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The Words of a Dying Man



Abide with me is a hymn written by Henry Francis Lyte. It goes like this, and I would really encourage you to read it thorougly.

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who like thyself my guide and strength can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless,
ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me

The hymn is rich in its own, but the words hit me quite differently when I learned that Henry wrote these words when he was badly down with tuberculosis, and only had a couple of months left to live. He was dying. He knew that he was dying. He was suffering. Death was staring him in the eye. And yet, Henry stared right back in defiance. He had hope. He feared no foe. His illness did not weigh him down. He wasn't bitter. He had no reason to be afraid to die, because paradise awaited him. He was at peace.

Be like Henry. Put your trust in the complete work of Jesus Christ. Then you can be at peace under any circumstance too, even unto death.

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Yttrandefrihet
Yttrandefrihet

Yttrandefrihet is a Swedish word. It means freedom of expression, which is something I value.


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