Patience – Hymn Lyric
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Patience – Hymn Lyric
Shall we grow weary in our watch,
And murmur at the long delay,
Impatient of our Father’s time
And his appointed way?
O, oft a deeper test of faith
Than prison-cell, or martyr’s stake,
The self-renouncing watchfulness
Of silent prayer may make.
We gird us bravely to rebuke
Our erring brother in the wrong;
And in the ear of pride and power
Our warning voice is strong.
Easier to smite with Peter’s sword
Than watch one hour in humbling prayer;
Life‘s great things, like the Syrian lord,
Our hearts can do and dare:
But, O, we shrink from Jordan’s side,
From waters which alone can save;
And murmur for Abana’s banks
And Pharpar’s brighter wave.
O Thou, who in the garden’s shade
Didst wake thy weary ones again,
Who slumbered at that fearful hour,
Forgetful of thy pain,-
Bend o’er us now, as over them,
And set our sleep-bound spirits free,
Nor leave us slumbering in the watch
Our souls should keep with thee!
Meaning of Patience
In life, a great virtue we need to carry with each step is patience. This tenet is illustrated poignantly in the hymn ‘Patience,’ where life’s trials are described and the virtues of patience and faith resonate lucidly. In the hymn, we are reminded to uphold patience despite the long wait for our heavenly Father’s time and His divine way. It would be easy to give up, feel worn out, or even harbor some complaints about the seeming long wait we have to endure. However, we have to acknowledge that our perspective of time is completely different from the timeless view of our Supreme Creator.
The hymn goes further to demonstrate how patience becomes a significant test of faith. Even the harshest physical trials, such as being confined to a prison cell or the martyr’s stake, often fall short in contrasting the challenge of waiting patiently with unwavering faith. This suggests that true spiritual strength is not merely about enduring physical suffering but also being able to maintain our faith during seasons of silence and waiting. Surely, patience remains as a silent prayer, supposedly more challenging than any of those hardships combined. For the silent prayer demands faith, surrender, and the relinquishment of our own timely desires.
In our daily lives, we find ourselves emboldened when it comes to correcting an individual who is in the wrong. We bravely rebuke and subsequently advise them as we clearly understand their mistake, their wrong. In doing this, we often forget about the imperfections within us that require the same correction and consequent change. It is much simpler to rebuke an erring brother than to face our weaknesses. We would rather play the role of the critic, pointing out the mistakes of others, overlooking the fact that we, too, need to work on ourselves. This judgment of others is seemingly a task our hearts can dare and do, similar to the biblical character Peter who was quick to draw his sword.
Similarly, we do notice that humans have the propensity to favor the more comfortable choice over the essential, save for tougher decisions. Aptly, the hymn compares this to the biblical account of Naaman the Syrian commander, who preferred the seemingly brighter and better rivers of Abana and Pharpar to Jordan’s. On this note, we tend to incline towards the simpler, the less challenging, the comfortable, rather than face the harder and perhaps more valuable choice. Subsequently, we grapple with embracing the silent, prayerful watch in life, forgetting that difficulty often precedes significant growth.
The hymn concludes with a plea to the heavenly Father, who was the epitome of patience when He suffered in silence in the garden of Gethsemane. Despite the impending agony, He remained tranquil, and even His disciples fell asleep due to the lengthy night of prayer; Jesus, on the other hand, sustained His prayerful watch. Using this as a template, we ask for the strength to rid us of our sleep-bound spirits, our indifference, and our languor.
The hymn ‘Patience’ is, therefore, a timely reminder to remain awake, irrespective of the length or weight of trial we have to bear. We can’t afford to sleep, to become complacent, or to give up entirely because things don’t go our way right away. Instead, we should strengthen our hearts with undying hope and unwavering faith, knowing that our designated time will come, just as our Heavenly Father has promised. The essential virtue in this spiritual journey remains Patience.
I hope this hymn inspired image brings you hope and peace. Share it with someone who needs it today!
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