Christians are familiar with the unforgettable story in Genesis 22 where the Lord provides a ram to take the place of Isaac on the altar. The great phrase in the story is: “Yahweh will provide.” William Cowper (John Newton’s dear friend) wrote an excellent hymn with this theme of waiting on the Lord – for he will provide. Here it is:
The saints should never be dismay’d,
Nor sink in hopeless fear;
For when they least expect his aid,
The Saviour will appear.This Abraham found, he rais’d the knife,
God saw, and said, “Forbear;
Yon ram shall yield his meaner life,
Behold the victim there.”Once David seem’d Saul’s certain prey;
But hark! the foe’s at hand,
Saul turns his arms another way,
To save th’ invaded land.When Jonah sunk beneath the wave
He thought to rise no more;
But God prepar’d a fish to save,
And bear him to the shore.Blest proofs of pow’r and grace divine,
That meet us in his word!
May ev’ry deep-felt care of mine
Be trusted with the Lord.Wait for his seasonable aid,
And tho’ it tarry wait:
The promise may be long delay’d,
But cannot come too late.
Shane Lems
Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Hammond, WI, 54015
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