Formed to Declare His Praises
Sarah Didier Jefferson, Guest Writer
TODAY’S TREASURE
Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert… for I give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise (Isaiah 43:18-21).
It was a beautiful Saturday in Tennessee. The hustle to all the games for our children was in full swing. Between games, I did a quick scroll on social media. And just like that, one perfectly filtered square popped up, and an all too familiar heaviness barged in, turning the dagger a little more. Another girl’s weekend with friends I used to run with, and no invitation was extended to me. A solitary tear brims over, rolling out from behind my dark sunglasses.
“Mommy?” my oldest son’s question jolts me back to reality. “Are we still going to lunch?”
“Oh… right … sorry,” I mumbled. “Yes, we are.”
It had been three years since we moved away from our friends in Georgia, and yet the pain was still there. “We’re too far away to even extend an invitation,” I would explain to myself when we lived in Dallas, grabbing for any viable pieces of persuasion that might ease the pangs of loneliness. Although this may have been true then, we were now living in Nashville — just a quick three-and-a-half hours away.
As we made our way to lunch with the windows down, the air-dried my tears as my heart began to sing to me, “What A Friend We Have in Jesus,” one of my favorite songs that I used to sing over my three babies as I would rock them to sleep.
This song, originally a poem, was written by Joseph Scriven in 1855 — a man whose life and time were marred with tragedy. In 1843, his fiancé drowned the night before they were to be married. The next year, at the young age of 25, he left his native country and migrated to Canada, causing him to be estranged from his family. During his time there, he would fall in love again and make plans to be married. However, before any of those plans would become a reality, his beautiful bride-to-be died of pneumonia before they could be wed. Birthed from that pain, Scriven would pen an invitation for us all to know Jesus as our greatest friend in our darkest hour through the power of prayer.
What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In his arms he’ll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there.
In our hard seasons of life, do we really believe we have a friend in Jesus? This question begs us to dig deeper than a surface, head-knowledge response. Do we actually live this truth? Is that the experience of our relationship with Jesus? In the depths of infertility, when my father walked out of my life, all of our moves, and every hard thing that has
been and yet to come— will I choose to believe this place in time could be the very soil God will use to grow my faith into a great oak of righteousness should I trust and obey? I would venture so far as to say that our answers to these hard questions may be the greatest litmus test, ultimately revealing the depth of our application of God’s word in our lives.
You see, Joseph Scriven’s life is your life and my life. It’s all dotted with a common theme of pain, brokenness, and hard circumstances. Yes, even as we are walking with Jesus, there will be loss and changes of all kinds. Yet it is the very hard, new things He is using in our lives to actually invite us to know Him more as the friend who draws near to us (James 4:8), the One that never leaves us or forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5), the One who died to make us His people.
When I called my spiritual mother of many years to talk through this heartache of friendships, she reminded me of this truth – He comforts us so that we may comfort others. (2 Corinthians 1:4). The question He asks of all of us “do you perceive it?” is incredibly profound! By His grace, do we see that in all the losses and changes the hand of a Savior turned friend forming us that we might declare His praise? Friends, this is our why in it all. God’s glory! It is always God’s glory.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young (Isaiah 40:13).
There is such a tenderness seeing Jesus gathering us as a lamb into His arms. I can’t help but envision a loving smile as He draws near, gathering with a gentle embrace and a tender kiss. The truth is, in this life, we may lose our people, but we will never lose the One who surrendered it all to make us His people.
Surely in all the changes and losses, this is a friend we need in every season of life! The friend that leads the broken one to sing, “Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him… I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee. Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend. And I know that Thou art with me. Will be with me to the end.”
PRAYER
Oh Lord God, what a friend we have in You – our refuge, our solace in the hardest, loneliest days. Jesus, Your lovingkindness is better than life! Let the amen sound from Your people again. Oh, how we need You. Meet us here, even now, God, we ask.
More free resources for help hope & healing:
Ask Dr. Betters is a topical series of over 400 videos that has reached over 1 ½ million views. Dr. Chuck F. Betters answers questions submitted by our listening audience on suffering and the sovereignty of God. This week’s featured question is: How can I be happy in heaven if my loved one is not there?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sarah Didier Jefferson is married to Curtis Jefferson and the mother to Grey, Sanders, and Collins. Before she was a mom, Sarah worked in public relations in the sports industry. Since having her children, Sarah has written web content for a variety of companies and ministries. She is an Atlanta native, but calls Franklin, Tennessee home. Sarah is a member of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee. When she's not writing or blogging, Sarah enjoys running and hiking the trails of middle Tennessee and spending time with her busy family.
Readers can follow me on the following platforms: @sarahjeffersonwrites on Instagram and Facebook sarahjeffersonwrites.com
For more from Daily Treasure please visit MARKINC.ORG.
Originally published Friday, 26 May 2023.
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