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He Will Hold Me Fast: The Story Behind The Song

New Words Written by Matthew Merker/Arr. Phillip Keveren

This Sunday we will sing “He Will Hold Me Fast” in worship. This is still a relatively new song in our worship vocabulary but rich in meaning! 

Often in our faith journey we are quick to give “Sunday School” answers to questions that need deeper reflection. My awakening to such thinking was most vivid in 2003 when I lost both parents: my dad in March and my mom in November. During times of loss, or upheavals in our life, our faith is tested. We end up either holding tighter or letting go. Thank God that the working out of our faith in those desperate times ultimately depends upon His Sovereignty, not our sufficiency to handle things or make sense of it all. 

During the hazardous junctures of our existence our true character is revealed. But even more importantly than our character, the sufficiency of Christ to walk with us through these problematic, often gut-wrenching events, materializes. His strong arms hold tightly and carry us through the storm. I imagine many of you have felt exactly what I am talking about. 

The words to this modern hymn “He Will Hold Me Fast” were originally written by: Ada Ruth Habershon. Matthew Merker read the words while going through a period of questioning in his faith journey. I am attaching a video link that shares more background from Merker. 

Through his struggle and working out of his faith, he emerged stronger. The questions were not too big for God.  The resultant words of the hymn are powerful and comforting.

When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast.

When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.

I could never keep my hope through life’s fearful path,

For my love is often cold, He must hold me fast.

Chorus

He will hold me fast. He will hold me fast.

For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast.

Those He saves are His delight, Christ will hold me fast.

Precious in His Holy sight, He will hold me fast.

He’ll not let my soul be lost, His promises shall last;

Bought by Him at such a cost, He will hold me fast.

For my life He bled and died, Christ will hold me fast.

Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast.

Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast;

‘Till my faith is turned to sight when He comes at last.

Chorus

He will hold me fast. He will hold me fast.

For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast.

Merker discovered, as countless before him, it is God who does the saving. Our salvation is secure in Him. Our destiny is sure. The path may be filled with dense fog, hailstorms, tornadic explosions, unexplained happenings that shake us to our knees. Yet…if we are Christ’s child, HE will hold us fast!

Sunday morning, we will sing these poignant words in worship! Here is a demo link of the song to prepare your hearts, minds, and voices.

Pastor Keith

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FOCUSED

One of the casualties of aging to which I find myself a victim is the dimming of the eyes.  Ecclesiastes 12 counsels the young person to remember God, their Creator, in their youth before the aging process takes over and various faculties, as listed in verses 1-7, are diminished.

Clear eyesight when we are young may be something we take for granted. However, as we age the realization that our vision is not as sharp as it once was takes hold. “Readers” become standard fare for all intricate tasks. Our once keen laser sharp focus is now blurry and in need of help to restore its youthfulness. That restoration is found through glasses or some sort of rejuvenating surgery. Especially in the early stages of this degenerative eye problem we may be able to fake it and get by, but eventually we must relent and do something to correct the problem.

There is a parallel between physical and spiritual vision. “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” was written in the early 20th century. The hymn writer, Helen Lemmel, was strongly influenced by the artist and later little-known missionary, Lilias Trotter. Miss Trotter started off as an aspiring artist but early on felt a call from God to reach the lost. She began her ministry by rescuing prostitutes from the streets of London. Later she went to Africa, without missionary funding, and served for over forty years. While there she penned a poem that would greatly influence the writing of the hymn “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.”  The poem was entitled “Focused: A Story and Song.” 

The poem centers around focusing one’s attentions fully and completely upon God. She writes that Satan knows that if a person uses all their powers of concentration on being led by God’s Spirit, they will have a great intensity and impact upon those to whom they are called to minister. Lilias Trotter, writing in a more formal use of the English language than we are accustomed, shares some timeless insights which could very easily have been written today but with a different accent. She writes: “Never has it been so easy to live in half a dozen good harmless worlds at once—art, music, social science, games, motoring, the following of some profession, and so on. And between them we run the risk of drifting about, the ‘good’ hiding the ‘best’ even more effectually than it could be hidden downright frivolity with its smothered heartache at its own emptiness.”

The “good” hiding the “best” leads us to emptiness.  Could this be true of us today especially as American Christians? Have we sought the “good” while missing the “best”? The chorus of the hymn, which we will be singing in worship this Sunday, says it best.

                Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face,                                                                                                                                        And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Keith Pate

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