Our view across the miles gone by

Authors:
Themes:
Book Number:
  • 1151

Our view across the miles gone by
is filled with thankfulness.
The years that crept now seem to fly;
past peaks and valleys, low and high,
our Lord and God we bless,
his goodness we confess.

2. Some paths are cloudy, some are clear,
as we look fondly back;
the changing focus year by year,
regret or comfort, hope or fear,
yet nothing can we lack
while keeping on his track.

3. We cannot know the where or when
of landmarks on the hill;
the measured threescore years and ten
may pass, but will not come again,
for time does not stand still,
but runs, for good or ill.

4. And though we march, and love to sing,
the future none can tell;
we know not what a day may bring,
but learn to trust the sovereign King
of heaven and earth and hell;
our God does all things well.

5. So, Christian, while it is today
be ready for his call;
while travelling on the homeward way
look to the cross, and boldly say,
while worlds and empires fall,
Christ is my All-in-all.

© 2014 CHRISTOPHER IDLE/PRAISE TRUST
Christopher Idle

The Christian Life - Perseverance

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Tune

  • Repton
    Repton
    Metre:
    • 86 886 extended
    Composer:
    • Parry, Charles Hubert Hastings

A look at the author

Idle, Christopher Martin

b Bromley, Kent 1938. Eltham Coll, St Peter’s Coll Oxford (BA, English), Clifton Theol Coll Bristol; ordained in 1965 to a Barrow-in-Furness curacy. He spent 30 years in CofE parish ministry, some in rural Suffolk, mainly in inner London (Peckham, Poplar and Limehouse). Author of over 300 hymn texts, mainly Scripture based, collected in Light upon the River (1998) and Walking by the River (2008), Trees along the River (2018), and now appearing in some 300 books and other publications; see also the dedication of EP1 (p3) to his late wife Marjorie. He served on 5 editorial groups from Psalm Praise (1973) to Praise!; his writing includes ‘Grove’ booklets Hymns in Today’s Language (1982) and Real Hymns, Real Hymn Books (2000), and The Word we preach, the words we sing (Reform, 1998). He edited the quarterly News of Hymnody for 10 years, and briefly the Bulletin of the Hymn Society, on whose committee he served at various times between 1984 and 2006; and addressed British and American Hymn Socs. Until 1996 he often exchanged draft texts with Michael Perry (qv) for mutual criticism and encouragement. From 1995 he was engaged in educational work and writing from home in Peckham, SE London, until retirement in 2003; following his return to Bromley after a gap of 40 years, he has attended Holy Trinity Ch Bromley Common and Hayes Lane Baptist Ch. Owing much to the Proclamation Trust, he also belongs to the Anglican societies Crosslinks and Reform, together with CND and the Christian pacifist Fellowship of Reconciliation. A former governor of 4 primary schools, he has also written songs for school assemblies set to familiar tunes, and (in 2004) Grandpa’s Amazing Poems and Awful Pictures. His bungalow is smoke-free, alcohol-free, car-free, gun-free and TV-free. Nos.13, 18, 21, 23A, 24B, 27B, 28, 31, 35, 36, 37, 48, 50, 68, 78, 79, 80, 81, 83, 85, 89, 92, 95, 102, 108, 109, 114, 118, 119A, 121A, 125, 128, 131, 145B, 157, 176, 177, 193*, 313*, 333, 339, 388, 392, 420, 428, 450, 451, 463, 478, 506, 514, 537, 548, 551, 572, 594, 597, 620, 621, 622, 636, 668, 669, 693, 747, 763, 819, 914, 917, 920, 945, 954, 956, 968, 976, 1003, 1012, 1084, 1098, 1138, 1151, 1158, 1159, 1178, 1179, 1181, 1201, 1203, 1204, 1205, 1209, 1210, 1211, 1212, 1221, 1227, 1236, 1237, 1244, 1247, 5017, 5018, 5019, 5020.