The=
re are few failures more devastating than a failed marriage. At least =
that’s how Pastor Ira Stanphill felt when his wife Zelma divorced him. =
Together in 1946 they had written a wonderful Christian hymn of =
invitation – "Room at the Cross for You”.
The cross upon =
which Jesus died,
Is a shelter =
in which we can hide;
And its grace =
so free is sufficient for me,
And deep is =
its fountain as wide as the sea
Tho millions =
have found Him a friend,
And have =
turned from the sins they have sinned,
The Savior =
still waits to open the gates
And welcomes a =
sinner before it’s too late.
The hand of my =
Savior is strong,
And the love =
of my Savior is long;
Through =
sunshine or rain, through loss or in gain,
The blood =
flows from Calvary to cleanse every stain.
chorus:
There’s room =
at the cross for you,
There’s room =
at the cross for you,
Tho millions =
have come, There’s still room for one
Yes, there’s =
room at the cross for you.
This =
song had reached =
tens of thousands of hearts for the Lord. Now, she was singing in =
nightclubs. Eventually she remarried and shortly thereafter, she died in =
an automobile accident.
Bet=
ween the divorce and Zelma’s death, Ira reached a personal low in =
his life. He couldn’t help wondering if he was an embarrassment to the =
Lord. With increasing frequency he considered leaving the ministry. One =
day, while in the depths of despair, he poured out his feelings to the =
Lord, and God birthed a new song in his heart.
In =
the decades since that day many a despairing person has found faith for =
the future while hearing or singing the words the Lord gave him. For out =
of the deepest pain he wrote: "Many things about tomorrow, I don’t =
seem to understand; but I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds =
my hand."
Whi=
le in the valley of failure, that place where our self-image dies and =
everything looks lost, the great shepherd not only sustained Ira =
Stanphill but also used him to compose a song to comfort others in their =
darkest hour.
I don’t know about tomorrow; I just live from day to =
day.I don’t borrow from its sunshine for =
its skies may turn to grey.
I =
don’t worry o’er the future, for I know what Jesus said.
And today I’ll walk beside Him, for He knows =
what is ahead.
Every step is getting brighter as the golden stairs I =
climb;Every burden’s getting lighter, every =
cloud is silver-lined.
There =
the sun is always shining, there no tear will dim the =
eye;
At the ending of the =
rainbow where the mountains touch the sky.
I don’t know about tomorrow; it may bring me =
poverty.
But the one who =
feeds the sparrow is the one who stands by me.
And the path that is my portion may be =
through the flame or flood;
But His presence goes before me and I’m =
covered with His blood.
chorus:
Many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to =
understand
But I know who =
holds tomorrow – and I know Who holds my =
hand.
~~
Dr Bob Griffin =
[email protected] =
www.grif.net
"Jesus =
Knows Me, This I Love!"