He Will Hold You Fast

What hope do I have when my strength is frail? When my sins are many? When my doubts are consuming? When my spiritual light is gone?

He Will Hold Me Fast

When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold through life's fearful path;
For my love is often cold; He must hold me fast.

Robert Harkness (1880–1961) was traveling one day with a very popular evangelist. Harkness was a piano player, a good one at that, and often helped the evangelist in his rally’s. One evening Harkness had a conversation with a young man, a new convert, who was nervous about persevering in the Christian life. The young man questioned whether he would have the power, faith, strength to run the race given to him until the final day when he would meet Jesus.

For those of us who know our weaknesses, that is a pretty sobering question. Will I make it? Will I be faithful? Will I stand before God at the end of my life, pleased in His sight?

Harkness left the conversation that evening with a burdened heart for men and women who felt this way. He wanted to give them hope. He wanted them to trust, not in themselves, but in their Christ. The one who had saved them. He wanted them not to let their assurance of salvation and glorification rest on their shoulders, but Christs shoulders! He wrote these feelings in a letter to a lady named Ada Habershon (1861–1918). Habershon wrote back seven different songs, one of which was called When I Fear My Faith Will Fail. Below is recent rendition of that song, with a verse added by Matt Merker.

This is a song for those who are discouraged. When you fear your sanctification is progressing (or regressing) too slowly. When you fear as if your faith will fail. The mornings when the guilt of sin drowns your hope. The evenings when the doubts scream louder than your mind. And the nights, when you seek God but all you find is silence.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time[h] and now and forever. Amen.

-Jude 1:24-25

I pray this song encourages your soul as it did mine. “ It is not your hold of Christ that saves, but His hold of you.” -Charles Spurgeon.

For my life He bled and died, Christ will hold me fast;
Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast.
Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast
'Till our faith is turned to sight, When He comes at last!

Believing with you,

Josh.

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