Blessed Assurance

"Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:22-23

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."  I John 4:10

Today in church we sang the old hymn "Blessed Assurance", written by Fanny J. Crosby (1820-1915).  I learned this song when I was a child and to this day, it has remained a special part of my brain's "music library."  Tonight, as I am still thinking about the words to the song, and because gospel music is so important to my walk of faith, I wanted to share the stanzas and chorus of "Blessed Assurance" with my blog readers.  Some of you will know the song and others of you might not.  But, first I want to give you some astounding facts about Fanny Crosby.

In the book, Amazing Grace, 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions, I found the following description of Fanny Crosby's work: "Though blinded at six weeks of age through improper medical treatment, Fanny J. Crosby wrote more than eight thousand gospel song texts in her lifetime of ninety-five years.  Her many favorites such as "Blessed Assurance" have been an important part of evangelical worship for over a century.   Only eternity will disclose the number of individuals whose lives have been spiritually enriched through the texts of Fanny Crosby's many hymns."  What an anointed and amazing woman of God! 

As I sometimes do in my blog writings, I want to ask you a rhetorical question.  In today's society, what I am going to ask is not a politically correct question.  However, we must look beyond political correctness deep into our hearts, for when push comes to shove, it is each individual who has to know where they stand with God.  So, my question is the following: Do you currently have a "blessed assurance" of your eternal salvation?  If you were to die today, do you know where you would spend eternity?  If you are not totally sure, let me point you to the Word of God, for it is within the confines of its pages that you will find the assurance you are looking for.  The Bible is full of God's promises and will give you absolute confidence that you have the life of God within you and that you are His for eternity.  I John 5:13 gives the following assurance: "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."  This confidence is not based on inner feelings or outer signs.  Rather, this assurance is founded upon the promises of a faithful God and His inspired Word.  It depends not on the amount of our faith but on the object of our faith--Jesus Christ Himself.

Blessed Assurance

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Perfect submission, perfect delight!

Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;

Angels descending, bring from above,

Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission--all is at rest,

I in my Savior am happy and blest;

Watching and waiting, looking above,

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Chorus:

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long;

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, we thank you for the legacy that Fannie J. Crosby left us through her song texts.  Thank you for calling her to a great work for the cause of Christ.  Fill our hearts with the assurance that we belong to You now and throughout eternity.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.