the Bible is that our earthly life is short. Even if you live to be 100-years-old – a long time by today’s standards – that is still just a dot on the line of eternity.
The shine on a gold trophy quickly fades. We soon start chasing the next shiny thing, only to realize the excitement is short-lived. There is always some other goal to achieve. But God’s Word remains forever.
“All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,
But the word of the Lord endures forever.”
I Peter 1:24-25
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
But You are the same, And Your years will have no end.
Psalm 102:27
What God says is true, and He does not go back on His word. He is not two-faced, selfish, weak, biased, or changing. Unfortunately, this is hard for us to comprehend. We have frenemies, we watch tv shows where people are easily bought, we joke as we stereotype whole professions as liars (for example, politicians and lawyers).
But God is like none of these things: He will not betray you, He does not take bribes, and everything He says is true. You can count on Him; He has your best interest at heart and He is faithful to His promises.
When we die and go to be judged, He is not going to say, “Heaven is closed today. Someone hurt my feelings, and I don’t feel like being nice.” This is a funny example, but we do that, don’t we? We use hurt feelings as an excuse to be in a bad mood and lash out at those around us.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.
2 Timothy 2:13
But God is not controlled by His feelings. He is a just God. Those that don’t know Him or walk with Him will be punished, but it’s not because God goes back on His word. Even when we don’t fulfill our part of the plan, God fulfills His. Because He IS faithfulness.
The earth is always changing, people are always changing, our circumstances are changing, but God keeps His word. He does not falter.
God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
Psalm 46:1-3
Even though the earth is shaking and the mountains are moving into the sea, God is still our safe place, our refuge. As the world is changing, God remains unchanged. And He wants us to “be still and know” that He is God (verse 10).
In a world that is ever-changing, fast-paced, and always moving, let’s rely on the steady hand of God. Trust God where He leads you, and trust that it will be good. And if you make a mistake, know that God is still faithful.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Do you feel life passing quickly?
What shiny things capture your attention?
What are some examples of “change and decay” that you’ve seen in your lifetime?
Do you find comfort in knowing that God does not change?
A PRAYER
Dear God, our Father, you are unchanging and eternal. Help us to see that our lives are short and soon we fly away. We want to live to please you and not to satisfy our greedy hearts. We wish to see the desires of your heart and to know that following you is to be given eternal life. Thank you for sending your light to this earth in the form of Jesus. In His name we pray, Amen.
Read next: Abide with Me, My Guide and Stay
Leave a Reply