“This is my Father’s world, and to my listening 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 is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one,” Maltbie D. Babcock, 1901.

When I was growing up, I used to sing this song in the church. I always thought about the words and wondered about my own father.

He died when I was quite young; he was a Lutheran minister. The words made me reflect upon the father that I really didn’t know; there were only reflections of his face and instances of different scenes that I had remembered.

And then after he died, my mother remarried another man who became my dad. He was a farmer, and a tiller of the soil. He took on the responsibility of raising my other two brothers and I. And yet, growing up, I always wondered when I would hear the words to this song.

For as we know, the words are about our heavenly father. We see his reflection all around us in all that is fair and good. And yet as this is my Father’s world, everything around me certainly is not all fair and good, for this world has fallen into decay. What was originally meant to be a place of Eden, has caused us to fall from what was meant for us. And then the Father’s Son came and walked among us, beckoning all to come to Him.

My life has been paved about by three fathers – the first one died many years ago at a young age, the second one left this earth just a few years ago, and the Eternal One abides forever.

His light permeates all that is good and fair. He is the Father of all. He is the Father of the broken-hearted and the forlorn. He rules with justice above the spheres of man, and yet we all will look upon his Son who was pierced for our iniquities, but comes again to rule forever on end.

“This is my Father’s world, and to my listening 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 is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

This is my Father’s world, dreaming, I see His face.
I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, “The Lord is in this place.”
This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came—a pledge of deathless love.

This is my Father’s world, should my heart be ever sad?
The lord is King—let the heavens ring. God reigns—let the earth be glad.
This is my Father’s world. Now closer to Heaven bound,
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.
No place but is holy ground.

This is my Father’s world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home,” Maltbie D. Babcock, 1901.

 

Selah,
~ Stephen Hanson

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Stephen Hanson of In His Truth Ministries came to the LORD is a special way in 1975 and has prophesied regularly since. In these end-time birthing pangs we are reminded that judgment must first begin with the household of God. Will we be prepared and ready?

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