Anthony Showalter, the author of our Foundation hymn for June 17, 2012 taught singing in an Alabama Church. One day after singing school was over he went to his office and found two notes from men he once taught. Both men had lost their wives. He knew they must have been in great agony so he sought to give as much comfort as he could. Showalter turned to Scripture for this comfort in the midst of their grief. Deuteronomy 33:27 speaks of the everlasting arms of our God. “, “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms ….” He began to write a letter to each man. At the end of each letter he included the verse encouraging them to seek refuge in the everlasting arms. As he wrote, the phrase “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” came to his mind. He immediately knew he had the chorus of a hymn but no verses. He sent the new chorus to his friend Elisha Hoffman and Elisha wrote back with the now famous verses to Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. We don’t know the impact that these letters had on the two men who lost their wives but we know the hymn has impacted Christians since it was written in 1887. “What have I to dread what have I to fear leaning on the everlasting arms!”
As we lean on the everlasting arms we are also Standing on the Promises of God. Safe and secure, God always keeps his promises. And through these promises we have Victory in Jesus! We will also be affirming what we believe this Sunday morning in song. Starting with Holy Holy Holy, Lord God Almighty and You are Holy (Prince of Peace). Then we will sing a statement of faith, I Believe in Jesus, followed by our voices joined together reading the Apostles Creed. Finally we will sing You are My All in All written by Dennis Jernigan. Dennis wrote this song as a testimony of how God delivered him from a life of sin.
You are my strength when I am weak. You are the treasure that I seek.
You are my all in all. Seeking You as a precious jewel.
Lord to give up I’d be a fool. You are my all in all.
Taking my sin my cross my shame. Rising again I bless Your name.
You are my all in all. When I fall down You pick me up.
When I am dry You fill my cup. You are my all in all.