He Knows

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Do you feel confident about your future? This hymn is a timely reminder that God knows what our future holds, because He has already planned it. When we follow Him by faith, we can trust that our future is secure and that He is preparing us for what comes next. It’s that faith that brings the peace this song speaks of, a peace that rests in the fact that He Knows.

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. Psalm 37:23-24

What has struck me about this hymn is the author’s rejoicing over NOT knowing. She writes that “God kindly veils mine eyes” and says that it’s “blessed not to know.” That’s hard for someone like me, who wants to control everything. It is not easy to surrender – but it’s what God has called us to do. And He promises that we don’t have to be anxious even when we don’t know, for as the hymnwriter says, and Scripture confirms, He holds us with His own right hand.

'Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' Isaiah 41:10

The last verse is what has really made me think: “So on I go not knowing, I would not if I might.” She’d choose NOT to know? Hmmm. I have grown a lot in my faith and in my trust of our Sovereign God, but given the choice, I would probably still choose to know my future, if I could. Control issues, anyone? I must daily, even more frequently than that, surrender my will to His, knowing that He loves me and as a child of His, He is training me.

I do heartily agree with her that it’s much better to walk in the dark with God than to walk alone in the light. I desire to walk by faith, not by sight, in all areas of my life. I know that I can not go it alone, because my sight fails me every time. I am short sighted and near sighted. I don’t see what God has planned for me in the future, and how He is using the present to prepare me for that.

So I will continue to trust in Him, and in perfect peace, sing “He Knows.”

He Knows
Words by Mary Brainard

I know not what awaits me,
God kindly veils mine eyes,
And o’er each step of my onward way
He makes new scenes to rise;
And ev’ry joy He sends me, comes
A sweet and glad surprise.

Refrain
Where He may lead me I’ll follow,
My trust in Him repose
And every hour in perfect peace
I’ll sing, He knows, He knows;
And every hour in perfect peace
I’ll sing, He knows, He knows.

One step I see before me,
’Tis all I need to see,
The light of Heav’n more brightly shines,
When earth’s illusions flee;
And sweetly through the silence, came
His loving “Follow me.”

O blissful lack of wisdom,
’Tis blessèd not to know;
He holds me with His own right hand,
And will not let me go,
And lulls my troubled soul to rest
In Him Who loves me so.

So on I go not knowing,
I would not if I might;
I’d rather walk in the dark with God
Than go alone in the light;
I’d rather walk in faith with Him
Than go alone by sight.