Let Me Live Close to Thee Each Day
Sacred Selections for the Church has as number 201 the sing LET ME LIVE CLOSE TO THEE EACH DAY. As Colossians 3:16 informs us, we teach and admonish one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Read the words of this spiritual song:
In Thy Field, I Would Wield
Sickles Brave And True
In The Fight For The Right
I Would Dare And Do
Spend My Days In Thy Praise
All The Journey Through
Let Me Live Close To Thee Each Day
Not The Crown Nor Renown
That The World Might See
I Would Work, Never Shirk
Blessed Lord, For Thee
But To Know Where I Go
That My Soul Is Free
Let Me Live Close To Thee Each Day
Help Me Bear And To Share
Some Poor Pilgrim’s Load
Be My Friend To The End
Of The Toilsome Road
I Would Sing To My King
In The Soul’s Abode
Let Me Live Close To Thee Each Day.
Let Me Live, Close To Thee
Take My Hand Dear Lord, And Guide Me
All Along The Rugged Way,
O Let Me Live, Close To Thee
Let Me Walk And Talk With Thee
Dear Lord, Each Day.
This song speaks to the necessity of service to our Lord Jesus; the service we render as we live close to Him each day! Imagine the increase of diligence, the increase of loyalty, the increase of carefulness within our service should our Lord be right there beside us, watching every action with the utmost scrutiny regarding our eternal destiny. Would we continue within our present degree of servitude, or would we improve? Read the song again: Are we brave enough to go into the fields and harvest them for the Lord? Do we realize it is not an earthly crown or renown we seek that the world might take note of our labors, but rather that wherever we go our soul is free as we live close to Him each day?
Would we increase our care of others, especially in teaching them the gospel of Jesus Christ? Are we willing to bear one another’s burdens and fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:12)? And as we journey on life’s toilsome road, do we sing to our King? Are we living closer to Him each day?
Too many times we sing because of the tune rather than understand what we are singing! Paul’s inspired words tell us to sing with the spirit (enthusiasm) and UNDERSTANDING. (1 Corinthians 14:15). Never do we find scripture of the TUNE of songs teaching souls anything! But what we find frequently throughout Scripture is what singing TEACHES, and how one must UNDERSTAND what the words teach. The psalms served that purpose. We don’t have the “music” of those words but take a few minutes and note how many of those “chapters and verses” have been set to “harmonic music for the purpose of singing” we have within our songbooks! Singing implies JOY as well as MOURNING and the words of the psalm, hymn, or spiritual song determine which emotion is directed! For another example, read the words of IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL (#561 – Sacred Selections). That’s a song that brings both joy and tears, and the emotion is determined by the lessons the singer finds within those words!
There are hundreds of “sermons in song,” and each one teaches a valued lesson. However, I fear all too many singers are merely singing a tune and learning nothing at all from the words we use in the song. When teaching others how to lead singing, one of the lessons deals expressly with, “Read the lyrics first. If it isn’t scriptural, don’t sing it!” Again, the tune is remembered instead of the words! If we are to live close to Him each day, we need to learn what He said, and how He walked. Reason: WE must “walk the walk as we talk the talk,” lest we be found to be hypocritical and ultimately lost!
We simply cannot be “casual” with our lives as Christians. The life we live with Jesus is quite serious and requires a nearness to Him that demands from us increased diligence, loyalty, faithfulness, and love! Instead of resenting such a walk and life with Him, we need to value it more each day, and we daily grow closer to the last mile of the way. Let there be sunshine in your soul today; sing and be happy! Indeed, let us remember what we sing: I am thine O Lord!