Over the last year of my mother’s ferocious fight with cancer, she was heard to say repeatedly “one day at a time.” It became her lifeline on her way home to God. Mom died in January of 2015.
I have taken that motto with me into life’s forward flow, and I whisper it to myself or share it with someone else every day, not because I’m mortally ill (at least that I’m aware of!), but because times are tough. The days, one after another, are filled with many ills and sorrows, and threatening realities.
The Old Swedish Hymn, Day By Day, and With Each Passing Moment, reminds me that these kind of days are nothing new, not unprecedented. Here’s the Text:
Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet each trial here. Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment, I’ve no cause for worry or for fear. He whose heart is kind beyond all measure gives unto each day what he deems best– lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure, mingling toil with peace and rest.
Every day the Lord himself is near me with a special mercy for each hour. All my cares he fain would bear and cheer me, He whose name is Counsellor and Pow’r. The protection of his child and treasure is a charge that on himself he laid: “As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,” this the pledge to me he made.
Help me then in ev’ry tribulation so to trust your promises O Lord, that I lose not faith’s sweet consolation offered me within thy holy word. Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting, E’er to take as from a father’s hand. One by one, the days, the moments fleeting, till I reach the promised land.
Lina Sandell wrote these words of comfort and assurance. With them she shared this allegory:
An old wall clock stopped suddenly, and the dial decided to investigate and discovered that the pendulum was at fault. It had become bored and tired of swinging back and forth 86,400 times each day. “Try swinging six times” said the dial. The pendulum agreed and admitted that it was not wearisome, “but it’s not six times, or sixty; it’s the thought of six million times that disturbs me.” “But bear in mind,” said the dial, “that while in a single moment you can think of the millions of swings you must make in a lifetime, only one at a time will be required of you.And no matter how often you must go through the same movements you will be given a moment for each one.” The pendulum admitted that it had acted foolishly in going on strike and promptly resumed its work.”
In writing this hymn, Lina commented on the allegory, saying “It is foolish to put future burdens upon the present moment. We are given one day at a time, and for each day new grace, new strength, new help. Then she quoted Leviticus 33:25: “Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.” (Twice Born Hymns, J. Irving Erickson, Covenant Press, 1976).
Oscar Ahnfelt found the tune.
In an ironic twist, my mother, when we were talking about her funeral wishes, said “Please not “Day by Day!” She went on to say how much she loved the hymn, but how over-used she felt it was. But not these days! Let’s dust it off, and singing it, own it’s simple faith.
See you Sunday at the communion table!
Peter Hawkinson
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