Day by Day Hymn 1865

The following hymn, originally written in Sweden in 1865 by Lina Sandell and subsequently translated into English  by A.L. Skoog, encourages me that this life is very difficult, but is from  the Hand of a wise and loving heavenly Father who "Gives to each day what He deems best".  For my human experience, this is most often painful.  But is logical taken into the promises of "the refiner's fire"  (Our God is a consuming fire; God is Love) that are making us each into a unique expression of His image, based our formation by Him via our genetics and life experiences.  And I have no "proof" that God even exists.  But my heart and logic comfort me that visioning life in this way is the only way to experience "serenity" in the process.  Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous: "and I can have no serenity until I accept every person (especially me), thing, situation as exactly as it is supposed to be at the moment.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God's world by mistake."

Day By Day 1865

Day by day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best--
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Ev'ry day the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He whose name is Counselor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in eve'ry tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a father's hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.

Still Rejoicing for ALL,

June