Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go, Anywhere He leads me in this world below; Anywhere without Him dearest joys would fade, Anywhere with Jesus I am not afraid.
by Doug Bing, Washington Conference president
Recently the church I was attending sang one of my favorite hymns as the appeal song at the end of the service. The song’s lyrics have stuck with me for several days now.
The hymn was written by a twenty-five-year-old young adult lady in 1886. She was a prolific song writer as well as published nine books. She wrote over 800 hymns. Yet this is the one that is the best remembered and sung.
This song frankly encapsulates what it means to give ourselves to Jesus each day. It describes what it means to have a relationship with Jesus. When you are in love with someone you will go with them through the joys and the troubles of life. That is what happens. The second verse goes even deeper.
Anywhere with Jesus I am not alone; Other friends my fail me He is still my own. Though his hand may lead me over dreary ways, Anywhere he leads me is a house of praise.
Let’s face it we have had some dreary times recently. There are many things happening in our world that seem unsafe, scary and dark. Yet we can go where Jesus wants us to go and still be a house of praise.
Friends, each day is the right day to be growing spiritually.
Each day is the right day to fully commit to Jesus. Each day is the day to go anywhere with Jesus. Matthew 25 tells the great story of 10 young ladies waiting for the bridegroom to come. All of them slept because they were tired of waiting. But as you know, five of them made sure they were ready when the bridegroom came. When the bridegroom came, they got up trimmed their lamps and went into the wedding.
Jesus is coming again.
We all may be tired of waiting. We may be tired of all the dark and dreary things that are going on in our world and wonder why Jesus is taking us through those things. Yet now is the time to keep growing in Jesus. Keep growing spiritually and keep going anywhere Jesus leads you. Know that both in this world and in the earth made new we will be able to sing those words from the last stanza: Anywhere with Jesus will be home sweet home.