Jesus is Nigh You, and His Arm is Sufficient

I woke up with words from this song going through my head, not the words from beginning to end, but key phrases that were an important message for me today. I love how the Lord does that for us. So, of course, I googled a phrase, and the song magically appeared.

The Time is Far Spent

The time is far spent; there is little remaining

To publish glad tidings by sea and by land. 

Then hasten, ye heralds; go forward proclaiming: 

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven’s at hand,

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven’s at hand.

Shrink not from your duty, however unpleasant,

But follow the Savior, your pattern and friend.

Our little afflictions, tho painful at present,

Ere long, with the righteous, in glory will end,

Ere long, with the righteous, in glory will end.

What, tho, if the favor of Ahman possessing,

This world’s bitter hate you are called to endure?

The angels are waiting to crown you with blessings!

Go forward, be faithful, the promise is sure.

Go forward, be faithful, the promise is sure.

 Be fixed in your purpose, for Satan will try you;

The weight of your calling he perfectly knows.

Your path may be thorny, but Jesus is nigh you;

His arm is sufficient, tho demons oppose.

His arm is sufficient, tho demons oppose. 

(Eliza R. Snow)

All of us are dealing with trials. All of us. None of them feel like little afflictions. I’m sure Eliza R. Snow, of all people, new that. But then there’s the perspective of the song. We were made to endure the glory also, not just the afflictions. And even in our present trials, God will allow us to feel some of that now. We experience the bitter, and at the same time, we cherish the sweet so much more.

And the Lord has promised us that we do not have to serve him alone; we do not have to combat the hatred or mocking or even the misunderstandings of others alone; we do not have to face the demons of this world, or even our own personal demons alone. It matters little that Satan knows the weight of our callings when we remember that Jesus knows us better and he loves us perfectly and knows how to succor and sustain us fully and proportionately to what is necessary for our needs and growth at the time we need added sustenance. His perfect Light will expel all darkness, even if currently only feel a respite. 

This I believe and know. Jesus lived for me, He suffered for me, He died for me, and He lives for me again. Because of what He has done for me, because of what He has done for you, He knows us intimately, our weaknesses and our strengths; and, it is His good pleasure to be our Friend and Companion as we remember Him and cry unto Him to be our support; and turn unto Him in our sorrows and our fears, and our joys and successes.

When we feel like we have been tried beyond our mortal capacity, we need to remember that if we are in partnership with Him, nothing is impossible. He has said, "I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up (Doctrine and Covenants 84:88)." So when you need to be carried, bury yourself in His bosom, and He will carry you and heal you in His own way and time, and allow you slowly to become like Him.

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Today’s Sacrament meeting was very good, beginning with the opening song, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.” I thought about my brother Ed and his strong testimony as he sang that song when he was a young boy. I imagined how close he must have been to the Savior to choose that song. And of course, I miss my mother, and Ed, and Kathy, and Robby, and Nana, and Oma, and on and on. But the powerful message of the song reminds me that because Jesus lives, we all will go on living even after our bodies lay down in death. And because Jesus is resurrected and glorified, we will be, too! I marvel at His love and His goodness.

While I love many hymns, few affect me the way this one does. (Two others that do are “The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning” and “I Stand All Amazed.”)

Here are the words to the opening song today:

I Know that My Redeemer Lives

1. I know that my Redeemer lives.

What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, he lives, who once was dead.

He lives, my ever-living Head.

He lives to bless me with his love.

He lives to plead for me above.

He lives my hungry soul to feed.

He lives to bless in time of need.

2. He lives to grant me rich supply.

He lives to guide me with his eye.

He lives to comfort me when faint.

He lives to hear my soul's complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears.

He lives to wipe away my tears.

He lives to calm my troubled heart.

He lives all blessings to impart.

3. He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend.

He lives and loves me to the end.

He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing.

He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

He lives and grants me daily breath.

He lives, and I shall conquer death.

He lives my mansion to prepare.

He lives to bring me safely there.

4. He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

Text: Samuel Medley
Music: Lewis D. Edwards

While the messages of every single verse speak of my love for Jesus and His relationship to me and mine to Him, the third verse always grabs me particularly. He is my Friend; He is my Prophet, my Priest, and my King! What greater reason do I have to sing? What greater reason do I have to rejoice and to lay my burdens down at His feet and continue forward in faith, hope, and good will? Because He is all these things to me, I need to trust in Him and allow Him to bind up my broken heart, and then do all that I can to serve Him.

I think that there is no greater song than this for expressing my belief, my faith, my hope, and my testimony in the Lord. While I sing this song, I feel His Spirit’s witness, and “I know that my Redeemer lives.”

After the Sacrament, the Bishop began the testimony meeting with a humble and sincere testimony like a child's. He knows the gospel is true, and he expressed thankfulness for his mother and father. This set the tone for many other powerful witnesses and the Spirit was sweet and real. I was deeply touched by the meeting, because the messages expressed what I feel and what I needed to hear; and reflecting on that, I feel that there is more unity in this newly combined congregation than I could have ever imagined. I am thankful.