"Abide With Me"

I would like to ask you to pray for a Thai friend who came to our evening worship last night and tonight. She is not a Seventh-day Adventist. She is a Buddhist neighbor of the Kiers. She has asked us to pray that God would bless her family with His peace. She isn't that interested in being a Christian, but she wants His peace to be with them and she knows that we love her so she comes to us for help and comfort. There is a lot of strife in her home and her family doesn't like her.

As I mentioned, she came tonight, as well. This time, her four year old daughter came with her. Her daughter didn't join us at first, but she came in after we had sung a few songs. I noticed that not long after we began to sing the hymn "Abide With Me", that she put a finger in each ear and then banged her head for a little bit on her mother's back. For quite a while she didn't have a restful look on her face.

The words of "Abide With Me" mean a lot more to me, now, as I more and more sense the greatness and intensity of the battle against the powers of darkness in this land. I want to share this hymn with you.

Vs.1

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Vs.2
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

Vs.3
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

Vs.4
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Dear Redeemer of the world, you died for the Thai people. You came to save this lady and her family. I pray that you will brake the chains of the devil and his spirits from this family and that they will know the peace and the abiding presence of you and your love for them. In Jesus' holy, saving name, amen.