STILL, STILL, WITH THEE

 

JANUARY 22, 2024

Psalm 139:17-18

How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
. . . when I awake, I am still with you.


This was the phrase that inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe as she meditated one morning on Psalm 139 verses 17 and 18. In the middle of a full and productive life as a writer, and a passionate champion against worldwide slavery and as a mother of six, it was Harriet Stowe’s daily routine to rise at 4:30 each morning to see the coming of the dawn, hear the singing of the birds. and to enjoy the overshadowing presence of her God.

Out of the experience of the overwhelming sense of God’s Presence, she wrote these words, a hymn, called Still, Still with Thee.

1 Still, still with Thee, when purple morning breaketh,
When the bird waketh, and the shadows flee;
Fairer than morning, lovelier than daylight,
Dawns the sweet consciousness I am with Thee.


2 Alone with Thee amid the mystic shadows,
The solemn hush of nature newly born;
Alone with Thee in breathless adoration,
In the calm dew and freshness of the morn.

3 Still, still with Thee! as to each newborn morning
A fresh and solemn splendor still is given,
So does this blessed consciousness, awaking,
Breathe each day nearness unto Thee and heaven.



4 When sinks the soul, subdued by toil, to slumber,
Its closing eyes look up to Thee in prayer;
Sweet the repose beneath Thy wings o'ershading,
But sweeter still, to wake and find Thee there.



5 So shall it be at last, in that bright morning,
When the soul waketh, and life's shadows flee;
O in that hour, fairer than daylight dawning,
Shall rise the glorious thought, I am with Thee.



Harriet was an amazing person, a devoted mother and the wife of a Biblical Studies seminary professor Calvin Ellis Stowe, she managed to find the time to write numerous hymns, a volume of religious verse, and approximately 40 books dealing with various social problems of her time. Her best-known novel, I'm pretty sure you've heard of, is UNCLE TOM'S CABIN which had a strong compelling influence against slavery just before the American Civil War. When published, in the first year over 300,000 copies were sold. Did I mention the year was 1852? That’s impressive sales!!

In her later life as Harriet looked back over the many difficulties, struggles and problems she had experienced in her busy years of raising a family while engaging in many pursuits, Harriet wrote “I thank God there is one thing running through all of them, from the time I was 13 years old, (this was when she put her faith in Christ) and that is the intense unwavering sense of Christ’s educating, guiding presence and care."

How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
. . . when I awake, I am still with you.



Let us live Today with a fresh awareness of God's beauty in nature, and of his companionship in your life. Let the story of Harriet Beecher Stowe inspire you and remind you, of God’s overwhelming and abiding presence that daily speaks the words “I am with you!”

Psalm 5:3

“In the morning oh Lord, you hear my voice,
in the morning I lay my request before you and wait in expectation.”