You Give Away You. I Give Away Me.

7/16/2022

Is there any doubt that the first verse below is mandatory for the rest of the verses below to become Real? It’s all connected, because that’s what a relationship is: you give away you and I give away me.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

“You give away you. And I give away me”—and I do it cheerfully. A cheerful giver.

It is easy to love Him

when the blue is in the sky,

When summer winds are blowing,

and we smell the roses nigh;

There is little effort needed

to obey His precious will

When it leads through flower-decked valley,

or over sun-kissed hill.

It is when the rain is falling,

or the mist hangs in the air,

When the road is dark and rugged,

and the wind no longer fair,

When the rosy dawn has settled

in a shadowland of gray,

That we find it hard to trust Him,

and are slower to obey.

It is easy to trust Him

when the singing birds have come,

And their canticles are echoed

in our heart and in our home;

But ‘tis when we miss the music,

and the days are dull and drear,

That we need a faith triumphant

over every doubt and fear.

And our blessed Lord will give it;

what we lack He will supply;

Let us ask in faith believing

on His promises rely;

He will ever be our Leader,

whether smooth or rough the way,

And will prove Himself sufficient

for the needs of every day.

(George MacDonald)