I have sung this song all of my life.

I remember singing it as a child and feeling the responsibility of obedience. I wasn’t sure how to trust, but I knew that obeying was important. I sang this song thinking that last verse could not happen until Heaven.

As I grew, I learned that my obedience was not a way to earn favor, but my trust in Him was evidenced by obedience to Him. While He had paid the price of my redemption on the cross, obedience to His way allowed me to walk in fellowship with Him daily.

I sing this song today, and I realize that the ‘fellowship sweet’ mentioned in the last verse is the outcome of walking daily in obedience with Him. When I trade my way for His way, as verse three indicates, I experience the blessings of obedience here and now –

• in the glory of His presence
• in the assurance of His word
• in the delight of knowing Him and walking in fellowship with Him.

I never sing this song that I don’t remember the journey of faith that He has brought me along.

I never sing this song that I don’t anticipate the journey still to come.

1. 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.

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

3. But we never can prove the delights of His love
until all on the altar we lay,
for the favor He shows and the joy He bestows
are for those who will trust and obey.

4. 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.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
but to trust and obey.
--J. H. Sammis, 1886


Father,
Help us to see that Your way is the best way, the joyful way, the only way. You have done the work of redemption. Let me walk out my faith hand in hand with You.

I hope you will join me on this journey.

John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Photo – Country Road, Beth Mims