I'd Rather Have Jesus

Geroge Beverly Shea is well known for singing this strong hymn of dedication and he also composed the music for it. The words were written by Rhea F. Miller.

The words for this song came from Miller’s father as a declaration of faith when he was saved from alcoholism. Miller heard her father preach the words “I’d rather have Jesus” and those words prompted her to write the poem.

Miller grew up in Brooktondale, New York. Her father, Martin Ross, was a drunk and wanted nothing to do with religion. Her mother, Bertha, was faithful to God. She was firm in her faith, and her steadfastness broke through the walls her husband had isolated himself with. He surrendered to the wooing of God’s spirit and was wonderfully delivered from the awful bondage of sin. As a result, he entered the ministry and became pastor of the Baptist Church in Brooktondale.

Rhea Miller was the wife of Dr. H. V. Miller, one of the General Superintendents of the Church of The Nazarene. After her husband’s death, Mrs. Miller taught piano and traveled all around the area in her little gray Nash coupe.

She had a special mission in life and that was to get into pastors’ homes and teach their kids how to play the piano so they would have something to contribute to the church when they became adults. She would offer to teach these kids for free and hope to make up the difference with her other students.

She was a very inspirational woman and made a deep impact upon many lives. She was very positive, always smiling, full of encouragement, and always enthusiastic.

George Beverly Shea was born into the home of fine Christian parents in Ontario, Canada, in 1909. His father was a minister of the gospel, and his mother was a strong spiritual and musical influence in his life.

His musical talent was recognized by many when he was young. He sang regularly in his father’s church. He attended Houghton College in New York but had to leave after one year because of family financial problems.

But that did not stop him from singing. He continued to sing in churches and for Christian radio programs, which led to the unexpected offer of an audition in New York City. He was offered a substantial salary and wide recognition for this secular singing position and prayed long and hard whether to accept. He thoughtfully turned them down to become a singing servant for our Savior.

He allowed the words to this hymn to guide and direct him as a young man. In 1944 he teamed up with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Crusades and has sung about Jesus all over the world.

Shea tells this story about the hymn: “Once again Mother, my musical guardian, had a part. A lover of beauty, be it a flower, a bird, a poem, an ennobling quotation, whatever, Mother was a collector. She loved to share poetry and she always had some verse in hand copied from a book or clipped from a magazine.

“It was her practice of leaving such writings on the piano music rack which led to my writing the music for ‘I’d Rather Have Jesus’ when I was twenty years old. The same Sunday morning I read those wonderful words for the first time, I used the song that morning in my father’s church service.

“Of course, Mrs. Miller is the catalyst. Without her inspiring lyrics, there would have been no song. Over the years, I’ve not sung any song more than ‘I’d Rather Have Jesus,’ but I never tire of Mrs. Miller’s heartfelt words.”

Verse One

“I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold,

I’d rather be His than have riches untold;

I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,

I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.”

Proverbs 16:16

"How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver."

Studylight.org, Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible: To obtain and possess Christ, the fountain of wisdom, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, which treasures are infinitely preferable to thousands of gold and silver; to gain the knowledge of Him, and of God in Him, with which eternal life is connected, and the truths of it, which are more to be desired than gold.

Biblehub.com, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary: There is joy and satisfaction of spirit, only in getting wisdom. A sincerely religious man keeps at a distance from every appearance of evil. Happy is the man that walks in Christ and is led by the Spirit of Christ.

Verse Two

“I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause,

I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause,

I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame,

I’d rather be true to His holy name.”

Psalm 37:3

“Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.”

Bibleref.com: David continues his wise counsel by telling his audience to put their confidence in the Lord and do what is right. Those concepts are inseparable: trusting God and obeying Him go hand in hand. The book of James was written to teach that legitimate faith leads to related works.

Psalm 119:30

“I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Your ordinances before me.”

Biblehub.com, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: I have chosen the way of truth; among all the paths of life I have selected this. I prefer this. I desire to walk in this. Religion is, wherever it exists, a matter of preference or choice; and the friend of God prefers His service to the service of the world . . . I have set them before my mind as the guide of my conduct; I have made their observance the end and aim of my life.

Biblehub.com, Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible: Christ, who is the Way and the Truth, the true way to God and to eternal happiness; and to choose Him is to choose the good part, which shall never be taken away; and which choice is made, not by the free will of man, as left to itself, but under the influence and by the direction of the Spirit and grace of God.

Verse Three

“He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom,

He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb,

He’s all that my hungering spirit needs,

I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.”

2 Corinthians 2:14

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.”

Studylight.org, Contending for the Faith: The implication is recognized when he erupts in thanksgiving to God. Paul . . . expresses the positive side of “triumph” where Christ leads him in triumph . . . Paul gives praise and glory to God for all successful conversions and restorations attributed to him by his preaching the gospel.

Psalm 143:10

"Teach me to do Your will; For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

Biblehub.com, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: The Spirit which guides those who trust in Thee; the Spirit with which “Thou” dost guide people. That Spirit is wise, prudent, judicious, reliable. It will not lead astray. Grant me “that” Spirit, and I shall be certain that I am going in the right path.

Biblestudytools.com, John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible: Let Thy good Spirit lead me into the land of uprightness either into a right land where honesty prevails, and honest and upright men live; or, through a plain way, easy to be found, in which he should not err, and where would be no occasion of stumbling, or through the way of life; the way to eternal life, to heaven and happiness; the land where only truly righteous and upright persons dwell: such will be the new heaven and the new earth, as well as the ultimate state of glory; and to this the Spirit of God is the leader and guide of His people.

Christianity.com, Matthew Henry’s Bible Commentary: A good man does not ask the way in which is the most pleasant walking, but what is the right way. Not only show me what Thy will is but teach me how to do it. Those who have the Lord for their God, have His Spirit for their Guide; they are led by the Spirit. He prays that he might be enlivened to do God’s will. But we should especially seek the destruction of our sins, our worst enemies, that we may be devotedly God’s servants.

Refrain

“Than to be the king of a vast domain,

Or be held in sin’s dread sway;

I’d rather have Jesus than anything,

This world affords today.”

1 Timothy 6:20

“O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called ‘knowledge.’”

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: Paul repeated a theme often used, challenging Timothy to distinguish between what comes from God (that which was committed to your trust), and what comes from man (idle babblings); and to guard against becoming enamored with what comes from man . . . Paul had confidence in Timothy, and he did trust him. Yet Paul also knew how great the power of seduction is, and how high the stakes are--so he warned, and warned, and warned again. . . Guard what was committed to your trust: The gospel is a trust committed to pastors like Timothy; but also, to all believers. And when that trust is broken, some have strayed concerning the faith. We must do all that we can to keep this trust.

Titus 2:12

“Instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.”

Studylight.org, Dr. Constable’s Expository Notes: When the Christian appreciates this grace, it teaches him or her to deny ungodliness, the root problem, and worldly passions, the manifestation of the root problem. These passions are the desires that unbelievers find so appealing but which are not in harmony with God’s character . . . It instructs us positively to live sensibly; self-controlled inwardly, righteously, morally upright outwardly, and godly; reverently upwardly in this age.

George Beverly Shea, in his book, “How Sweet the Sound,” shared these words when he found the poem on the piano rack in his home: “As I read these precious words, I found myself singing the words in a melody that expressed the feelings of my heart. What a joy it was to sing with fervent voice in the key of B-flat. Soon a mother’s arms were around my shoulders. She had been in the next room having her devotions and now, joining me at the piano, there were tears in her eyes. She knew the words were having the desired effect—they were speaking to me about life’s choices.”

 

I am indebted to the following resources:

Kenneth W. Osbeck, 101 More Hymn Stories

Dianaleaghmatthews.com

Enjoyingthejourney.org

Hymnary.org, Ron Kelly

Songscoops.blogspot.com, David Cain

By His Grace . . .

The Ninety and Nine

 

Elizabeth Clephane was born in 1830, in Scotland. She was a quiet child, shrinking from notice and always absorbed in books. The loss of both her parents at an early age taught her sorrow.

As she grew, she was recognized as the cleverest of the family. She was first in her class and a favorite of the teacher. Her love of poetry was a passion. Among the sick and suffering she won the name of “My Sunbeam.”

 When she was 15 years old, she began to confide to her younger sister about what she had written. For years these two held what they called “literary seances.” She had a vivid imagination and used to improvise wonderful stories with hairbreadth escapes.

Clephane was considered frail. She gave much to the poor. It is said that she sold her horses to raise money for philanthropic causes. Her brother, George, was the lost sheep she wrote this poem about. She was twenty-one. The poem was based on the parable of the shepherd who left his ninety-nine sheep to go after the one lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7) to help children remember the truths of Jesus’ words.

The creation of the words and the tune are both amazing from beginning to end. The text to her poem appeared in a newspaper, where it caught the attention of Ira Sankey, music director for evangelist Dwight L. Moody.

Sankey was on his way to Edinburg, Scotland, for an evangelistic meeting when he saw the poem. He “tucked the poem in his vest pocket and thought no more of it.”

That afternoon as Rev. Moody concluded his message, he turned to Sankey and abruptly asked that he sing an appropriate solo.

Sankey, remembering the poem in his pocket, pulled it out and quickly prayed for “divine help.” He walked to his little pump organ, struck the chord of A flat and began to sing. As he sang the song, in front of a live audience, he composed the melody on the spot.

 By the time Ira Sankey finished the song, both he and Mr. Moody were in tears. In Sankey’s words: “Mr. Moody was greatly moved. Leaving the pulpit, he came down to where I was seated. Leaning over the organ, he looked at the little newspaper slip from which the song had been sung, and with tears in his eyes said: ‘Sankey, where did you get that hymn? I never heard the like of it in my life.’ I was also moved to tears and arose and replied: ‘Mr. Moody, that’s the hymn I read to you yesterday on the train, which you did not hear.’ Then Mr. Moody raised his hand and pronounced the benediction, and the meeting closed. Thus ‘The Ninety and Nine’ was born. That evening, many responded to the call to give their life to Christ.”

During the tour, they held a service in Melrose. In the audience were the two sisters of Clephane. Imagine their delight and surprise, as they heard their dearly departed sister’s words sung by the famed Ira Sankey.

One day, Mr. Sankey received a letter from Elizabeth’s sister, thanking him for turning her late sister’s poem into a song. (She’d died several years before.)

 Verse One

“There were ninety and nine that safely lay In the shelter of the fold,

But one was out on the hills away, far off from the gates of gold –

Away on the mountains wild and bare, away from the tender Shepherd’s care,

Away from the tender Shepherd’s care.”

 John 10:14

“I am the good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: The Good Shepherd lives and dies for the good of the sheep. He knows His sheep. He is known by His sheep. There is a mutually reciprocal knowledge between Jesus and His sheep.

Luke 15:4

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? “

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: The lost sheep would never save himself, or find the shepherd himself. If the shepherd did not take action, the sheep was doomed . . . Jesus taught that God actively seeks out the lost. He does not grudgingly receive the lost; instead, He searches after them. God finds the sinner more than the sinner finds God.

 Verse Two

“Lord, thou hast here Thy ninety and nine; are they not enough for Thee?

But the Shepherd made answer: ‘This of mine has wandered away from me,

And although the road be rough and steep, I go to the desert to find My sheep,

I go to the desert to find My sheep.’”

 Matthew 18:12

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?

Studylight.org, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible: Note these facts about a lost sheep: it is absolutely defenseless, having no weapon of any kind, no gift of speed in flight, no cunning, no means of deception; its very cries being only a signal for the enemy to close in for the kill; the sheep has no sense of direction. A carrier pigeon would surely be able to return to its nest; a dog might find its way home, but a sheep? Never! A lost sheep is surrounded by enemies, even the elemental forces of nature being hostile and often fatal of him when separated from the fold. The parable suggests the earthly mission of Christ, the Good Shepherd, who left the joys of heaven to wander amid the bleak scenes of earth to recover lost and sinful people. It also has an application to the church, or flock of God, in that the true place for every sheep is in the fold. There is no safety for the sheep separated from the Shepherd and the fold.

Wordwisehymns.com, Robert Cottrill: See the concentration of the Shepherd. Though He knows and cares for all His sheep, He is concerned for the welfare of each one individually. Even though most are safe in the fold, He notices that one has wandered off. Compare the work of salvation. The big picture is: “God so loved the world, and Jesus died for the sins of all mankind.” (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2) But that sufficient payment does not become efficient until it is personally appropriated by faith. Then, we as individuals can say, “The Son of God . . . loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

 Verse Three

“But none of the ransomed ever knew how deep were the waters crossed;

Nor how dark was the night that the Lord passed thro’ ere He found His sheep that was lost.

Out in the desert He heard its cry – sick and helpless, and ready to die,

Sick and helpless, and ready to die.”

Matthew 4:10

"Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only."

Wordwisehymns.com, Robert Cottrill: See the courage of the Shepherd. He heads off into the wilderness to search for that one lost sheep. Similarly, God the Son took on our humanity and descended to the wilderness of this world, giving His life to save us. Even though His sacrifice is proclaimed in the Word of God, we can have little conception of what it cost Him.

AwedbyJesusChrist.com: Christ perfectly demonstrates the virtue of courage to encourage men. He was fortified by the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus was raised, knowing the great courage of Mary’s and Joseph’s and their total commitment to serve God in the face of persecution. Jesus stands up to and defeats Satan when tempted in the wilderness. He evangelizes despite the ongoing plots to kill Him. He stands up to false teaching, repeatedly confronts the Pharisees and the Sadducees. He confronts the merchants and moneychangers. He braves the Nazareth mob that tries to cast Him off a cliff. Knowing full well the physical torture He will endure, accepts the Father’s will. Accepts death on the cross.

 Verse Four

“’Lord, whence are those blood-drops all the way that mark out the mountain’s track?’

‘They were shed for one who had gone astray ere the Shepherd could bring Him back.’

‘Lord, whence are Thy hands so rent and torn? They’re pierced tonight by many a thorn?

They’re pierced tonight by many a thorn.’”

 Luke 22:44

“And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”

Studylight.org, Bridgeway Bible Commentary: Jesus fought against the temptation to avoid the cross, His agony of mind was so intense that He perspired what appeared to be blood. But He won the battle, and determined that He would willingly submit to whatever His Father would have him go through . . . He would give Himself without reservation, in order to save others. The decisive victory He won in the garden enabled Him to meet His betrayal, trial and death with renewed courage and assurance.

We can be assured that Jesus will do the same for all of us to save us.

Verse Five

“But all thro’ the mountains, thunder-riv’n, and up from the rocky steep,

There arose a glad cry to the gate of heav’n, ‘Rejoice! I have found my sheep!’

And the angels echoed around the throne, ‘Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!

Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!’”

Luke 15:5-7

“And when He finds it, He joyfully puts it on His shoulders and goes home. Then He calls His friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: When Jesus finds His people, He also carries them . . . the emphasis in this parable is not on the proportion, but on the joy of finding the lost . . . Though the sheep does nothing to rescue himself or repent, Jesus mentioned the need for repentance in the last few words of this brief story. It’s almost as if He said, “The sheep doesn’t repent, but you need to when God finds you.”

Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!”

 

I am indebted to the following resources:

Wordwisehymns.com, Robert Cottrill

Hymnologyarchive.com

DianaleaghMatthews.com

En.wikipedia.org

Wellingtonadvertiser.com, Stephen Thorning

By His Grace . . .

Rock of Ages

Augustus Toplady was born in Farnham, England, in 1740. He was the son of Major Richard Toplady, who died in the service while his son was in infancy. Shortly after her husband’s death, his mother moved to Ireland with Augustus.

“I am now at the age of eleven years,” he wrote on his birthday. “I praise God I can remember no dreadful crime; to the Lord be the glory.” By age twelve he was preaching sermons to whoever would listen. At fourteen, he began writing hymns. At sixteen he was soundly converted to Christ while attending a service in a barn.

Toplady said: “Strange that I who had so often sat in church in England should be brought right with God in an obscure part of Ireland, midst a handful of people met together in a barn, and by the ministry of one who could hardly spell his own name. Surely it was the Lord’s doing and is marvelous.”

Later Toplady graduated from Trinity College in Dublin, at twenty-two years of age, and was ordained in 1762 to the ministry of the Anglican Church. His various pastorates included the French Calvinist Chapel at Leichester Fields, London, where he was known as a powerful and zealous evangelical preacher.

As the young minister traveled through the rugged country near England’s Cheddar Gorge, the clouds burst and torrential sheets of rain pummeled the earth. The weary traveler was able to find shelter standing under a rocky overhang. He had been fortunate to find this hiding place so quickly, and while waiting for the storm to pass he began to muse on the idea of the “rock of faith being a shelter from the “'storms of life.'”

Inspired by the situation and scenery, he took out a playing card in his pocket and scribbled his initial lyrics. Later Toplady used the words for an article he was writing for “The Gospel Magazine,” where he was an editor.

In the article Toplady had calculated that a fifty-year-old man in his lifetime would be guilty of one billion, one hundred and seventy-six million, eight hundred thousand sins. He quite rightly argued that it was humanly impossible for anyone to pay off such a staggering debt of iniquity. Therefore, sinners need avail themselves of the mercy and pardon of the Lord Jesus, who died upon the Cross to "redeem us from the curse of the law.” He concluded the article with: “A living and dying prayer for the holiest believer in the world” – which contained the recently written hymn, “Rock of Ages.”

Because of his frail constitution, Toplady died of consumption at age 38, but his poem outlived him and has been called “the best known, best loved, and most widely useful” hymn in the English language.

As he neared the end Toplady proclaimed, “My heart beats every day stronger and stronger for glory. Sickness is no affliction, pain no cause, death itself no dissolution . . . My prayers are now all converted into praise.”

The tune was written by Thomas Hastings of Washington, Connecticut. Hastings was the first musician of sacred music to dedicate his life to the task of elevating and improving the music of the churches in this country.  Despite the fact that he was an Albino and afflicted with an eye problem, Hastings wrote no less than 50 volumes of church music, including 1,000 hymn tunes and more than 600 original hymn texts. In 1858, the University of the City of New York bestowed the degree of Doctor of Music upon him.

Verse One

“Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood, From Thy wounded side which flowed,

Be of sin the double cure, Save from wrath and make me pure.”

Hebrews 9:14

“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

Bibleref.com: The old covenant sacrifices were not completely useless. They were flawed, and the writer of Hebrews makes this clear. However, they did serve a purpose. They served as symbols of the future ministry of Jesus Christ . . . Here, the blood shed by Christ is said to have the kind of power missing from that of animal sacrifices . . . All three persons of the Trinity . . . fulfills the entire purpose of the new covenant. God the Father can receive our service, because God the Son offers Himself as sacrifice, as guided by God the Holy Spirit . . . The result of the power of Jesus’ sacrifice is dramatic . . . Christ’s blood cleans us spiritually.

 Verse Two

“Not the labor of my hands Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;

Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow,

All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone.”

Psalm 86:10

“For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.”

Biblehub.com, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary: Our God alone possesses almighty power and infinite love. Christ is the way and the truth. And the believing soul will be more desirous to be taught the way and the truth of God, in order to walk therein, than to be delivered out of earthly distress. Those who set not the Lord before them, seek after believer’s souls; but the compassion, mercy, and truth of God, will be their refuge and consolation. And those whose parents were the servants of the Lord, may urge this as a plea why He should hear and help them. In considering David’s experience, and that of the believer, we must not lose sight of Him, who though He was rich, for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich.

Studylight.org, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: For Thou are great, and doest wondrous things – things suited to excite wonder or admiration; things which lie beyond the power of any creature, and which could be performed by no one but a being of almighty power. A God who could do these things could also do that which the psalmist asked of Him, for what God actually does proves that there is nothing within the limits of possibility which He cannot perform. The greatness and the power of God are reasons why we should appeal to Him in our weakness, and in our times of trouble . . . In those things, therefore, which require the interposition of divine power our appeal must be to Thee alone.

 Verse Three

“Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling,

Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless look to Thee for grace;

Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me Savior, or I die.”

2 Timothy 1:9

"He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.”

Biblehub.com, Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers:  The “grace” was given before the world began; therefore “our works” could have had nothing to do with the divine purpose which was resolved by God. As Chrysostom observes, “No one counselling with Him, but of His own purpose, the purpose originating in His own goodness.” Calvin remarks, “If God chose us before the creation of the world, He could not have considered the question of our works, which could have had no existence at a period when we ourselves were not.”

Titus 3:5

“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

Studylight.org, Bridgeway Bible Commentary: People are saved only by God’s grace; that living and merciful attitude of God that freely gives His immeasurable blessings to those who do not deserve them. When people accept the salvation that this grace brings, they learn that their most fitting response is to turn from their former sinful ways and follow the ways of God . . . Christ died not merely to save people from the penalty of sin, but to save them from all wickedness. He wants them to be pure in their everyday lives and eager to do good.”

 Verse Four

“While I draw this fleeting breath, When my eyes shall close in death,

When I rise to worlds unknown, And behold Thee on Thy throne,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee.”

Luke 1:78-79

“Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Rising Sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Scripturesavvy.com, Jamie Wilson: In these verses, we see a prophetic declaration by Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. He speaks of the coming of Jesus, who is described as the “rising sun” that will shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death. This light will guide us into the path of peace . . . We find a beautiful and inspiring passage that speaks of the dawn of redemption and the light that breaks through the darkness of our lives. It’s a moment of anticipation and hope that resonates deeply with us, reminding us of God’s unfailing promises through the Scriptures.

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Crossway.org, Robert W. Yarborough: Life is “the free gift of God.” Moreover, this is not simply life in terms of daily earthly existence. Rather, Paul speaks of “eternal life.” This implies duration: a life that never ends. But it also implies quality. Eternal life means living in God’s presence, enjoying fellowship with Christ, bearing the fruit of His Spirit, worshiping and serving in His name.

Dailyverse.knowing-Jesus.com, Williams: Eternal life is open to ALL men and women. But note – there is ONE condition and one alone. Salvation is given freely through Jesus Christ our Lord. Forgiveness of sins and eternal life is God’s free gift which comes to all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

This fervent plea for Christ our eternal Rock to grant salvation through His sacrifice and to be a place of refuge for the believer is one of the most popular hymns ever written. With strong emotional impact, it proclaims Christ’s atonement on the cross to be the only means of salvation, making man’s tears and efforts to justify himself of no avail. Also, it urges us to find consolation and security in Christ our Rock—even at the time of death.

English missionary, Daniel Draper, spent thirty years planting churches and schools in Australia during the nineteenth century. It is reported that: “Draper took a year’s furlough in England. When the time came to return to Australia, he boarded the steamship for London. A gale hit the ship in the Bay of Biscay, and Draper spent his last hours evangelizing to the 250 passengers. In the end, only three passengers were rescued, and one of them reported Drapers’ last words: ‘Those of you who are not converted, now is the time; not a minute to be lost.’ As the ship slipped beneath the sea on January 11, 1866, the passengers were singing Toplady’s hymn ‘Rock of Ages’ in their final moments.”

Even when we may feel like we are all alone, remember that God is always by our side and will never abandon us. He is truly our light in the dark and our Rock that we can stand upon always. What an amazing feeling to be loved by such a kind Father and to give praise to His Name with this beautiful hymn.

 

I am indebted to the following resources:

Enjoyingthejourney.org

Dianaleaghmatthew.com

Plymouthbrethren.org

Godtube.com, Andrew Rinaldi

Robert J. Morgan, Then Sings My Soul

Oasischurch.com.au; Robert J Morgan, Near to the Heart of God

Kenneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace

By His Grace . . .

Love Lifted Me

The writing of “Love Lifted Me,” a rousing old gospel song, was a joint effort between James Rowe and Howard E. Smith. The two friends wrote the hymn together. According to Rowe’s daughter, Louise: “I can see them now, my father striding up and down humming a bar or two, and Howard E. playing it and jotting it down. The two huddled together, working line by line, bar by bar, composing this hymn in tandem.”

Writer James Rowe (1865-1933) was born in England, the son of a copper miner. He immigrated to the United States from Ireland in 1889 and settled at Albany, NY, where he married. After working as a railroad employee for a time, he worked at the Hudson Rover Humane Society. He found he had a knack for writing both serious and humorous verses for greeting cards and eventually went into business working with his artist-daughter to produce material for greeting card publishers.

Howard E. Smith, who was born probably in the state of Connecticut in 1863, suffered from arthritis so bad that his hands were terribly twisted. Very little is known about Smith except he was an active musician throughout his life and served many years as an organist in Connecticut. Although he produced a number of hymn tunes, only this one has become well known.

Rowe reminds us of the “redemption from sin by our Savior” in the first verse of this hymn. The second verse shows “the charge in our walk as we owe Him our sing, our service, our whole heart.” The last verse is a “witness to the loss.”

Rowe’s text was inspired by two biblical stories. The first is from Matthew (14:22-33), where the disciples were in a boat in the middle of a frightening storm. They saw Jesus walking on the sea. He commanded Peter to join Him, and Peter also began walking on the water toward Jesus. The storm scared Peter and he began to sink, calling out to Jesus to save him. Jesus caught Peter by the hand and lifted him up as they got into the boat.

The second story is from Matthew 8:23-27, in which Jesus is asleep in the boat while the disciples are alarmed by a powerful storm threatening to throw them all into the sea. They wake Jesus and ask Him to help them. Jesus rebukes the storm, and the disciples thank Him.

Rowe’s hymn masterfully incorporates both stories, using sinking into the sea as an illustration for “sinking deep in sin . . . sinking to rise no more.” Jesus, “Master of the sea,” hears our pleas for help, reaching out to us in love, and lifts us up into the well-being of grace.

Verse One tells what our spiritual state was before we were saved and what Jesus did to rescue us. Verse  Two tells us what we had to do to be saved—give Him our hearts in obedience to His will, and Verse Three tells us what we must do because we are saved--we must tell the good news to others and seek to save them too.

Verse One

“I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,

Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more,

But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry,

From the waters lifted me, now safe am I.”

Psalm 28:1-2

“To you, Lord, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit. Hear my cry for mercy as I call to You for help, as I lift up my hands toward Your Most Holy Place.”

 Enduringword.com, David Buzik: David was both trusting and hopeful. In faith he gave God the title he longed for Him to fulfill: to be David’s Rock in the present season of difficulty. David said this also in hope, because at the moment he felt God to be silent to him . . . David said that the Lord was his Rock – his foundation, his stability, his security. It is a remarkable fact that in all the Old Testament, “rock” is reserved as a figure of Deity . . . never for man.

Biblehub.com, The Treasury of David: A cry is the natural expression of sorrow and is a suitable utterance when all other modes of appeal fails; but the cry must be alone directed to the Lord, for to cry to man is to waste our entreaties upon the air. When we consider the readiness of the Lord to hear, and His ability to aid, we shall see good reason for directing all our appeals at once to the God of our salvation and shall use language of firm resolve like that in the text, “I will cry.”

Studylight.org, Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible: The Psalmist begins by declaring that he would betake himself to the help of God alone, which shows both his faith and his sincerity. Although men labor everywhere under a multitude of troubles, yet scarcely one in a hundred ever has recourse to God . . . By calling God his strength, David more fully shows that he confided in God’s assistance, not only when he was in the shade and in peace, but also when he was exposed to the severest temptations.

Verse Two

“All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling,

In His blessed presence live, ever His praises sing,

Love so mighty and so true, merits my soul’s best songs,

Faithful, loving service, too, to Him belongs.”

Psalm 89:1

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations.”

Studylight.org, Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible: We may be forever singing God’s mercies, and yet the subject will not be drawn dry. We must sing of God’s mercies as long as we live, train up others to sing of them when we are gone, and hope to be singing them in heaven without end; and this is singing of the mercies of the Lord forever. With my mouth, and with my pen, will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations . . . that God is true to every word that He has spoken, that they may learn to put their trust in God.

Verse Three

“Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves,

He will lift you by His love, out of the angry waves;

He’s the Master of the sea, billows His will obey,

He your Savior wants to be, be saved today.”

Zephaniah 3:17

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Studylight.org, Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible: Every word carries in it something very encouraging to the church and people of God; and is an antidote against those fears and faintings they are subject to; Christ “is in the midst of” them; near at hand to support and supply them, to assist and strengthen them, to protect and defend them; He is not only near by His essential presence, which is everywhere; and by His providential presence, which is concerned with all His creatures; but by His gracious presence, peculiar to His church and people; and which gives them unspeakable joy . . .He is as willing to save as He is able . . . He has wrought out salvation for them, and sees that it is applied unto them, and will come again to put them into the full possession of it . . . He saved them freely, fully, and everlasting.

Refrain

“Love lifted me! Love lifted me!

When nothing else could help, Love lifted me!

Love lifted me! Love lifted me!

When nothing else could help, Love lifted me!"

Psalm 3:3

“But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.”

Bibleref.com: He addresses the Lord as a shield around him, his glory, and the lifter up of his head. Just as a shield protects a warrior from swords, arrows and darts . . . so David envisions the Lord protecting him from his enemies. This is the same confidence David expressed as a youth when he confronted Goliath . . . “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand . . . For the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hand.”

 Studylight.org, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: Not only in these dangers, but in all dangers. The declaration here has a general form, as if he could trust in Him at all times . . . it was natural to speak of God as the “Shield” or the “Protector” of His people . . . He [God] bestows upon me all the honor that I  have, and it is my glory that I may put my trust in Him . . . I [David] regard it as an honor to be permitted, in times of danger and trouble, to rely on Him, a sentiment in which every true child of God will unite.

  

I am indebted to the following resources:

Dianaleaghmatthew.com

www.godtube.com

Hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com

The Complete Book of Hymns, William J. Petersen and Ardythe Petersen

A Song in My Heart, Robert J. Morgan

By His Grace . . .