Pray Without Ceasing

My dearest mother,

Word of your continued illness burdens my heart greatly. I take you to the Lord in prayer, daily, pleading for your comfort and healing, and for the weight of the day to be lifted from you. My daily work has been a needed distraction and reason to lift my eyes unto the hills. Only God knows the grief and loss I bear. I take it to Him in prayer from the first light of the morning to the setting of the sun. As the darkness of the night lingers within my thoughts I do the same.

I encourage you, as I encourage the burdened and heavy laden that surround me, pray without ceasing. The God in whom we trust through our Lord Jesus Christ is our only hope in the darkest of days, when our strength fails and our friends go their own way. I have penned a poem for you and have enclosed it within this letter. I hope it encourages and strengthens you in the days ahead.

Yours,

Joseph

Pray Without Ceasing

What a friend we have in Jesus
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit
O what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer

Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge-
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Join Us & Sing (with a bit of what we learn from the hymn)

Learn More About Our Hymn and Joseph Scriven

UMC Discipleship: History of Hymns – “What A Friend We Have in Jesus”