In our hymn study this weekend we look at a famous hymn by Welsh hymn writer, William Williams. Williams was known as the "Watts of Wales" comparing him to Isaac Watts of England. In this hymn Williams uses the history of God's Old Testament people as an analogy for our earthly lives. He uses historical accounts of the Manna God provided from heaven for the Israelites, the pillar of cloud and fire, the water that God brought forth out of a rock, and finally the crossing of the Jordan river into the Promised Land of Canaan as illustrations of God's guiding and protecting hand in our lives today. Just as the Children of Israel were strangers in the wilderness, looking ahead to the Promised land of Canaan, so we are also strangers in this world of sin, looking ahead to the Promised Land of Heaven.

Our prayer is that God would guide us, defend and protect us and feed and nurture us both physically and spiritually throughout our earthly lives, until He finally brings us across the river of physical death and delivers us into His eternal kingdom. 

May the LORD enrich our understanding of His word and cause us to appreciate His presence in our lives and His defeat of death in Christ, which gives us confidence in our eternal future!