Singing and Praying

As I was drying my hair this morning, and thinking about this morning's service, and praying, and just musing. . .I found myself humming the tune to this old hymn that I used to sing as a lullaby to my children. To be honest, I often "sing" it to myself at night, to quiet my heart and mind, and say good night to my heavenly Father. . .

"Jesus Is All the World To Me" by Will L. Thompson, was written in 1904, just five years before he died. His inspiration for this hymn was a portion of
Colossians 3:11 ". . .but Christ is all, and in all."


Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all;
He is my strength from day to day, without Him I would fall.
When I am sad, to Him I go, no other one can cheer me so;
When I am sad, He makes me glad, He’s my Friend.

Jesus is all the world to me, my Friend in trials sore;
I go to Him for blessings, and He gives them over and o’er.
He sends the sunshine and the rain, He sends the harvest’s golden grain;
Sunshine and rain, harvest of grain, He’s my Friend.

Jesus is all the world to me, and true to Him I’ll be;
O how could I this Friend deny, when He’s so true to me?
Following Him I know I’m right, He watches o’er me day and night;
Following Him by day and night, He’s my Friend.

Jesus is all the world to me, I want no better Friend;
I trust Him now, I’ll trust Him when life’s fleeting days shall end.
Beautiful life with such a Friend, beautiful life that has no end;
Eternal life, eternal joy, He’s my Friend.

Maybe it is my age (33 days until the big 5-0), but I still love the hymns. I sang them to my children as lullabies. I started with "Jesus Loves (You) Me" and moved on to this one, and added "He Leadeth Me" and "Blessed Assurance." I sing them to God in my prayer time; I sing them while working or "pooper-scooping" or just sitting and watching the birds in my backyard.

Long ago I learned that you will always think about something. If you don't plan what to think in the "waiting times" or "mindless activity times" your mind will usually drift to discontent or anger or envy or loneliness or some other negative emotion. By renewing my mind with God's Word (including songs that lift up His Word and His Character) I can save myself much heartache.

Will you (and I) start and end our days with a song in our hearts? That's my challenge to myself.

By the way, though I can no longer sing on this earth, I've got eternity to sing as much as I want to.