THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT - Be Still, My Soul (A blogpost for a sermon to be preached on 10/19/2014)

This post finds my heart heavy with the loss of a dear friend, Keith Cook.  I had the great pleasure of being his pastor and the honor of baptizing him into Christ on February 2nd of this year.  He was a very simple man with simple ways that I would very much like to emulate.  

The hymn, Be Still, My Soul, carries the thought of my sermon for this weekend.  The 3rd and 4th verses combine to remind me of the personal gain we can find in personal loss and the hope of rejoining those who have departed.

Lord, give us all the strength to "be still and know."

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.

Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.