"All that thou sendest us in mercy given"

A dear friend gave my husband and me a gift today. He goes with my husband and another friend to minister to young men who are in prison. In the past it was Preston in Ione. That is closed now so they have gone on to Fire Camp and are trying to start a Bible study there.

The gift? Bill, who was once the head of Inter-varsity in Northern California, has taken the time to look up the topics the publishers of the English Standard Version Bible provided. He has written out the text in full. He had several copies made and has given them out to friends. So today I looked up the topic “discouraged/disappointed.”

Among other verses I found this:

“2 Corinthians 4: 8-9-We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”

And this:

“1 Thessalonians 3:3- That no man [or woman] should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.”

And:

“Hebrews 12:3-For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

For that one I would rather use my NASV and add the next verse:

“Hebrews 12: 3-4-For consider him who has endured such hostility by sinners against himself, so you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin …”

The next line reminds us that it is God who disciplines us which is a sign that we are his sons and daughters. Our lives as they unfold belong to our God.

In the song “Nearer my God to thee” I love the line “all that thou sendest me in mercy given.” And yet I forget it so many times. All that comes to those who belong to Jesus they receive from his hand, in mercy. In the events of our life we experience a rest that lies within the sovereignty of God. What is allowed shapes us into the image of Christ.