I'm Pressing on the Upward Way

I'm pressing on the upward way,
New heights I'm gaining ev'ry day;
Still praying as I'm onward bound,
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Tho' some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,
Tho' Satan's darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height,
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I'll pray till heav'n I've found,
"Lord, lead me on to higher ground."

Lord lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on heaven's tableland,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

~~~Johnson Oatman Jr. 1856-1926 ~~~

This is such a 'true-to-life' kind of song. Even when all is going well, our human hearts still yearn for something better. When all is not going well, our desire intensifies!

I believe we are made with a desire for heaven, even though at times we don't recognize it as such.

So often in the hustle and bustle, in the middle of the heat, dust, blood and tears, my heart turns upward. "Lord, how long?"

But we can look up, and be lifted up to a place higher than we've been. And it doesn't have to be through good circumstances either. Often it's through the hard ones that we draw the closest to God. He's so faithful!

Let's keep pressing on!