In His Hands

I know!  I know!!  I have been absolutely TERRIBLE about posting lately.  Actually, I have my excuses.  So much has been going on lately...some major changes took place and kind of sent me into a spin--stress, confusion, doubt, fear, loneliness ("ceaseless ebb and flow", as the poem below says)... so I really haven't even felt like sitting down and writing a blog post lately.  Sorry about that, folks. :-/

I was looking at my quotes collection on OneNote this evening, for something uplifting that would set my focus on Christ, and came across a little four-line poem that I read somewhere, a long time ago, that was very encouraging.  I decided to google it and see if there was more to the poem, and found four stanzas full of encouragement.  They met me right where I am right now, and spoke to my heart what it needed to hear-- an idea that I've had in mind in recent weeks but was expressed so much more beautifully in this poem than I could have worded it.  No matter my changing emotions, or the days when the clouds block the sunlight... God never changes, and He is holding on to me, keeping me, and helping me through.  He never fails.  He is SO wonderful!!!   

I probably just said more than I meant to say...but anyway.  Without further ado, here's the poem, and I trust you will be encouraged as I was.  

IN HIS HANDS

'Twixt gleams of joy and clouds of doubt
Our feelings come and go;
Our best estate is tossed about
In ceaseless ebb and flow.
No mood of feeling, form of thought

Is constant for a day;
But thou, O Lord, thou changest not:
The same thou art alway.

I grasp thy strength, make it mine own,
My heart with peace is blest;
I lose my hold, and then comes down
Darkness, and cold unrest.
Let me no more my comfort draw
From my frail hold of thee,
In this alone rejoice with awe—-
Thy mighty grasp of me.

Out of that weak, unquiet drift
That comes but to depart,
To that pure heaven my spirit lift
Where thou unchanging art.
Lay hold of me with thy strong grasp,
Let thy almighty arm
In its embrace my weakness clasp,
And I shall fear no harm.

Thy purpose of eternal good
Let me but surely know;
On this I'll lean—let changing mood
And feeling come or go—
Glad when thy sunshine fills my soul,
Not lorn when clouds o'ercast,
Since thou within thy sure control
Of love dost hold me fast.

          —John Campbell Shairp