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Draw near: Praying to Jesus for perseverance

Lynne Baab • Tuesday October 4 2022

Draw near: Praying to Jesus for perseverance

Jesus, good above all other,
gentle child of gentle mother,
in a stable born our brother,
give us grace to persevere.
—Percy Dearmer, 1906

I met this hymn a few weeks ago for the first time, and I was quite taken by the idea of praying to Jesus for perseverance, something I have seldom done. I habitually pray to Jesus for many things. I ask him for the patience, kindness, and boldness that characterized his life on earth as described in the Gospels. I ask him to give me clarity of purpose like he had. This hymn got me thinking about the ways Jesus persevered. Yes, yes, I want more perseverance. I need more.

I am fascinated by the way this verse links Jesus’ goodness, gentleness, and brotherliness with perseverance. As an Enneagram One, I love the idea of Jesus as good above all other. When I pray to him for anything, I can ask that I would grow into his goodness. Since he is indeed our brother, we can talk to him with familiarity about what we need.

Here are verses two through four of the hymn. Notice that the last line of each stanza contains a request. Are these the kind of things you might ask Jesus for?

Jesus, cradled in a manger,
for us facing every danger,
living as a homeless stranger,
make we thee our King most dear.

Jesus, for thy people dying,
risen Master, death defying,
Lord in heaven, thy grace supplying,
keep us to thy presence near.

Jesus, who our sorrows bearest,
all our thoughts and hopes thou sharest,
thou to us the truth declarest;
help us all thy truth to hear.

In verse five, the final verse, the request comes in the first line, and the remaining three lines contain hopeful affirmations of the benefits of Jesus’ guidance. The author, Rev. Percy Dearmer, returns to the idea of perseverance in the very last line, indicating the significance of that idea to him.

Lord, in all our doings guide us;
pride and hate shall ne'er divide us;
we'll go on with thee beside us,
and with joy we'll persevere.

Rev. Dearmer (1867-1936) was an English Anglican priest who wrote The Parson's Handbook (1899), a liturgical manual for Anglican clergy. He also helped to assemble The English Hymnal (1906). He wrote several of the hymns in it, including this one, and provided translations for others. Rev. Dearmer was a social justice advocate. In his last post as a minister, he was a canon at Westminster Abbey, and he ran a canteen for the unemployed. I invite you to re-read the words to this hymn in the light of its author, a man who cared passionately for the poor. I see different emphases in the hymn when I know about Rev. Dearmer’s life, and I get a glimpse of the kind of perseverance he was asking Jesus for. (You can listen to the hymn here.)

I like exploring the structure of hymns and praise songs, noting specifically to whom they are speaking, because they expand the options of what I might pray for. I see new connections that fuel my prayers. Before I read this hymn, I did not link Jesus’ goodness and his ability to bear our sorrows and sin with the idea of his perseverance in his ministry on earth. I do not want to persevere for the sake of proving something to myself or others. I do not want to persevere when stopping would be the right thing to do. I want to persevere like Jesus did – following the guidance of his Father.

Jesus, good above all other,
gentle child of gentle mother,
in a stable born our brother,
give us grace to persevere.

(Next week: Praying to Jesus, our precious treasure. Illustration by Dave Baab: Kubota Gardens, Seattle. To receive an email when I post on this blog, sign up under “subscribe” below.)

I am so happy that I now have two books available in many formats of audiobooks: Sabbath Keeping: Finding Freedom in the Rhythms of Rest and Two Hands: Grief and Gratitude in the Christian Life.

Previous posts and an article that mention perseverance:



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