God moves in a mysterious way

E675
1
God moves in a mysterious way
  His wonders to perform:
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
  And rides upon the storm.
2
Deep in unfathomable mines
  Of never-failing skill,
He treasures up His bright designs,
  And works His sovereign will.
3
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
  The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
  In blessings on your head.
4
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
  But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
  He hides a smiling face.
5
His purposes will ripen fast,
  Unfolding every hour:
The bud may have a bitter taste,
  But sweet will be the flower.
6
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
  And scan His work in vain;
God is His own Interpreter,
  And He will make it plain.
23
Richard Bensa

Bucca, QLD, Australia

Great comment L Coddington

Reading AWPink the nature of God in his chapter on the faithfulness of God the lines from verses 3and 4 appear and one ponders on the amazing blessings that break after great overhanging darkness


Alice

Canada

The wise men found Jesus because they wanted to find Him to worship Him. They probably traveled 1500 miles by camel & faced many dangers to be brought before king Herod (who had a reputation for cruelty) They came from the east .. Persia. They knew the prophesy & the star led them. We too can find him. He's not very far from any one of us. A prayer away.


Tolu Ajala

Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Today this hymn dropped in my spirit while praying , goggling and going thru each verse ministered to me as if I have never heard it.

Every verse powerful. Then concluding about how unbelief can blind us……. Ha.

Thanks be to God for this ministration never to be forgotten.


Ana Lara

Storrs, Connecticut, United States

William Cowper was a tortured soul at an early age on several fronts: All five of William‘s older siblings died in infancy. Then, when he was six, his mother passed away while giving birth to his younger brother, John. He was teased and taunted at school. His father (and uncle) vetoed his choice of a bride because she was William’s cousin. And his father forced him to study law, which was not really what he wanted to do.

When he learned that he would have to pass his bar exam before the House of Lords in Parliament, it sent him into a downward spiral depression. Later, struggling with ongoing depression, Cowper was confined to an insane asylum.

One day, William was strolling in the asylum’s garden and noticed a Bible that someone had left on a bench. Picking it up, he opened it and began to read of Christ’s atoning work on his behalf. This discovery led to his surrendering himself to God. Cowper was well known across Britain for his poetry… and for his hymn writing. … and even in these songs, his agony is revealed. Perhaps his best known hymn, “God moves in a mysterious way, ” also hints at his struggles to cope with life. For example, in this hymn he says:

“Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;

The clouds ye so much dread, are big with mercy…”. It’s almost as if he was talking to and trying to convince himself of this very truth. Cowper was also good friends with “Amazing Grace’s” hymn writer John Newton, who strived on occasion to prevent William from ending his life. Together, they partnered to produce a volume of their own hymns called the ‘Olney Hymns’, named after the town where they lived. The deep struggles and travails of these tarnished and defective men, have been a great blessing to us who follow as they wrote down their thoughts and prayed to God.

L. Codington


Tochukwu Chukwudi-Osondu

London, Newham, United Kingdom

I am always inspired by this Hymn and it keeps very strong in faith


Njideka

Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria

My Lord and my God, I will not judge you by feeble sense but will trust you for your grace. You are your own interpreter and I know you will make it plain for me and my family someday.


Mary Pfleegor

Wailuku, Hawaii, United States

Praise the Lord, we are not in the Old Testament time, in the book of Job God did not reveal His purposes to him. He did not understand what his sufferings were for.

Today in the New Testament, God’s purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour! God in His economy is daily, hour by hour is quick to unfold His manifold... His many speaking in us. May we praise and thank HIM more and more each day as His day is coming near.


Johnson A. Ojedeji

Jos, Plateau, Nigeria

I have been inspired, I conduct hymns in my Church


Victor Osonduagwuike Akanno

Xaixai, Gaza, Mozambique

I woke up this morning with the thought : that God moves in a mysterious ways.

Blind unbelief is sure to err

And scan his works in vain

God is his own interpreter

And HE, only HE will make it plain.


Uche Okonkwo

Los Angeles, California, United States

I have no doubt about the all encompassing capacity of our Almighty God to turn a cloud of burden into showers of blessings.

I believe Him when as the hymn says that what gives a bitter taste just a moment ago will turn into sweetness.

I believe this hymn because I have testimonials to back it up.

Truly a blessing to be reminded of His Mysterious ways. Amen