01.24. Excerpt5 - He Knows the Way He Taketh,And I Will Walk With Him

Excerpt5 - He Knows the Way He Taketh,And I Will Walk With Him

God called to us, His people,
To be His holy Bride.
From out the rest of living souls,
He calls us to His side.

The way He calls is rugged, steep;
The way He knows - we are His sheep.
No blind design - He has the goals;
His love leads to the waterholes,
Gives us this day our daily bread,
And hitherto He’s always led.
Though dark the way, though the path be steep,
He drives the wolves from us, His sheep.
At times the clouds obscure His face,
But, bless His name, supplies of Grace
Can fortify ’gainst every shock.
His wisdom plans for all the flock.
Just now the skies seem solid brass;
Fear not, just think: "It came - to pass!"
The furnace seven times hotter be,
"My Grace" sufficient is for thee.
Your soul is riding out the gale;
Your courage falters, and the tale
Is not yet told,
But brighter gold
Comes from this long hostility.
And Jesus says, "Look unto Me -
I’ve planned for thee eternal days,
I’ve planned for thee a thousand ways.
I went through MY Gethsemane,
Will YOU, my child, bear this for Me?
My back was stripped, I bore the rod,
Will you bear this for Me, your God?
I’ve planned for thee a jeweled crown,
Will you ’go through,’ or let Me down?"
Can you bear up a few more years,
Or will you cause your Master tears?

While Joseph’s brothers made a pile,
Young Joseph suffered for a while.

That "while" just seemed a lengthy season
With no design, no rhyme or reason.
The brothers didn’t care a bit
That Joseph languished in a pit.
They showed no sorrow for his plight,
They cared not for the wrong or right,
BUT God was there behind the cloud!
(He does not shout His plans aloud.)
The path through pit and prison led -
For Joseph - to the nation’s head.
Not then did Joseph weep or groan,
Each step was leading to a throne!
The starving brothers soon behold
A ruler with a chain of gold.
They wept and each his breast did smite
Before one sold to th’Ishmaelite,
Their brother! With the power of death!
Each man fell down with panting breath.
Forgiving, Joseph understood:
"Ye meant me evil - God meant good!
He did not leave me or forsake.
He knew each step I had to take.
My Shepherd led by pastures green,
No other way could there have been
For ME to prove that He is God.
I loved the dark, I kissed the rod!"

Now through a darksome glass we see;
But OH! the GLORY yet to be!