Below are some lyrics to a song that has been a favorite of mine for years. As I prepare sermons on the book of Jonah, I'm reminded that sometimes we forget that God's purpose is not to trip us up, nor to flabbergast us, but instead it is to bring us to Him, and as He does so, to bring others to Him as well.

He Didn't Bring Us This Far to Leave Us
Words and music: Phil Johnson © 1978 BMG MusicLead: Dale Underwood

Chorus 1:
He didn't bring us this far to leave us
He didn't teach us to swim to let us drown
He didn't build His home in us to move away
He didn't lift us up to let us down

There are some promises in a letter
Written a long, long time ago
They're not getting older, they're getting better
Because He still wants us to know

Chorus 2:
He didn't bring us this far to leave us
He didn't teach us to swim to let us drown
He didn't build His home in us to move away
He didn't lift us up to let us down (to let us down, let us down)
He didn't lift us up to let us down

I read those promises in His letter
And now I claim them for my own
Filling my heart and making life better
And I just wanted you to know

Repeat Chorus 2

Never use the word defeat
Claim His promises, every one of them
And every spoken word He'll hear
Because we're everything to Him

Repeat Chorus 2

He didn't lift us up to let us down

What do you think? Are you familiar with this old CCM standby? Is it new to you? Tell me what you think.