“FARTHER ALONG”

In 1978 I became Pastor Ken Blue’s assistant at Open Door Baptist Church.   One of my jobs was to lead the congregational singing.  Prior to one service I was sitting on the platform with Pastor Blue.  He turned to me and said, “I want you to start the service by singing ‘Farther Along.’”  I never heard that hymn before.  I said to Pastor Blue, “I don’t know that song.”  He answered, “Brother Hughes, I didn’t ask you if you knew the song.  I asked you to get up and lead it!”  So, I meekly replied, “OK.”

I stepped to the pulpit and asked the congregation to turn to “Farther Along.”  I silently prayed one of those Nehemiah prayers (Neh. 2:4), as raised my hands to lead the song. When I began leading the song, the congregation sang loudly.  Praise God, they knew the song when I didn’t!  By the time we got to the last stanza, we were all singing together.  Since that day, I’ve lead “Farther Along” many, many of times and love it! Great song!

That occasion taught me a valuable lesson.  God may tell us to do something outside of our “comfort zone.”  Like Moses, we make excuses why we cannot do what God says (Ex. 4:10).   When God tells us to do something we don’t feel completely competent in doing, we shouldn’t make excuses.  We should say, “Yes Lord,” and just do it!  I have found that God enables me to do whatever He asks when I step out in faith (1 Tim. 1:12).  “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also WILL DO IT” (1 Thess. 5:24).   It is not about my ability, or lack thereof.  It is about obeying the Lord and trusting Him to do what I cannot do!

Trust and Obey!