"…He had me open the hymnal to get me out of the rubble!"

The realities of this life have my heart  restless, my mind over-worked, anxious thoughts have me stirring like a wave! Then the lies of the world flood in like a torrent: “There is NO help in God!”   I can’t settle down! I just can’t see! I’m fretful, and anxious, and so very sad!  I can’t hear His voice! This is a test, and I’m failing-I see mountains and clouds, BUT God sees my mess – So I ‘just do the next thing’ as I sit near the shelf and pull down the hymnal and open: “The Haven of Rest”!
“My soul, in sad exile, was out on life’s sea. So burdened with sin and distressed, ‘Til I heard a sweet voice saying, “Make Me your choice,” And I entered the haven of rest. I’ve anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest, I’ll sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep o’er the wild, stormy deep, In Jesus I’m safe evermore.”
‘The tempest is sweeping‘, these words ring so true, of this world that is changing each day! The great temptation to fear and to fret is ever so present and near! “I’ve anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest…” these words in this hymnal do test! They test me, they ask me, “Have you anchored your soul?”  And, “where is it’s place?” Is it in ‘sad exile out on life’s seas? Is your heart burdened with sin and distressed? Do you hear only the news and all of it’s noise?
“Make Me your  choice,”this is not a one-time decision! But moment by moment at best, to hear that sweet voice say, “Make- Me- your- choice” and ‘anchor your soul in the Haven of Rest.’
“I yielded myself to His tender embrace, And faith taking hold of the Word, My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul, and the haven of rest is my Lord.”
“I’ve anchored my soul…” ‘I’ve anchored my soul…” This indicates  to me, a ‘STOP!’ To anchor and ‘Be Still and know  He is God’ so I hear once again, His sweet voice. By faith I will speak this hymn, every word:  ‘I yielded myself to His tender embrace, And faith taking hold of the Word, My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul, and the haven of rest is my Lord.”
God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow – yet MY emotions and hormones do change- moment by moment, not just a one-time thing, I’d like to make Jesus my choice! God is a ‘very present help in times of trouble’,  and when He saw all the mess, He had me sit and be blessed and He brought me this hymn I didn’t know! To read the words and be touched in my trouble – God had me open the hymnal, to be a present help –  to get me out of the rubble!
“The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole, Has been the old story so blest. Of Jesus, who’ll save who-so-ever will have A home in the haven of rest. I’ve anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest, I’ll sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep o’er the wild, stormy deep, In Jesus I’m safe evermore!” (The Haven of Rest, Henry L. Gilmore).
“Make Me your choice.” OK, Lord, I will. But you know I will fail! ” then, just make ME your choice!”With ME you are safe…evermore!”