Hymn Story: Day By Day

 

I have often been advised and have given the age old advice to take things “One step at a time”. Perhaps you’ve heard the old saying on how to eat an elephant…by taking one bite at a time! When faced with a difficult situation or trial in your life, whether it be spiritual trial, or just the everyday stresses of life, we too should remind ourselves that we need to take our walk with Jesus one day, one step, or even one bite at a time.

This month’s hymn article is titled “Day By Day”. It was written by Caroline Sandell-Berg in Sweden. This is a hymn of peace and assurance of God’s watch, care, and provision for His children as we walk this earth each day. Let’s read the words of hymn together.

Verse1: 

Day by day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best--
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Verse 2: 

Every day the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He whose name is Counselor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.

Verse 3: 

Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a father's hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.

Sandell-Berg opens her hymn expressing that even though trials come, we are to trust in our Father’s “wise bestowment”. The word bestowment means a gift, an honorable present, or high honor. Have you considered the trials we might face are actually gifts from God? It is often times hard to be joyful when receiving a gift we don't like, but we must accept that God knows our trials. These trials strengthen us in our journey through life here on earth. These trials teach us more about faith and trust in God. The hymn goes on to say that we should not worry or fear. God gives us peace and rest amongst the toil. God gives us mercies each day! (Lamentations 3:22-23) 

In verse two, I want to give you a little context to why these words may have been so meaningful to Caroline Sandell-Berg. Caroline wrote that she receives a special mercy for each hour, she writes that He cares for her, and then she calls on the name of God as “Counselor”. Isaiah 9:6 says “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (ESV). Why would she focus on that name? What counsel and struggle was she needing help with?

This hymn was written by Caroline after experiencing a great tragedy in her life. She had actually witnessed the horrible drowning death of her father and in 1865 she penned the words of a poem that later became this hymn. What a horrible tragedy to witness, such loss and grief, yet through the trials, through the sorrow and pain it caused, she still found joy in God’s plan.

Let us then walk with Jesus day by day and he will give you the peace, mercies, and protection you need. let us continue to walk with Him until we reach the end, until we reach the promised land!

(Bill Blackrick)