All The Way My Savior Leads Me

We now live in Louisville, Kentucky. Amazing! And we marvel at God’s plan for us. Jack preached his first sermon as the new pastor of Anchor Bible Church on June 14, 2015. To have landed in Kentucky is such a surprise and certainly not where we thought the Lord would take us when this journey began 3 ½ years ago. Yet we are delighted with the Lord’s clear leading to our new home base and the dear saints at Anchor Bible Church (Psalm 31:3).

One of the sweet lessons we have learned in living in transition for such a long time is that “home” is a relative term. The place where we live isn’t permanent, no matter how long we’ve lived there. It’s been good to be reminded once again that the places where we put our belongings and lay our heads at night are just spots where we stop for the time God has ordained. So though we are more than ready to stay put here until the Lord calls us home, it’s good to remember that even this place is not our permanent home. That permanent home is before us still; that place waits for us; that place is where Jesus is; that place is home (John 14:2; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Peter 1:3-5).

All the way my Savior leads me; what have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy, who through life has been my Guide?

Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, here by faith in Him to dwell!

For I know whate'er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well.

So now we find ourselves here in Kentucky after living in varying degrees of temporary in Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, and Washington. For anyone watching, and even to us, our moves probably seemed haphazard and kind of crazy, but they weren’t. Our dear Father was leading us, just as He’s always lead us. There was nothing haphazard about His plan (Psalm 33:9-11; Proverbs 16:9; Romans 8:28). He knew exactly what He intended to accomplish at each stop along the way. A sweet by-product of our temporary life are the dear saints we met along the way. We have behind us a trail of faithful brothers and sisters in the Lord whom we now call friends. The Lord is so kind.

All the way my Savior leads me, cheers every winding path I tread,

Gives me grace for every trial, feeds me with the living bread.

Though my weary steps may falter, and my soul athirst may be,

Gushing from the Rock before me, lo! a spring of joy I see. 

Three and a half years certainly cannot compare to the forty year wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel or the 17 year trials of Joseph or the 25 year testing time of Abraham, yet just as in those cases the timing was just right to accomplish all God intended and to usher in certain events, so our time has been just right too. We have learned life-changing and heart-revealing lessons and gained a greater picture of our God. He is so good (Psalm 119:65, 71).

He never failed us. Not once. Not once in 3 ½ years of joblessness; not once in 3 ½ years of waiting; not once in 3 ½ years of testing did God fail us. His Word has been the bedrock of our faith. I think that’s one of the results I cherish the most about this time—that the testing of our faith has lead us to live more fully and completely upon the Scriptures (Psalm 27:13-14). Oh, the comforts and strength found there!

All the way my Savior leads me; Oh, the fullness of His love!

Perfect rest to me is promised in my Father's house above.

When my spirit, clothed immortal, wings its flight to realms of day,

This my song through endless ages: Jesus led me all the way.