Whatever My God Ordains

I recently discovered this hymn thanks to David Z. and the awesome song sheet (should that be one word?) he created for our Bible study this summer. It has been one of many songs that has brought me great comfort over the past 6 months, and I'm planning on posting the lyrics to several of them over the coming days. (How's that for an easy, lazy way to blog?)

No, really, God has always used music as a powerful and moving tool in my life, so much so that when I hear certain songs I can almost feel/smell/sense the circumstances of my life at the time the song ministered to me. When I found out I would need a very serious operation in February, one of the first things I did was sit down at the piano and begin playing "Be Still, My Soul." The second thing I did was to download dozens of hymns and worship songs onto my ipod to take with me to the hospital. Through many un-sleepable (?) days in ICU, I put my earbuds in and was comforted by the words to some of the most powerful songs I've ever known.

Now, as I'm preparing to move to Pennsylvania at whatever unknown point in the future our house should sell, I'm finding a need for comfort all over again. It was with this in mind that I shared the following song with my mom on our drive to Tennessee this past weekend. The song is called "Whatever My God Ordains is Right," and though written in 1676, its tribute to God's sovereignty is timeless.

The reason our family was in Tennessee was to visit my step-grandmother who is losing her 4-year battle with cancer. She was recently told that there is nothing more they can do and that she should have about 3 good months left. She is a Christian and is more than ever aware of the hope that we have in Christ, but even so, she is afraid of what the coming months hold for her. As anyone would be. Her circumstances gave me an even more powerful vantage point from which to view the message in these lyrics. Enjoy.

Whatever My God Ordains is Right

Whatever my God ordains is right
In his love I am abiding
I will be still in all he does
And follow where he is guiding
He is my God; though dark my road
He holds me that I shall not fall
And so to him I leave it all.

Whatever my God ordains is right
He never will deceive me
He leads me by the proper path
I know he will not leave me
I take content, what he has sent
His hand can turn my griefs away
And patiently I wait his day.

Whatever my God ordains is right
Here shall my stand be taken
Though sorrow, or need, or death be mine
Yet I am not forsaken
My Father’s care circles me there
He holds me that I shall not fall
And so to him I leave it all.

(Original lyrics by Samuel Rodigast and translated by Catherine Winkworth -Trinity Hymnal #94. Alternate lyrics and music by Mark Altrogge 2.18.07. You can download this song from the CD “In a Little While” at Sovereign Grace Music.)