GOD LEADS US ALONG
Psalm 23:1-3 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
[2] He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
[3] He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Today I want to take a few minutes and honor a great man of God for his love and faithfulness to our Lord. Many of you may have heard the old gospel hymn “God Leads Us Along”. I have heard this song my entire life growing up, my dad sang it in church and around the house and it has been a blessing to me. Just recently, I did some research into the origin of the hymn and into the writer of these beautiful words. George A. Young wrote the words and the music to this hymn. I want to take some time to look at some of his life, and the history and testimony around what inspired him to write this song. With this devotion, as we look back on the life of this man of God, may Jesus be exalted, the Christian be exhorted, and the sinner be convicted and drawn to the Savior!
George Young was a carpenter, and a preacher of the gospel. In the late nineteenth century he labored for the Lord serving small rural areas in the United States. Today, there is not even a reliable record of the dates of his birth and death. (A guess would be approximately 1855 and 1935, respectively.) It was said, often his income was so small he had difficulty supporting his wife and family. Even so, he kept on diligently serving the Lord. Finally, after a great deal of effort and years of sacrifice, George and his family were able to move into a small house that George built with his own hands. George and his family were so excited with the new place, but tragedy soon overtook them. George was known for his spirit filled, bold style of preaching. Some who had heard his preaching and were offended, convicted and hostile to the gospel he preached, set fire to the Young’s home burning it to the ground. This happened while George was away for a few weeks preaching meetings in another community.
In 1903, right after he lost just about every possession he owned, including his home, George Young published a hymn for which he wrote both words and music. It is a testimony to his faith in God, in spite of this severe trial. It depicts different kinds of circumstances and experiences we face in life, with a reminder that the Lord provides for us in them all. The opening stanza paints a lovely picture, reminding us of the 23rd Psalm. George was well aware that not all of life is like verse 1. The song’s chorus gives a more sobering view of the trials we face in this life:
Verse 1) In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet, God leads His dear children along; Where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet, God leads His dear children along.
Chorus) Some through the waters, some through the flood, Some through the fire, but all through the blood; Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song, In the night season and all the day long.
“Some through great sorrow.” It’s believed this is a reference to Young’s own experience. He had learned through painful loss that “God…gives songs in the night” to those who trust in HIM (Job 35:10). Through it all, whether in good times or bad, the Lord continues to “lead HIS dear children along.”
Perhaps there are those who think that if God is our Guide, our lives should never be touched by hurt or harm, but that’s not the case. When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, he led his people with a supernatural pillar of cloud and fire (Deut. 1:33), but HE led them through a wilderness. There they experienced a lack of water and a shortage of food, in addition to enemy attacks. The Lord did not deliver them from such experiences. My friend, HE proved Himself strong, time and again, to meet their need!
Today, Christians are subject to all the disappointments common to man, and they have, as the hymn writer’s experience reminds us, the added burden of living in a world at enmity with God. Jesus warned, “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you;” (Jn. 15:20). George Young certainly knew about that!
We are not promised a final and full release from earthly trials until we go to Glory. It is then that sickness, pain, and death will be forever put behind us (Rev. 21:4). More often, rather than delivering us from these things, the Lord helps us in them and carries us through them! Hallelujah!
There is an interesting and inspiring end to George Young’s life and legacy. Around 1942, hymn writer Haldor Lillenas who wrote the hymn (Wonderful Grace of Jesus) decided to track down George Young’s widow, and find out more about his life. He got an address in a small town, and driving there, he stopped at a gas station to ask for directions. When the attendant saw the address, he said, “Why sir, that’s the County Poor House up the road about three miles. And mister, when I say poor house, I really mean poor house!”
Not knowing what to expect, Lillenas made his way there. He found Mrs. Young, a tiny, elderly woman, in surroundings that were far below the norm. However, she radiated the joy of the Lord, and spoke of how the Lord guided her and her husband over many years. Then, she exclaimed, “Dr. Lillenas, God led me here! I’m so glad HE did, for you know, about every month someone comes into this place to spend the rest of their days….So many of them don’t know my Jesus. I’m having the time of my life introducing them to Jesus! Dr. Lillenas, isn’t it wonderful how God leads?”
It was said, right after George Young’s house burned completely down, he would stand and preach the gospel and say….”My friends, we don’t have much money, BUT we have MUCH Jesus”! Dear Christian friend, I don’t know about you, but that does something down in my soul! I say GLORY!!! Oh that we would resolve today to have so much LESS of all of this world and SO MUCH MORE OF JESUS!
Bro. Lawrence Longworth
Isaiah 61:1 “the opening of the prison to them that are bound;”
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