Abide with Me, ELW 629
1 Abide with me! Fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me!
2 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!
3 Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word,
But as Thou dwell'st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.
4 Come not in terror, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings;
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea.
Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.
5 Thou on my head in every youth didst smile,
And though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee.
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.
6 I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the Tempter's power?
Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, oh, abide with me!
7 I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still if Thou abide with me.
8 Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes,
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me!
Devotion
V. 5 "Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes,
shine through the gloom and point me to the skies,
heav'n's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee,
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me."
I do not find it at all morbid to tell everyone that I want this sung at my funeral. This hymn is such a powerful witness of asking for God's presence—needing God's presence! We were made to seek God and only find rest when we rest in God.
Yet, life is full of sorrow and suffering. We celebrate Easter only to receive a hard phone call or have to make a tough decision with no clear answer. Life is not black and white. It can be quite gray! But we are reminded at the end of each verse that God is the one who helps the helpless, who does not change and who abides with us no matter what.
We then have the beautiful promise that after a life lived with God, when we close our weary eyes, we will see the glory of Heaven's morning. Then we shall see things clearly for the first time and fully understand that God has always abided with us.
Prayer
Dear God: Abide with me. Open my eyes to see your presence in my life and the trust to know that you will never leave me, no matter what. Through Jesus Christ, Amen.