I’m in the middle of the busiest and most stressful week of the year at work: audit week. This is the week that outside accountants come in and basically tear apart the financial statements from the year just ending, to validate that our internal team – which in 2022 was mostly me, myself, and I, with back-up from my supervisor – are competent accountants who handle all major transactions appropriately. The technical phrasing is that they’re validating that our financial statements are free from material misstatement or error such that it would alter the business decisions of the end user of the statements. They do this by asking for approximately 4 thousand documents and schedules and asking 37 million questions, most of them in the course of about a week. The stress isn’t because I’m concerned about what they’ll find; we really are competent accountants and I”m confident that we’ve handled everything appropriately. The stress is mostly just the time crunch and the sheer number of tasks, while time marches on and we’re trying to get the month closed as well.
In the midst of all that, there’s been a spot of calm, almost like a beam of light shining through the maelstrom: the hymn “Abide with Me”. It has come to mind – I’m sure through the Holy Spirit – time and again, usually at odd times, and has offered a welcome break from the pressure of a busy week.
Abide with me, fast falls the eventide
The darkness deepens Lord, with me abide
When other helpers fail and comforts flee
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away
Change and decay in all around I see
O Thou who changest not, abide with me
I need thy presence every passing hour
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like thyself my guide and strength can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness
Where is death’s sting?
Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee
In life, in death, Lord, abide with me
My favorite rendition of this is by a group called Indelible Grace; you can listen to it here if you’re interested.