Book with Mirror by Sean Kernan
It has been a good day of worship and family fellowship, Father, now, may I be about the work at hand. Amen.
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If we are honest with ourselves, there are a lot of things about our faith as believers that we struggle with. On that point, we haven’t been alone for a long, long time.
One person was able to write down his thoughts in what would become the familiar Gospel hymn I Know Whom I Have Believed. It was written by a gentleman named Daniel Whittle in 1883. He wrote five stanzas speaking of things he did not know, but the hymn’s refrain proclaims what he does know!
I discovered an article* that delved into what Whittle did to communicate this.
Each stanza discusses a faith issue with which Christians struggle. The first stanza addresses how we cannot understand God’s saving grace; the second stanza addresses how we cannot explain our faith in the Word; the third stanza addresses how we cannot comprehend the work of the Holy Spirit; …the fourth stanza references how we cannot know the end of our life; and the [fifth] stanza addresses how we cannot clearly perceive the future of our earthly lives. The refrain contrasts with these stanzas by beginning with the world, “But…” It reminds us that even if we cannot fully know the mysteries of our faith, we are fully known by God, and we do know by faith that God is true to his word.
I shared with one of my congregation last Sunday why hymns are so important in the life of followers of Christ. Hymns are not on equal ground as God’s Word, but they sure mirror His Word, proclaiming its innumerable truths in song. The refrain of this song comes word for word from 2 Timothy 1:12, part of a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to his young protégé, Timothy.
… I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. v12b KJV
The apostle Paul wrote this letter to Timothy while imprisoned, yet he feels empowered in his suffering because it mirrors the suffering of Jesus Christ. Paul uses his plight to encourage…Timothy to remain strong in his faith, no matter the difficulties he is facing. Paul would argue that even though he feels that he may not be able, he is made able through the love and compassion of Jesus Christ. Like in the first stanza, while we are unworthy, “Christ in love” has “redeemed me for his own.”
Today, find encouragement in the words of I Know Whom I Have Believed. May God’s work, reflected in the words of Daniel Whittle, bring you hope in all the trials of life!
Follow along with this very nice, simple arrangement played by Kaleb Brasee.
I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.
…Refrain
…But I know whom I have believed,
…And am persuaded that He is able
…To keep that which I’ve committed
…Unto Him against that day.
I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.
…Refrain
I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing us of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.
…Refrain
I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.
…Refrain
I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.
…Refrain
*This was posted in August 2019 on the Discipleship Ministries’ (an agency of the United Methodist Church) website under the History of Hymns section.
It was compiled by Logan Herod, a Master of Sacred Music student at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
Oct 29th, 2023, Sun, 6:47 pm
