I’ve been exploring some of the very modern worship songs as an old guy 😀. But now, I’ve decided to alternate between very modern hymns, old hymns, and in-between hymns, namely the worship songs from the 60s to the 90s that feature in hymnbooks such as Mission Praise. Today it’s the turn of the old hymns.
Today’s song is O Jesus, I have promised from 1868.
O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.
Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.
Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.
O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.
Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.
John Ernest Bode, the Anglican clergyman who wrote it, wrote the text specifically for the confirmation of his daughter and two sons at his parish church, intending it to serve as a personal declaration of faith and commitment. All to often, church rituals, such as confirmations, can be merely rituals. Bode rightly saw the need for the faith and commitment to be real. People in my evangelical circles don’t practice confirmation. But you might hear about people giving their life to Jesus at a youth camp or an Alpha course or whatever – and that can be no more than a ritual too 😀. It needs to be real – and the hymn emphasizes that things don’t end when you commit your life to Christ. It’s an ongoing commitment.
Let me tell you about my Eric Clapton illustration. Let’s suppose that Eric, my favourite guitarist, moved to my city. And let’s say that he promised to hold a free guitar class every week. All he’d ask is that we would commit ourselves to learning the guitar.
Some would make more progress than others, but he would be pleased to teach us all. That, to me, is what committing my life to Christ is like. He died to save me, He gives me salvation from the moment that I believe, but He asks me to go on learning from Him. Some Christians might demand a high level of holiness, and might congratulate themselves on their holiness and sneer at others. Others might be disappointed with their lack of progress, but delight in God’s mercy. Which ones does God prefer? But someone utterly careless, would probably not carry on – which to me, indicates, that their faith was never real in the first place.
Anyway, here are some other versions of today’s hymn:
Hibernia Gospel 