U
&In all thy
ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths&
From The Desk Of: Mickey G. Quinn
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"Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard me. And I knew that Thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent me." John 11:41-42. I realize that some and maybe even most would be wondering what might be the relationship of this opening verse of scripture and the title of this little article. Indeed, there are quite a few verses of scripture found in God's Word that would seem to fit the title better, (nine of them to be exact). But I believe that this verse is far better suited to the title and indeed the article than any of them. In this wonderful verse of scripture, we see the Lord Jesus Christ praying to the Father just before He raises His friend Lazarus from the dead.
Throughout God's Word we see Jesus performing many miracles and in many of them we see Him praying before the miracles are performed. It is through this prayer and this miracle though, that the Lord so graciously gave me this little article and it's title. You will notice that in this prayer Jesus never asks anything of the Father. All we see Him doing is thanking Him for what is about to take place. Now I know that nowhere in this prayer do we hear Jesus thanking the Father for the power to raise His friend from the dead. But we do indeed hear Him thanking Him for hearing Him. And not only that, but making it very clear that He knew that the Father heard Him always. My friend, that is truly an awesome thought to say the least.
What then, has all this got to do with the title of this article, "A New Song"? Well, early in the morning on Friday the 28th of March of this year, which has become known as Good Friday to many if not most Christians and even the world, I was working in my yard. While I was out there working, I found myself singing a song that I had never heard before. Now for those of you who know me and have heard me sing, let me rephrase that and say that I was trying to sing a song that I had never heard before. I will be the first to admit that I cannot sing, though I truly wish I could. But as I was trying to sing this song, it occurred to me that I had never heard this song before. I then came into the house and called my wife who was at work and told her about it. She told me that I should write it down and I wrote it as best I could. When my wife came home from work I showed her the song as I had written it down and she said that she had never heard it either.
Down through the years the Lord has given many people many wonderful songs, but I just could not understand why the Lord would give someone like me, who has absolutely no singing ability and who knows absolutely nothing about music, a new song. I mean, me, of all people. But that was what He did and though I couldn't understand it, I was truly very thankful for it. And even though I would never be able to put music to it, it was my song and I only needed the music that was in my heart.
I heard someone say once that every Christian should write a new song and sing praises unto the Lord. I don't even remember now who it was that said that, but I do remember thinking, "How in the world could I ever write a new song?". I have absolutely no music ability and very little intelligence. But after all this time, I finally had a new song and the Lord had given it to me. Well, just a short time ago, I was coming down the road in my truck and as I listened to the radio, I heard a song that had some of the words in it that were in my song. I don't know the name of the song that I heard on the radio and I haven't heard it since that time. But suddenly my new song was not mine anymore and neither was it new. My heart was crushed. I had not tried to get my song published as I wouldn't have known how anyway, but I truly believed that this was my song and that the Lord had given it to me.
Recently the place where I work has been going through a lot of changes and during those changes, my job has become in jeopardy. I have done a lot of praying about this and so has my dear wife. Not long ago I was informed that I was being taken off my machine and that it was being given to someone who was transferring here from another plant which the company had closed down. The excuse given for this move was that it was because of my health, since I had suffered a knee injury a couple of years ago. They either would not or could not tell me what was going to become of me, since I would no longer have a machine.
Well, just last week, which was to be my last week on my machine, a job was posted on a machine that was going to need 2 more operators, which is the job that I have been trained for. As soon as I heard about this opening I asked if it would be all right if I signed up for it. I was told that I could sign up, so I hurriedly did so. I was the second person to sign up. Well, it looked to me like the Lord was opening up the door for me to get that job, so again, I began praying that if it could be His will, I would get that job. My wife began praying for this too. Yesterday was the day that they were to choose from the list who had signed up and pick the 2 people for that job.
I don't know who it was that they chose, but I learned from someone I work with that it wasn't me. That's when the Lord gave me a new song and I learned that the new song He gave me this past Good Friday was indeed a new song and not only that, but it was my new song. Now, yesterday was not the first time that the Lord had given me this new song, but it was the first time that He allowed me to see how very new it is.
"Amazing Grace"
Amazing grace how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed!
Thru many dangers, toils and snares I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.
When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we'd first begun.
The words to that very precious new song were first given to a man named John Newton over 200 years ago, but friends, that truly Amazing Grace is given to each of us new every time we need it. On Friday the 13th of November in 1992, that song became a new song to me when God's amazing grace saved a wretch like me. Many, many times that song became new to me as God's amazing grace has relieved all my fears. And every danger, toil and snare the Lord brings me through, it is by His wonderful new amazing grace that He does it. And when by His amazing grace He has brought me through, it is then that I can sing that brand new song throughout eternity in praise to Him and His Amazing Grace.
Up until yesterday, I had been praying that if it were His will, He would cause me to get that job. God through His infinite grace and mercy gave me the job that I now have even before I knew Him. And I didn't even ask Him for it. On Friday the 13th of November in 1992 that same grace, only new, saved my wretched soul when I did not go seeking Him. I was the one lost, but God knew where I was all the time. Isn't that some more kind of Amazing? It's grace my friend, truly brand new Amazing Grace. I have absolutely no idea what my heavenly Father has planned for me concerning my job situation, but thanks to His brand new grace, my prayer now is, "Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard me. And I knew that Thou hearest me always:". I know that God loves me, not just because His Word says He does, although that would be enough. But also because the greatest things He has ever done for me has been without my seeking it. Now is that a new song or what? I have no idea who may be reading this little article, but I hope and pray that the Lord will use it as a very real and lasting blessing to your heart and that you will find His Amazing Grace to be brand new every time you need it. God bless you.