A SONG WE USED TO SING
I am very fond of some of the songs we used to sing. Many of them are no longer in even the newer hymnals. However, since I have been thinking for myself and not simply accepting a song or doctrine just because it is popular, I ask myself why I ever believed some of these things.
Here’s a song I have sung hundreds of times and never questioned what it was teaching. As you read this, do not look for a hidden or theologically buried message. What does it say in plain English?
“God Will Take Care of You”
1 Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you;
Beneath his wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.
Refrain:
God will take care of you,
Through ev’ry day,
O’er all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
2 Through days of toil when heart does fail,
God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you.
3 All you may need He will provide,
God will take care of you;
Nothing you ask will be denied,
God will take care of you.
4 No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon his breast,
God will take care of you.
Remember, you can’t spiritualize. Suppose you were a brand new visitor to a gospel meeting and didn’t know all of our jargon. What would it convey to you? Or suppose you were a seeker and heard this. Would it match the reality of what you see around you in the lives of Christians you know? Do they ever not pass the test or do foolish things, for example? What about a healing meeting and the follow up results?
The first stanza says, “Be not dismayed whate’er betide.” If I have the COVID-19 virus and I’m on a respirator, does that mean, “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine. God will take care of me?”
In the refrain, “Through ev’ry day, O’er all the way.” In other words, you’re covered all the time, everywhere and forever. What a deal! Has that been your experience? Remember, no spiritualizing.
The second stanza describes, “When dangers fierce your path assail.” Does that mean you don’t have to worry when you’re facing a firing squad or the stake for your faith that the enemy will not prevail and their attempts at killing you will fail? God will take care of you.
In the third stanza, do we find that “All you may need he will provide” and “Nothing you ask will be denied” are the realities we face daily? Did He provide food for those who died of starvation in third world countries, or did they just not sing the hymn, so it had no effect? Has everything you ever asked for been provided? If so, why do we preach that God answers prayers three possible ways: yes, no, or not now?
In the fourth stanza it states, “No matter what may be the test.” Does that mean that God will keep us from the test or from the consequences of the test when we failed it? God will take care of us.
Believe me, folks, I take no pleasure in ruining a great hymn which I have loved through the years. It’s even worse than that; I feel guilty of disappointing many cherished friends. Lately, however, I am more interested in our being honest with ourselves and others. In these days of physical and national turmoil, how do they read us? What kind of message are we sending?
IF they decide this might be a good time to “get religion,” how do they relate to what they are seeing and hearing in your church?
What do you think?
Written By Neil Fichthorn: Rev. Neil Fichthorn is a seasoned conference and camping servant having served at Gull Lake Bible Conference, Sandy Cove Ministries as President, and an interim Executive Director at Pinebrook Bible Conference. He also served in church music for decades as a choir director and arranger. He has been Bill Welte’s mentor and friend for over 45 years.
