“Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” John 11:16
I listened to a Southern Gospel choir sing “Let us ever walk with Jesus” on Alexa a few days ago. That hymn always puts a potato sized dumpling in my throat and sometimes, bring a tear to my eye.
As Thomas suggested to the twelve in the eleventh Chapter of John, “let’s go and walk with Jesus and be prepared to die with him.” The children in the attached photo are attending Sunday worship in the Lutheran church in Torbeck which is about six miles west of Les Cayes; they too are walking with Jesus.
The hymn was originally written by Sigismund von Birken in 1653, composed by Georg G. Boltze in 1788 and translated by J. Adam Rimbach in 1900. For my daughter Deidre and anyone else that can read German or is interested in trivia, the original title was "Lasset uns mit Jesu ziehen". See if anyone at church can tell you about that title on Sunday.
“Let us ever walk with Jesus, follow His example pure. Flee the world, which would deceive us and to sin our souls allure. Ever in His footsteps treading, body here, yet soul above, full of faith and hope and love. Let us do the Father's bidding. Faithful Lord, abide with me; Savior, lead, I follow Thee. Let us suffer here with Jesus, to His image, e'er conform; Heaven's glory soon will please us, sunshine follow on the storm. Though we sow in tears of sorrow, we shall reap with heavenly joy; and the fears that now annoy shall be laughter on the morrow. Christ, I suffer here with Thee; there, oh, share Thy joy with me! Let us also die with Jesus. His death from the second death, from our soul's destruction, frees us, quickens us with life's glad breath. Let us mortify, while living, flesh and blood and die to sin; and the grave that shuts us in shall but prove the gate to heaven. Jesus, here I die to Thee there to live eternally. Let us gladly live with Jesus; since He's risen from the dead, death and grave must soon release us. Jesus, Thou art now our Head, we are truly Thine own members; where Thou livest, there live we. Take and own us constantly, faithful Friend, as Thy dear brethren. Jesus, here I live to Thee, also there eternally.”
Thank you for your continued support of Christian education throughout this world, as His children go about fulfilling His Good and Perfect purpose and walk with their Savior. Trinity HOPE has an online auction taking place right now. It started yesterday. It is a wonderful way to purchase something and the proceeds feed children who are walking with Jesus in Haiti.
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay