Just A Closer Walk With Thee (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 697)
Refrain:
Just a closer walk with thee,
grant it, Jesus, is my plea;
daily walking close to thee,
let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
1 I am weak but thou art strong:
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
as I walk, let me walk close to thee. [Refrain]
2 Through this world of toil and snares,
if I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but thee, dear Lord, none but thee. [Refrain]
3 When my feeble life is o’er,
time for me will be no more;
guide me gently, safely o’er
to thy kingdom shore, to thy shore. [Refrain]
Text and Music: North American Traditional; Public Domain
Devotion
My two favorite renditions of this classic hymn are by Patsy Cline and the Foggy Mountain Boys. There is something about the passion and little bit of country twang that just make me tear up. When I hear Patsy Cline sing the words “when my feeble life is o’er,” I know she is safe and in the hands of the Lord. When I hear this song, I am transported to that road on the way to Emmaus and I can hear my Lord, Jesus Christ telling me everything is going to be okay. Somehow, someway, it will be okay because Jesus will always be with me. No matter what, Jesus is here. We listen to the words and can feel the hand of Jesus grasping ours—for we can always rely on our faith in Jesus Christ to keep us moving forward. Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Our Lord, Jesus Christ, walk with us along our paths when we are afraid or lonely. Hold our hands and be our strength and comfort. As you have promised, carry our burdens and lighten our load so we may proclaim your love throughout the world. Amen.