Another
Year is Dawning
Another year is dawning, dear Father,
let it
be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.
Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.
Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.
BIBLE
REFERENCE:
So teach us to number our days,
that we may
apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psalms 90:12
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is
upon me;
because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent
me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to
them that are
bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our
God; to comfort
all that mourn;
Isaiah 61:1-2
The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me, because
he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the
brokenhearted, to
preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at
liberty them that
are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luke 4:18-19
Watch therefore: for ye know not what
hour your
Lord doth come.
Matthew 24:42
At the time appointed he shall
return, and
come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.
Daniel 11:29
I wait for the LORD, my soul doth
wait, and in
his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the
morning: I say, more
than they that watch for the morning.
Psalms 130:5-6
Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I
will
wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
Micah 7:7
Lead me in thy truth, and teach
me: for thou
art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
Psalms 25:5
Frances R. Havergal - Lyrics
1836 - 1879
Born: December 14,
1836,
Astley, Worcestershire, England.
Died: June 3, 1879, Caswall Bay, near Swansea, Wales.
Buried: Astley, Worcestershire, England, the city of her birth.
On her tomb stone was the Scripture verse she claimed as her own:
The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
Samuel Sebastian Wesley - Compser
1810-1876
Born: August 14,
1810, London,
England.
Died: April 19, 1876, Gloucester, England.
Buried: Exeter, England.
HYMN
HISTORY:
Francis Ridley Havergal was born on
December
14, 1836, at Astley, Worcestershire, England into a cultured, religious family. Her
father, William
Havergal, was an influential Anglican clergyman, who for many years was involved in
improving and
composing English hymnology. At the age of three, Frances could read, and at the age of
seven, she was
already writing verses. She received her education at English and German boarding schools
and enjoyed
exceptional advantages of culture and travel. She became a natural linguist, mastering
French, German,
Italian, Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Miss Havergal was also a devoted Bible student,
memorizing much of the
New Testament as well as the Psalms. Isaiah, and the Minor Prophets. She was a brilliant
pianist and
interpreter of the music of the masters, especially Handel, Mendelssohn, and Beethoven,
and was a gifted
singer. Her numerous little books of poems and hymn texts are now treasured all over
England and America.
Perhaps the keynote of them is her own expression: “Thy will be done is not a sigh,
but only a
song.”
Frail in health all her life, Miss Havergal on day caught a severe cold which caused
inflammation of
the lungs. When told that her life was in danger time became very precious to her. It was
during this
time that she wrote her hymn, “Another Year is Dawning,” and her prayer was to
live to see
the dawning of a new year. Though she lingered for several months she resolved her soul to
the
Lord’s will. And though she anticipated another year of service for her Lord, she
was torn with the
idea of her possible homecoming. She exclaimed, “If I am really going, it is too
good to be
true!” At another time she responded, “Splendid! To be so near the gates of
heaven.” At
the very end, it is reported that she sang clearly, but faintly, one of her hymns,
“Jesus, I Will
Trust Thee, Trust Thee With My Soul.” And then according to reports by her
sister,
She looked up
steadfastly, as
if she saw the Lord; and surely nothing less heavenly could have reflected such a glorious
radiance upon
her face. For ten minutes we watched that almost visible meeting with her King, and her
countenance was
so glad, as if she were already talking to Him! Then she tried to sing; but after one
sweet, high note
her voice failed, and her brother commended her soul into the Redeemer’s hand, she
passed
away.
Francis Havergal died at the early age
of
forty-two on June 3, 1879, at Swansea, Wales. On her tombstone at Astley, Worcestershire,
is carved her
favorite text, 1 John 1:7 --”The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all
sin.”
The composer of this music, Samuel S. Wesley, was born in London, England, on August
14, 1810. He was
the grandson of Charles Wesley and was recognized as one of the leading church musicians
of his day. He
received his Doctorate in Music from Oxford University when only twenty-nine years of age.
He composed a
great deal of church service music as well as a number of original hymn tunes. This tune,
known as
“Aurelia,” taken from the word “Aureus,” the Latin word for
“golden,”
was originally compose for the hymn text “Jerusalem the Golden.” It was first
matched with
Stone’s text in 1868 for use at the Bishops’ Lambeth Conference.
Dear Brothers and
Sisters in
Christ,
So teach us to number our days,
that we may
apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psalms 90:12
Now that the
year is coming
to a close many will be setting goals of making resolutions of things that they want
to accomplish in
upcoming year.
Most resolutions have to with health: lose some weight, lower cholesterol,
exercise more.
Others have to do with financial: change to a better job, move to a bigger
home.
Still others may have to do with other personal improvements like getting a
degree, but all fall
short with the plan God has for us.
The Word of God tells us that we are to number our days because no one knows how
much time each
has been allotted to us by God. The Word of God tell us that this life is but a
vapour.
Whereas ye
know not what
shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that
appeareth for a little
time, and then vanisheth away.
James 4:14
So what
does the Word of
God say we should do with this life?
We
are to apply our
hearts unto wisdom.
So teach
us to number our
days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psalms
90:12
How do we
receive wisdom
from God? The Word of God simply states that all we need to do is ask.
If any of
you lack
wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth
not; and it shall be
given him.
James
1:5
But that
is not all. Most
people read that verse but fail to read the next verse which begins with the
word but.
But
let him ask in
faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea
driven with the wind and
tossed.
James 1:6
We need to
ask in faith
believing that God through the Holy Spirit will reveal to us the truth of the
Scriptures. But there
is also a warning in the verse, and that is we are not to waver. If God
reveals things to us that
we are doing wrong and we fail to heed to those warning and purge things that
are contrary to the
Word of God, we are described as the waves of the sea going back and forth.
What we are really
doing is justifying in our minds our version of truth and not what the Bible
teaches.
What are some of the things the Holy Spirit wants to teaches us?:
The
things of God
:
-
But
God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit
searcheth all things, yea,
the deep things of God.
1
Corinthians 2:10
-
Which things also
we speak, not in the words
which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost
teacheth; comparing spiritual things
with spiritual.
1
Corinthians 2:13
The things of Christ:
-
Howbeit
when he, the Spirit of truth, is
come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall
not speak of himself; but
whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he
will shew you things to come. He
shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and
shall shew it unto you.
John 16:13-14
He reveals the Future
(Prophecy) :
-
And,
behold, there was a man in Jerusalem,
whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and
devout, waiting for the
consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon
him. And it was revealed unto him by
the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before
he had seen the Lord's
Christ.
Luke 2:25-26
-
And when he
was come unto us, he took Paul's
girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said,
Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall
the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this
girdle, and shall deliver him into
the hands of the Gentiles.
Acts 21:11
-
The
Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God
gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things
which must shortly come to pass;
and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his
servant John:
Revelation
1:1
He brings the words of
Christ to
remembrance :
-
But the
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,
whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach
you all things, and bring all
things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said
unto you.
John 14:26
He directs in the way of
godliness :
-
And thine
ears shall hear a word behind
thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye
turn to the right hand, and when
ye turn to the left.
Isaiah 30:21
-
A new heart
also will I give you, and a new
spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the
stony heart out of your flesh,
and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put
my spirit within you, and cause
you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my
judgments, and do them.
Ezekiel
36:26-27
He enables ministers to
teach:
-
But the
manifestation of the Spirit is given
to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by
the Spirit the word of wisdom; to
another the word of knowledge by the same
Spirit;
1
Corinthians 12:7-8
He guides into all
truth :
-
These
things have I spoken unto you, being
yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the
Holy Ghost, whom the Father will
send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and
bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 14:25-26
-
Howbeit
when he, the Spirit of truth, is
come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall
not speak of himself; but
whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he
will shew you things to come. He
shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and
shall shew it unto you.
John 16:13-14
But to Receive truth we need
to have the Spirit
of God dwelling inside us otherwise the verse above will seem foolishness to
you. The Bible tells
us:
But
the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness
unto him: neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1
Corinthians 2:14