Day: February 19, 2014

I don’t know how many will remember the song ‘Trust and Obey”, but I do. I absolutely love this hymn for so many reasons.

When I was younger, our pastor during the summer would let the congregation choose the songs. He would call on the congregation and whoever he called on could choose a song.  Pastor Myers knew what song it would be if he chose my hand flinging in the air. it was pretty obvious that he better call on me, or I may make a scene, haha. Now Pastor Harry didn’t call me every Sunday, or we would be singing this all summer long, lol. But every now and then he would. His daughter was my best friend and when I would visit him, he knew I wasn’t content in not singing the song. I guess for me since there wasn’t Christian music or discussions in our home, church was the only place. Well, also at their house. His daughter Diana was an awesome singer.

I have talked about my little church in Willcox, AZ. I loved this church, because it was a safe haven for me. There was so many things going on in my life and around me and I found peace there and in this song. My sister tonight made a statement that was pretty much dead on. She was saying that on the outside our family was happy and normal. But in truth it wasn’t anything close to that. I won’t go into all the ugly details, but it wasn’t remotely close to happy. But when I went to church, that all changed. It’s hard to describe that feeling and freedom when I entered the church and I could sing songs and talk about God.

Trust and Obey really described what my life was like at home and church. These lyrics became real to me. I knew that all I had to do was trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. How can those words not speak to a hurting heart of a then teenager and a now adult?

God is there for us during our burdens and sorrows. He loves us and we can know the joy that comes from trusting and obeying. I find myself humming this hymn every now and then and it has a way of calming my soul. It brings me a sense of peace that only God can offer. Life can be very difficult and things may seem like they will never get better. But that isn’t true. The second verse of this song is what I would say is my favorite in this song;

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

When I hear these words they tell me that God is there. He is there in the good and the bad. He makes everything better and all we have to do is trust and obey. Trusting and obeying isn’t always easy to do. I know I have a bit of a rebellious side. But I have seen that when I don’t trust and obey God, things go wrong very fast.

Click Here to listen to Trust and Obey

Trust and Obey Lyrics

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

History of Trust and Obey:

One night at a Dwight L. Moody(Pictured) evangelistic meeting in Brockton, Massachusetts, a young man stood up to testify about his confidence of salvation.  He said, “I am not quite sure,” meaning that he wasn’t really certain that God would save him from his sins –– and then he continued, “But I’m going to trust, and I’m going to obey” –– meaning that he planned to trust God for his salvation and to do what he could to obey God’s will.

“I’m going to trust, and I’m going to obey.”  Daniel Towner was the song leader for that meeting.  He was so impressed by the young man’s testimony that he wrote down those words and stuck them in his pocket.  Later, he wrote a friend, John Sammis.  In his letter, he told about the young man’s testimony and included the young man’s words:  “I am not quite sure, but I’m going to trust, and I’m going to obey.”

Sammis quickly transformed those words into a hymn chorus:  “Trust and obey, For there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey.” Soon he had five stanzas to go with the chorus, and he sent them to Towner, who composed the tune that we still sing today.