Ellen with Tamie Heichelbeck, executive assistant to the president, at 2000 Baccalaureate.

Every year my husband and I choose a “life verse.” We usually don’t choose the same one. It usually comes out of our personal devotions. It is something that helps us through difficult times. In 1988 when I was diagnosed with cancer while living in Zimbabwe, we both claimed the 40th Psalm.

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.”

That verse continues to hold us together through many difficult times. And as I struggled with whether I should accept your invitation to speak at your baccalaureate service, I turned to that same verse and said, “Yes, Lord. You have put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to you.” And I must tell others what you have been doing in my life. You have given me new lessons in trusting and obeying.

Like the Bible verses, we also try to have special hymns. “Trust and Obey” is one of our favorites.

Before I could talk about those words, I thought I should turn to good old Mr. Webster for definitions. Mr. Webster and his associates say that TRUST is assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something: one in which confidence is placed. OBEY means to follow the commands or guidance of; to comply with.

Trust and Obey, by John H. Sammis

When we walk with the Lord in the light of his Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay:
For the favor He shows and the joy He bestows
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey.

... I would like to tell you a story of a young man at a revival meeting held by D.L. Moody. This young man stood up and said, “I am not quite sure, but I’m going to trust, and I’m going to obey.” He went forward and gave his life to the Lord and was saved. Salvation is God’s responsibility. Our responsibility is to trust in that salvation and then to obey its truths. The words to the hymn “Trust and Obey” came from that incident because a songwriter was there and was inspired by those words of that young man. The hymn presents a balanced view of a believer’s trust in Christ’s redemptive work, and it speaks of the resulting desire to obey Him and do His will in our daily lives. Then and only then do we experience real peace and joy.

My prayer for you is that whenever you sing this hymn, you will be reminded of your years here at Greenville College and the lessons you learned in trusting and obeying. And that you will remember the Godly people who have gone out before you…remembering their examples of trusting and obeying and that you will sing out “Never fear, only trust and obey.”

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