1
Not where we elect to go,
But where Jesus leads the way,
There the living waters flow,
There our darkness turns to day.
But where Jesus leads the way,
There the living waters flow,
There our darkness turns to day.
2
Not our self-appointed task
Will the Lord’s approval win,
But the work we did not ask,
Finished humbly, just for Him.
Will the Lord’s approval win,
But the work we did not ask,
Finished humbly, just for Him.
3
Not the prayer we long to plead
When we bend before the Throne,
But the touching deeper need
Of the Spirit’s wordless groan.
When we bend before the Throne,
But the touching deeper need
Of the Spirit’s wordless groan.
4
Not the gift we proudly lay
On His altar will He heed,
If our hearts have said Him, “Nay,”
When He whispered, “I have need.”
On His altar will He heed,
If our hearts have said Him, “Nay,”
When He whispered, “I have need.”
5
Thus we die, and dying live
In the heavenlies with the Lord;
Thus we serve, and pray, and give,
Christ Himself our great Reward.
In the heavenlies with the Lord;
Thus we serve, and pray, and give,
Christ Himself our great Reward.
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Irving, TX
I say a hearty "Amen" to the comment on August 14, 2008!
Denton, TX, United States
Lord Jesus, May we satisfy Your need and desire above all else!
Irving, TX, United States
Thank the Lord for sister Barber who wrote this.
I found, if this helps, that this can be sung to the same tune as 548, Earthen vessel I was made.
Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Oh Lord Jesus! We need to grow by absorbing You
Conroe, TX, United States
Lord Jesus lead us dipper, grow and mature in our being for Your and our satisfaction. We love You our dearest Husband!
Corona, CA, United States
Yes, and Amen in my mingle spirit to these words in this hymnal. Brother Paul exhorts Timothy that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men. He wanted his dear children to pray...,to have a proper church life we need a prayer life. If our talking is turned into praying, the church in our locality will be transformed.
Saipan, Commonwealth Of The Northern Marianas, Northern Mariana Islands
Thank You Lord!!!!!!
This song really helped me to enjoy the Lord in my situation today! What blessing!
Chicago, Illinois, United States
This song reminded me of Peter when the Lord told him, "when you were young you walked where you would, but when you shall be old you would be carried where you would not" (John 21:18). How often in our natural zeal we do spiritual things "as we would." May Christ lead us, and may He be the value of all, even when it is "not where we elect to go."
Sydney, NSW, Australia
In the five verses to this hymn, the writer progresses from the direction of the Christian walk (calling to mind Galatians 5:25), to its work, being of the Lord (1 Thes. 1:3 - where each aspect of the work (being faith - Heb. 12:2) and the labour (being love - 1 Cor. 13) is of God in the processed, pneumatic Christ (Eph. 1:19-23, 2 Pet. 1:3) mingled with our spirit (Rom. 8:10) and soul (8:6) and body (8:11)) as our motivation and energy (1 Pet. 5:6), gaining the mind of Christ in prayer (1 Cor. 2:16, Eph. 3:20) entering into the depths of His being to know His desire of His heart not being presumptuous, laying the gift on the altar, Christ wrought in us and others for the reality of the Body of Christ (1 Pet. 2:5, Rom. 12:1-5, 15:16) and finally in the last verse Christ becomes everything to us in our uttermost preoccupation and enjoyment, becoming our reward in and as the New Jerusalem.