So many of our well-loved hymns come from Fanny Crosby, and this is another one – “Close to Thee”. This hymn is not only a prayer for a close walk with the Lord, but also a reminder that He has walked with us through our Christian life.
Here’s is what Fanny Crosby herself said about this song, “Toward the close of a day in the year 1874 I was sitting in my room thinking of the nearness of God through Christ as the constant companion of my pilgrim journey, when my heart burst out with the words.”
Thou my everlasting portion,
More than friend or life to me,
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior, let me walk with Thee.
Refrain
Close to Thee, close to Thee,
Close to Thee, close to Thee;
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior, let me walk with Thee.
Not for ease or worldly pleasure,
Nor for fame my prayer shall be;
Gladly will I toil and suffer,
Only let me walk with Thee.
Lead me through the vale of shadows,
Bear me o’er life’s fitful sea;
Then the gate of life eternal
May I enter, Lord, with Thee.
Intentional Simplicity 
I’m not sure I could have just one fav :). I like the song, “I’ll shall know Him….by the nail prints in His hands” and we just learned about that song in our preacher’s conference last week. When she was close to her 90s, the doctors came to her and told her they could give her eye surgery that might restore her sight. She thanked them but said she didn’t want the surgery. They were confused and asked why and she said she had lived her whole life like this and she decided the first face she wanted to see was Jesus’. They asked her how she’d know Him and she said, “by the nail prints in His hands” – shivers – just what a thrill. Can’t wait to meet her 🙂
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That’s a beautiful story.
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I thought so, too – I have never heard that about her life. Love learning new facts.
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