As a minister of music, I love the way that hymns can carry us onward through the various highs and lows of life. My position in the church is unique in that I get to choose the words that God’s people will sing and reflect on, and I take this role very seriously. Songs have the special power to teach us to think biblically about life and circumstances in a memorable way. One of the hymns we sing together from time to time is “This is My Father’s World,” and it is a song that has filled my soul for years with the sweetest reminders of God’s sovereign care for the world. No matter where we fall on the political spectrum, no matter whether we were ecstatic or disappointed (or somewhere in the middle) on election night, I think this song could be one for all of those in the United States who claim the faith of Jesus Christ.
Presbyterian pastor, Maltbie Babcock wrote this hymn in his personal journal at some point in his life, but it was published in 1901 by his wife, Catherine, after his death. Babcock loved nature. It has been said that he would often go on walks to reflect upon the beauty of creation. Before leaving the house, he would tell Catherine, “I’m going out to see my Father’s world.” And oh, what a beautiful world he was able to see—the diverse wildlife of western New York, the vast waters from the shores of Lake Ontario, and the grandness of Niagara Falls, snowy winters and mild summers. It is only fitting that he is the man that penned these words:
This is my Father’s world,
And to my list’ning ears,
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world;
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas,
His hand the wonders wrought.
This song recognizes a truth that all who know the Lord Jesus Christ affirm. Earthly authorities, monarchs, prime ministers, aristocrats, legislators, electorates, and presidents have only limited control over their realms of influence. God rules over his creation in a way that men and women cannot, and his reign is forever. Jesus Christ has ascended and has taken his seat in heaven. The prophet Daniel wrote this of the kingdom of Christ:
And to him was given dominion
Daniel 7:14 (ESV)
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
Many of you are experiencing a range of emotions since the election—hope, frustration, relief, confusion, or even uncertainty. Whatever you are feeling, think about Babcock’s words, ‘I rest me in the thought.’ Christians everywhere can find true contentment in God’s legitimate authority over the affairs of our world. There is nothing more comforting and refreshing than a theology that simply says, “My God is the biggest existing thing, and he personally loves me.”
So Christian, as this election season has come to a close and the flood of advertisements, donation requests, and pollster phone calls have stopped, let us take some time to rest in the reign of God. Rest yourself in the thought that this is your loving Father’s world.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10 (ESV)
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
Bee-Attitude
Blessed are you who rest in God’s sovereignty, for you will rightly see this world as his alone.
Grant Turner is the editor of the Barnesville Buzz and an educator, coach, and writer based in Barnesville, Georgia. He shares stories that bridge community, faith, and personal growth. In addition to teaching and coaching, Grant is Director of Musical Worship and a Sunday School teacher at New Hope Baptist Church in Zebulon, Georgia. He lives in Barnesville with his wife, Haley.
