Parresia · Beholding Jesus in His Amazing Grace, Session 18, “Jesus, Our Rest”

Transcript of Session 18, “Jesus, Our Rest”

Introduction

Welcome to Session 18 of Beholding Jesus in His Amazing Grace. This session is entitled, “Jesus, Our Rest.”

Before I get to the main passage for this message, which comes from the Sermon on the Mount, I want to give some perspective on how I believe we should read the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount  – the most famous sermon in the Bible, which Jesus gave in the 2nd year of His ministry – obviously before He went to the cross and enacted the New Covenant — goes beyond the basic rules and regulations of the law to the intents of the heart. For Ex:

Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28, 43-45 – [Jesus said -] “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment…. 27 You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart… 43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” [In other words, “Do all this and you can be in the family of God”]

If anyone thought they could outwardly follow the law to pass the test for righteousness, without an inward transformation, Jesus put that falsehood to rest.

He raised the bar to where God intended it to be: to the intents of the heart. What does this mean? No one passes the test.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 – [Under the Old Covenant, God said -] “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it? 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” [So we needed a new heart and a new Spirit within us – and that new identity came through Jesus Christ in the New Covenant]

The same Man who preached the Sermon on the Mount also knew that none of us could keep it without His help.

But He also knew that one day He would identify with us, die with our sin – even the sin in our hearts that no one would ever see, He would take it to the grave, rise again without it (as us!), and He would ascend to heaven. And then He would send His Spirit to live within each of us and live out the Sermon on the Mount through us – as we rest in Him.

Some people think we’re supposed to do our best to mimic the way that Jesus lived in the Gospels. But by His sheer existence, His example condemns all of us. No one can be just like Him. Thank God, Jesus didn’t save us by our mimicking His life on earth. He saved us by His DEATH. His perfect life qualified Him to be our Lamb of God and to die a sacrificial death for us.

Romans 5:10, TLB – And since, when we were his enemies, we were brought back to God by the death of his Son, what blessings he must have for us now that we are his friends and he is living within us!

Knowing that the Spirit of Jesus lives within me to empower me to live out what would otherwise be impossible, I take great comfort in the Master’s words in the Sermon on the Mount because I know all things are possible for Him. And I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So with that said, I want to share another passage with you from the Sermon on the Mount – a passage that literally comes across my mind every day at some point in the day.

It’s a familiar and favorite passage for many – but its instruction may be the hardest thing Jesus ever told anyone to do – unless they had the help of the Holy Spirit – “Do not worry,” Jesus says. And I say, “I believe! Help me with my unbelief!”

Matthew 6:25-34 – [Jesus said – ] “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Matthew 6:34, NIV – “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

In the Blueletterbible for the KJV, this passage is subtitled, “The Cure for Anxiety.” There’s probably never been a better time to discover the cure for anxiety, so let’s meditate a little on this passage. You know, if you can worry, you can meditate. Meditation is just worry in reverse.

Verses 25-26 – do not worry

Matthew 6:25 – …do not worry about your life [the KJV says “take no thought for your life.” Worry is all about thoughts. The Greek words for “do not worry” literally mean “do not be anxious or troubled with cares.” Do not worry about your life – ], what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Do not worry. Don’t focus on the outward and the temporary. Don’t focus on what you lack. Meditate on God’s word and on His promises. Set your mind on things above where your life is hidden in Christ.

Meditate on Jesus and His perfect and finished work of the cross. Whatever the need, it’s already been provided. Our faith is simply receiving what has already been provided through His grace. 

Receive the kingdom of God like a child. A child wakes up and breakfast is on the table. He never worries that it won’t be there or that he has to beg his parents for it.

Matthew 6:26 – “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”

Birds don’t store in barns or banks or stock markets or 401k’s or gold. Why? Because they have birdbrains. They don’t even know what a barn is.

Matthew 6:26 – “Are you not of more value than they?”

Birds don’t sow or reap because they don’t have seed to sow or fields to sow in or barns in which to gather the harvest, but we do. Because we are of much more value than they. We are made in God’s image. Jesus didn’t die for the birds! He died for us! If God supplies the birds, He will surely supply us! 

If we look at the birds, we’ll see them pecking away on the pavement finding food that they don’t pay for. God feeds them. Or we’ll look up in sky and see them coasting along on the wind, alighting in a nest of twigs and leaves.

Psalm 104:12, NIV – The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.

Not a care in the world. Birds do not worry! Jesus says, “If birds don’t worry, you don’t have to either.” Why? Because God has ordered the universe in such a way that whether you are a bird or a human, His grace shall supply all of your needs.

I see the supply of grace like water flowing in a garden hose. As long as the hose is relaxed, the water flows. But when you put your hands on it and squeeze it with your fists, the flow stops. Worry is like those tight fists.

Doesn’t it seem that in every area where we worry, we also struggle, strive, strain, and sweat? And in every area where we don’t worry, the supply of grace flows? 

Look at the birds of the air. They don’t even ask, and their food is there. Wow. We rest. He works. We rest. He supplies. Let go and let God. Let go, and let it flow. And don’t argue with Jesus. Leave your “but, but, buts” behind. 

The Master has spoken. “Do not worry about your life.” He didn’t tell us not to worry just so we would get a peaceful, easy feeling. It’s not about feelings. He told us not to worry because our heavenly Father will take care of us. 

Wisdom

You might feel your soul tightening with this line of thinking. “Am I just supposed to do nothing?” No. It’s not inactivity. For the believer we call it “Spirit directed activity.” Sometimes Wisdom directs us do nothing, but stand. Sometimes Wisdom directs us to do something. 

Who is Wisdom? Did you know that Wisdom is a Person? Jesus is our wisdom.

1 Corinthians 1:30, NASB – But by His [God’s] doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. [Jesus is our everything]

Speaking of wisdom, Solomon – the wisest man who ever lived – wrote – 

Proverbs 3:16 – Length of days is in her [Wisdom’s] right hand, In  on [Wisdom’s] left hand riches and honor. [Proverbs 4:8 says “embrace wisdom.”]

When you are in an embrace with someone, you can’t see their hands because they are behind your back. Your focus isn’t on the hands behind you. but rather the person in front of you. Jesus has two hands.

In Jesus’s right hand is length of days – our health. In His left hand are riches and honor – our wealth and reputation. But that’s not our focus.

Our focus is Jesus and His love for us. When we fall into His embrace, we don’t need to worry about His hands because They will be there to support us. 

Proverbs 3:17 – Her [Wisdom’s] ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her [Wisdom’s] paths are peace.

The Spirit of Jesus leads us by the presence OR the absence of peace. Peace is the litmus test to know if we are walking in wisdom. 

And as we know from experience, sometimes Wisdom isn’t the path of least resistance, but rather the path of most resistance because God’s ways are not the ways of man.

But there will be rest in following His voice. There’s nothing like living in that sweet spot of trusting in the faithfulness of God.

Sometimes Wisdom says, “STOP!” And we think, “How can I just do nothing?!”

That’s a good time to remember Moses. He and the Israelites were “caught between a rock and a hard place” when the Egyptians were barreling  towards them, but they had no where to go. The Red Sea was in front of them. The Egyptians were behind them.

Exodus 14:13-14 – [So Moses delivered a message from God -] Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

God told them to “stand still” when their enemies were charging straight at them. “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” The word for salvation is “yeshua,” the Hebrew word for the name of Jesus. “Stand still and see Jesus” because He is our salvation – our rescue – our healing – our provision!

God parted the Red Sea, and their enemies were under water in a matter of hours, never to be seen again. Every last one of the Israelites made it to the other side on dry ground.

We think, “Don’t just stand there, do something!” But God’s says, “Don’t just do something, stand still and look at Jesus!” 

Verse 27 – the word “worry”; rapha and raphah

Matthew 6:27 – [Back to Matthew 6 – verse 27] Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 

The English word worry is derived from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning “to strangle or choke.” Sometimes when you worry, you can hardly breathe. It’s like your breath is being taken away. 

What causes worry? Nursing and rehearsing lies, offenses, negative thoughts, fears. Where do they come from? Originally, they come from the Father of Lies whose goal it is to steal, kill, and destroy our lives.

How are we released from the stranglehold of worry? The noose has to be relaxed and removed. What is the noose? It’s our agreement with the lies and fears. We have to let go of those thoughts and refuse to agree with them. How do we do that? We must change our minds – we must repent.

Set our mind on Jesus and all that we have learned about Him by beholding Him in His amazing grace. The more we know of Jesus, the more our mind is renewed to the Truth which sets us free of the stranglehold of worry.

Release your cares to Jesus because He cares for you. Let go. Let go of shame. Let go of grudges. Let go of hurts. Let go of fears. 

What are we afraid of? Ultimately death – a loss of life and growth – to our destiny and purpose, to our relationships, to our family members (spiritually, emotionally, and physically), to our plans, to our reputation, to our happiness, to our finances, and of course, to our bodies.

Worry is a stranglehold on life itself. But if I let go, who is going to take care of me?

Matthew 6:27, again – Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 

The Greek word for stature means “age, time of life.” Jesus is saying, “Which of you by worrying can increase the length of your life?” In fact, worrying decreases the length of your life! People who live long are often people who learn to let go. 

• Proverbs 14:30, TLB – A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life…
• Proverbs 14:30, NIV – A heart at peace gives life to the body.…
• Proverbs 14:30, AMPC – A calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of the body…
• Proverbs 14:30, NASB – A tranquil heart is life to the body..
• Proverbs 14:30 – A sound heart is life to the body…

The word “sound” is the Hebrew word marpē’ and it means “healing.” The root of marpē’ is rapha [râ-fâ’] which means “to heal, to make healthy.” God is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals. [Also transliterated rāp̄ā’]

The only difference in marpē’ which means “healing” and rapha which means “to heal” is one Hebrew letter: the “mem” – you add the Hebrew letter “mem,” and you change a verb to a noun – rapha become marpē.

An example of rapha, to heal, is in Psalm 103 – 

Psalm 103:2-3 – Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives [sālaḥ – to pardon] all your iniquities, Who heals [rapha] all your diseases

The Greek word for “forgiveness,” aphesis, means to let go of sins as if they had never been committed. First God let go of the debt of our sins when the blood of Jesus paid for them and washed them away never to be remembered. The work is finished. That’s His mercy. Jesus took what we deserved.

Mercy comes first – God let go of our sins. Then grace comes next. His healing flows from His throne of grace. We get what we could never earn or pay for.

There’s another similar Hebrew word which is pronounced the same as rapha – it’s raphah (with an “h” at end in the transliteration), and it means to let go, to relax, to rest.

An example of raphah, which means to let go, to relax, to rest is Psalm 46:10 –

Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, [raphah] and know that I am God…”

Psalm 46:10, NASB – “Cease striving [raphah] and know that I am God…”

Raphah (to let go, to relax, to rest) leads to rapha (to heal). Throughout scripture we see this biblical theme: when our soul prospers so does our body and our whole life.

Proverbs 17:22, NASB – A joyful heart is good medicine…

3 John 1:2, NASB – Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 

I want to look for a minute at the actual Hebrew letters in these two words, rapha and raphah, to discover the similarities in their meanings.

Remember Hebrew reads from right to left, not left to right like English. Also, every Hebrew letter has a picture, a meaning, and it represents a number.

So Reading from right to left: [click on handout]

Rapha and Raphah handout

Put it all together: Thinking, meditating on, and speaking of God’s grace causes the stranglehold of worries to relax, so you can meditate on and speak of the sacrifice of Jesus and be healed in your spirit, soul, and body.

Verse 28 – Consider the lilies

Matthew 6:28 – “So why do you worry about clothing? [our destiny!] Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: [He didn’t just say consider the fact that lilies grow, but HOW they grow – ] they neither toil nor spin;”

The Greek word for toil here literally means “to labor with worrisome effort, both mentally and physically; to grow exhausted with toil, burdens, or grief.” It’s the same word used when Jesus said in Matthew 11:

Matthew 11:28 – “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

The lilies don’t labor with worrisome effort, either mentally or physically. They don’t grow exhausted with toil, burdens, or grief. 

They just look beautiful. They are simply exposed to the sun that God provides, and they drink from the rain that God supplies. And then sometimes people fertilize them. 

Everything just works together to make them grow into beautiful flowers for us to enjoy with a lovely fragrance that we can even make into perfume and wear so that others are attracted to us.

We are like God’s lilies in the field of this world. We emit a spiritual fragrance – the fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus and His love.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 – Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved…

We neither toil nor spin. We simply believe and we rest. Whatever the demand, the supply is the grace of God.

Trouble, tribulation, and the curse

1 Corinthians 15:10 – [Paul wrote] By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Sometimes we work hard, but we don’t toil. We labor, but we don’t labor in vain because the grace of God is with us. We get tired, but not discouraged. 

2 Corinthians 4:8-9, NIV – [Paul wrote] We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 

We aren’t surprised when difficult times come because Jesus said they would.

John 16:33, NIV – [Jesus said-] “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

I’ve heard that God never allows us to face more trouble than we can handle. I don’t believe that. I have been in over my head with troubles more times than I care to count.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10, NLT – [Paul wrote -] We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 – [Jesus told Paul -] “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

There’s trouble because we live in a fallen world. There’s trouble because we sin – it’s called consequences. There’s trouble because we preach the gospel. It’s called persecution. 

There’s trouble because the devil hates us. But don’t accept trouble that God didn’t send or isn’t a part of sharing in the joy of His sufferings — which is persecution. Even if it’s troubles of our own making we do not have to accept a cursed life. And never just accept it when someone says you must have a a curse on your life.

Galatians 3:13-14 – Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. [what is the blessing of Abraham? He believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. His behavior was far from perfect, but he was extremely blessed – He was blessed with generations of his family, a long life, and livestock, silver and gold – Abraham’s life was a picture of pure grace!]

Never accept a cursed life, because stroke by stroke the full force of the entire curse of the law fell on Jesus..

Any blessing of God that you find ANYWHERE in the scriptures, you can claim for yourself – not because of YOUR righteousness, but because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ given to you as a free gift. 

As I said in the last message, Jesus became sin at the cross apart from any sinful actions, deeds, or thoughts, and once you receive the free gift of His righteousness, you become righteous apart from anything good that you have done. 

He took your sin; you take His righteousness. It’s called the great exchange. Jesus went to the cross for us to finish the work for our redemption – to pay for our sins that we might be blessed with all the blessings of heaven – not only for us, but also for all of the generations of our families!

Isaiah 65:23-24, NLT – [You are a child of God, therefore you are blessed! Hear the this promise from your heavenly Father: ] “They [you] will not work in vain, and their [your] children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they [you] are people blessed by the Lord, and their [your] children, too, will be blessed. 24 I will answer them [you] before they [you] even call to me. While they [you] are still talking about their [your] needs, I will go ahead and answer their [your] prayers!”

Jeremiah 29:11, NASB – “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” [Do you know what the Hebrew word for “welfare” is in this famous scripture? “shalom” – wholeness, well-being, safety, joy, favor, completeness, soundness, health, prosperity, contentment, tranquility, friendship, happiness, rest. That is God’s plan for your life!]

Verse 29 – the clothing of the lilies

Back to Matthew 6 – 

Matthew 6:29 – [The lilies neither toil nor spin – ] “and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

Not even the richest man in history – Solomon who would be a multi-trillionaire today – is clothed like one of these lilies. Nothing is more beautiful or valuable or unique than what God creates in nature. All we can do is copy it, paint it, needlepoint it, or plant its seeds to try to grow more of it.

Nothing we can do compares with God’s handiwork – and that includes you and me. We are His masterpiece.

Ephesians 2:10, NLT – For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. [“planned for us long ago” is a Greek word, proetoimazō. It means to measure in advance – like a master tailor would measure a garment of clothing]

That word “masterpiece” is the Greek word “poiēma”  – It is the masterpiece created by the master craftsman. It’s like the perfectly crafted and fitted garment of a master tailor. 

God, knowing what He wanted to do in you and through you, measured you in advance.  Knowing the garment He wanted to clothe you with, He created you in such a way that you would have a certain personality and certain gifts and abilities, so that you would be perfectly suited for the good works He planned for you to do.

This garment is the only garment that fits you. No other garment will fit. It’s tailor-made.

It’s God’s expression of the new creation that you are – and it will fit like a glove and bring you such joy! There are no limits to what God can do in and through you when you walk in who He has created you to be!

Conclusion – let not your heart be troubled

Matthew 6:30 – “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” [That’s a rebuke, right?]

But even Jesus’ rebuke is filled with grace and love. It’s encouraging because He’s not talking to people of great faith. He’s talking to people of little faith. Even if we have little faith, we can overcome worry by simply looking outside at the lilies of the field and the birds of the air.

You don’t have to be a theologian or Bible scholar or have great faith – all you need is eyes to see – just look at God’s handiwork and release your cares to Him. How much more will He take care of us?

Matthew 6:31-33 – “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Matthew 6:34, NIV – “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

In another place, Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled…” He said – 

John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

There are two “let not’s” in this verse. The first “LET NOT” is “Let not your heart be troubled.” “Let not” here is in the present PASSIVE imperative Greek verb tense. Passive means that our heart starts in an untroubled state – the normal state for the believer.

No one can “let not” for us. We’re the only ones who can guard our own hearts.

The 2nd “let not” is “neither let it be afraid,” this “LET NOT” is in the present ACTIVE imperative verb tense which means that when there is fear, we need to actively get rid of it!

All the pressures of this world are on the outside, but peace comes from inside. So speak to your soul! David did – he said, “Bless the Lord, O my soul!” Sometimes I Say to myself, “Tricia, let not your heart be troubled.”  And my heart obeys the voice of its Master – Jesus. 

What is “troubled”? The Greek word is tarassō, and it means to agitate, to trouble a thing by the movement of its parts to and fro; to cause inward commotion; to take away calmness of mind, to disturb equanimity; to disquiet, to make restless; to stir up; to strike one’s heart with fear and dread; to render anxious or distressed; to perplex the mind of one by suggesting doubts; to roil water – we call it “troubled waters.”

I looked up “roil” in the dictionary. It means “to make a liquid turbulent or muddy or cloudy by stirring up sediment.”   When we get troubled, sediment gets stirred up – negative thoughts and fears and offenses and shame makes our vision cloudy, so that we can’t see the face of Jesus clearly.

The face of Jesus is our mirror. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says that when we behold Jesus – the Prince of Peace – as in  mirror, we are transformed into His image – from glory to glory by the Spirit.

In the days to come, it will be critical for us to lock eyes with Jesus. As I was preparing this message, I saw an image in my heart of a woman whose eyes were fixed on Jesus. There were dark, stormy clouds overhead, and the wind was fierce. Her hair was blowing in the wind, but as long as her eyes were fixed on Jesus, she was at peace, relaxed, untroubled, without a care, and resting.

I felt like the Lord said to me that in the coming days, we will be just fine if we keep the face of Jesus before us. Look into His eyes, and you will know that He has never taken His eyes off of you. “His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.”

His Eye Is On the Sparrow,  by Civilla D. Martin:

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,

When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. (x 2)

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,

For His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender words I hear,

And resting on God’s goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;

Though by the way He leadeth, but one step I see;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. (x 2)

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,

When songs give way to sighing, when hope within me dies,

I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. (x 2)

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