Where He may lead me I will go,
For I have learned to trust Him so,
And I remember ’twas for me,
That He was slain on Calvary.
Refrain
Jesus shall lead me night and day,
Jesus shall lead me all the way,
He is the truest Friend to me,
For I remember Calvary.
O I delight in His command,
Love to be led by His dear hand;
His divine will is sweet to me,
Hallowed by bloodstained Calvary.
Onward I go, nor doubt nor fear,
Happy with Christ my Savior near,
Trusting that I someday shall see,
Jesus my Friend of Calvary.
This lovely hymn was done by William Clark Martin who lived between 1864 and 1914. It is a hymn centred on the events of Calvary in Luke 23:33. When they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him.
The hymn writer Martin was pastor of the Grace Baptist Church (formerly Cramer’s Hill), Camden, New Jersey from 1891 to 1894 and Noank Baptist Church, Noank, Connecticut from 1894 to 1900; Grace Baptist Church, Somerville, Massachusetts (near Boston; at the time of his arrival there it was noted he was from Bluffton
, Indiana); and the First Baptist Church in Fort Myers, Florida, from 1912 until his death. He died in 1914 and not much is said of him more than this.
Couple of thoughts about the hymn.
Where He may lead me I will go,For I have learned to trust Him so, Wherever God leads you… He may never lead you across oceans, across borders; He may never lead you to a pulpit. But He will lead you anyway, and He does have a plan for your life, not to harm you but to prosper you. But the question is, will you go?
Our journey with God is a daily journey, made up of many small steps of faith and obedience…as well as big moments of audacious faith! Some of the Scriptures that God has been using to speak to me lately have centered on this theme of God’s guiding our steps. Consider these verses! Let me experience Your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in You. Reveal to me the way I should go because I long for You. –Psalm 143:8; Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground. –Psalm 143:10. You reveal the path of life to me; –Psalm 16:11.
There are moments in your life where you stop and look back at the path you’ve travelled and you just marvel as you see how God guided you down the path. We can’t always see it when we are in the midst of it…that’s where trust comes in. But when it becomes clear, there is no doubt God has been revealing to you His path for your life every step of the way. From God’s providing me an opportunity to go to Secondary School, to University for my first degree, to the Netherlands for my masters, to serving in many countries in my profession, to how God led me to every church I’ve ever served in my Christian life, His hand has clearly been guiding me. From saving me as a young man, to growing in grace and falling in my sins, to lifting me up from the dungeon of my own sins and placed me on solid ground again, I can see that the hand of the Lord is upon me. He will never let me go. But it’s not about being perfect or knowing all the answers, but about just saying YES to God and trusting at every turn that He is leading you.
Jesus calls each of us DAILY to follow Him. He is always leading us to new territory, new tasks, new responsibilities and new service. He daily calls us to deeper understanding. He always calls us to a life of sacrifice, day by day. “If anyone follows me, let him take up His cross (What?) Daily!” Notice there is no time period given here. Does it sound like your task is done? Does it sound like your service to God, to the church and to others is finished? Does it sound like your spiritual growing is complete? NO! Jesus is calling you daily to follow more, to learn more daily, to serve more daily and to give every day more sacrificially. Jesus’ calling to us never ends. Sadly though, our response to Him often does end. We stop listening to His call.
Onward I go, nor doubt nor fear, happy with Christ my Savior near What is your story? Can you look back along the trail and see the markers, where God has led you? Have you ever taken the time to sit down and map it out? God does have a story for you. He wants to lead you down the path of life. Will you answer His call? Will you trust God enough that He will work out all the details later if you only trust Him enough to say, “Here I am, Lord! I’ll go. Wherever! So long as I’m led by You!”?
Jesus is calling you today to follow. Is that your response? “Wherever You lead, Lord. If You lead me down the aisle to ask forgiveness of my sins and to make You my Savior, then I will follow. If You lead me to unite in my church fellowship, Lord I will follow. Lord, You are calling me today, as you always do, to a deeper understanding and deeper relationship with You. Today, Lord, I will follow by seeking ways to know You better. Lord, today You are calling me to a deeper commitment and more sacrificial service, Lord, I will follow You. Whatever decision You want me to make-wherever You desire me to serve-Lord, Wherever you lead, I’ll go.”
The reason I will follow is that you are always near.
Enid & Austin Bhebe 