O Jesus, I Have Promised
O Jesus, I Have Promised
O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend:
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my guide.
O let me feel Thee near me,
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear:
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.
O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee,
That where Thou art in glory,
There shall Thy servant be;
And, Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.
IN Hebrews 10:23 there is an important parenthetical clause that reads, “God can be trusted to keep his promise.” Can we be trusted to keep ours?
When John Bode served the parish of Castle Camps, near Cambridge, England, in the middle of the nineteenth century, he had the privilege of officiating at the confirmation of his daughter and two sons. This hymn was written specifically for this occasion, and originally the first line was “O Jesus, we have promised” because all three children were making this dedication of themselves to the Lord.
While Bode wrote the hymn for young people and referred to the alluring temptations of the world, its message applies to Christians of any age.
Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.
Hebrews 6:11-12
From the book
