I. F. L. Elland - The February 2001 issue of With All Boldness (http://www.faith-facts.com/wab.html) contains biographies of many well-known Christian hymn writers.
II. Verse 1
Time is filled with swift transition, naught of earth unmoved
can stand, build your hopes on things eternal, hold to God's unchanging
hand.
Ecc. 3:1-8, Gen. 7:21-24, Titus 1:1-4, 3:7-8, Gal 5:4-6, Eph 2:12-17,
Col 1:3-5, Titus 2:13-14, Heb 13:7-8, Acts 13:32-34.
Every aspect of our lives is constantly changing. The average
person changes jobs about 7 times. Our society thinks nothing
of changing our residence. We change our hair, our style of clothes.
Change is also all around us. As we get older, it seems that when
we do not want things to change, that's when they change the most.
The earth is constantly changing. Man has brought about great
change all over the world. God has changed the earth in many ways.
At one point he destroyed almost everything that can be seen.
We, as finite individuals, need things that we can depend on to
not change. We depend on the value of the dollar that we use to
pay for things to remain constant. But it does not! There is only
one thing that will never change. one thing that is eternal and
unchanging: God. We can depend on anything that God has told us
to be true and unchanging.
III. Verse 2
Trust in Him who will hot leave you, whatsoever years may
bring, if by earthly friends forsaken, still more closely to Him
cling.
Heb. 13:1-6, I Tim 6:19, Prov 13:19-20, Luke 6:22-23, Joshua 23:8-11,
Psa 73:28.
How many times have you set up a meeting or a plan with someone,
and, without any warning, they cancel? Have you ever had someone
desert you in a time of need? Have you ever had someone that you
depended on to back you up in a situation leave and not want to
get involved? Men will do this. God will not. The closer that
we come near to God, God will comfort and protect us. It is only
ourselves that can separate us from the love of, God!
IV. Verse 3
When your journey is completed, if to God you have been
true, fair and bright the home in glory, your enraptured soul
will view.
Heb. 10:19-27, 11:5-6, Rev 21:21-26.
One of the things that changes in this life that we need to be
especially aware of, is the fact that man comes and goes. Our
life is compared to a vapor that vanishes away. (James 4:14) The
one aspect of our being that lives on is the eternal soul. When
the soul departs this weak and feeble body, the actions and beliefs
that guided our lives will determine its future! God has prepared
a glorious eternal life ter us. All we lave to do is to be true
to Him, His Son, and His Word!
V. Chorus
Hold to God's unchanging handl Hold to God's unchanging
hand! Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God's unchanging
hand.
We can depend on God. When we build our lives on Him, His Son,
and His Word, we lay up for ourselves eternal treasures that we
cannot even imagine here in this life. God extends His Hand to
us through His Word; what will our answer be?