What a Friend we have in Jesus
There are times when I feel that I am passing through a stage of disillusionment and weariness. I see myself telling Lord how much longer before my days are filled with work. I feel this sense of drifting away from the lord losing my spiritual usefulness and vision. Times when Prayer becomes an effort and Bible reading distasteful, and longing creeps in for a stimulus of some kind. And that is the moment to be very cautious about cause when that stimulus is something to drive your pleasure for pleasure's sake and outside GOD's will it is to be brought back to the cross.It could be as simple as idling away time or engaging with thoughts that are not to be engaged with.
Many a times we see how we could encourage others with scriptures and songs and miss out on when GOD is trying to drive the thought home.Whole of last week when I was preparing for the volunteer farewell programme and figuring out what I should say and communicate the only thing which came to my mind was what a friend we have in Jesus. IN fact even in the video I ended with the words of the song sung in background.
Last 3 or 4 days I have felt lonely than ever before, when the evening comes a sense of loneliness engulfs mind and I feel very heavy at heart. I would take my guitar and tears would flow for no reason. I will be afraid to go to bed for fear of walking up lonely. I try not to think about my family back home -mum and dad .. but when I am sick and I have this head splitting headache I just wish for those moments I am home and just taken care of.
And then this song came out from my mouth and I started to sing
"What a friend we have in Jesus"
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.
It suddenly dawned on me that all along GOD was preparing me for this time of loneliness and make me realize "what a privilege to carry everything to GOD in prayer".
There is much to be accomplished in the days to come and there will be times of weariness but isnt it a nice feeling to have a friend who is there.
I wanted to go and search the background behind this song and it amazed me and made me realise that there are worse tragedies in life than just feeling lonley and GOD is able to fill that gap too in people's life. I am pasting an extract froma website which talks about the origin of this song and the author.
Today's Christian, July/August 2004
"What a Friend We Have in Jesus"
How an eccentric but compassionate Irishman wrote one of our great hymns.
By Lindsay Terry
Joseph Scriven
More than a century ago, on the streets of Port Hope, Ontario, a man could be seen walking along carrying a saw and a sawhorse. One day a rich man from across the street saw him and said to a friend, "He looks like a sober man. I think I'll hire him to cut wood for me." "That's Joseph Scriven," the friend replied. "He wouldn't cut wood for you. He only cuts wood for those who don't have enough to pay." And that sums up the philosophy of Joseph Medlicott Scriven, a devoted member of the Plymouth Brethren Church, who took the Sermon on the Mount literally.
Scriven was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1819. He fell for a lovely young woman, but on the eve of their wedding she accidentally drowned.
Scriven never recovered from the shock. The Irishman began to wander, hoping to forget his sorrow. At age 25, he finally settled in Canada.
His faith led him to do menial tasks for poor widows and the sick. He often worked for no wages and was regarded by the people of the community as a kind man, albeit a bit odd.
He later fell in love again and planned to marry a wonderful Canadian woman. But again, tragedy struck. His fiance died after contracting pneumonia.
In 1855, a friend visited an ill Scriven and discovered a poem that he had written for his ailing mother in faraway Ireland. Scriven didn't have the money to visit her, but he sent her the poem as an encouragement. He called it "Pray Without Ceasing." When the friend inquired about the poem's origins, Scriven reportedly answered, "The Lord and I did it between us."
Scriven never intended for the poem to be published, but it made its rounds, and was set to music in 1868 by musician Charles Converse, who titled it "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." It has since become one of our greatest hymns.
Scriven died in 1886 (ironically, in an accidental drowning). In his memory, the town of Port Hope erected a monument with this inscription from Scriven's famous song: In His arms He'll take and shield thee. Thou wilt find a solace there.
Until next time stay blessed . . .
Jasper
Many a times we see how we could encourage others with scriptures and songs and miss out on when GOD is trying to drive the thought home.Whole of last week when I was preparing for the volunteer farewell programme and figuring out what I should say and communicate the only thing which came to my mind was what a friend we have in Jesus. IN fact even in the video I ended with the words of the song sung in background.
Last 3 or 4 days I have felt lonely than ever before, when the evening comes a sense of loneliness engulfs mind and I feel very heavy at heart. I would take my guitar and tears would flow for no reason. I will be afraid to go to bed for fear of walking up lonely. I try not to think about my family back home -mum and dad .. but when I am sick and I have this head splitting headache I just wish for those moments I am home and just taken care of.
And then this song came out from my mouth and I started to sing
"What a friend we have in Jesus"
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.
It suddenly dawned on me that all along GOD was preparing me for this time of loneliness and make me realize "what a privilege to carry everything to GOD in prayer".
There is much to be accomplished in the days to come and there will be times of weariness but isnt it a nice feeling to have a friend who is there.
I wanted to go and search the background behind this song and it amazed me and made me realise that there are worse tragedies in life than just feeling lonley and GOD is able to fill that gap too in people's life. I am pasting an extract froma website which talks about the origin of this song and the author.
Today's Christian, July/August 2004
"What a Friend We Have in Jesus"
How an eccentric but compassionate Irishman wrote one of our great hymns.
By Lindsay Terry
Joseph Scriven
More than a century ago, on the streets of Port Hope, Ontario, a man could be seen walking along carrying a saw and a sawhorse. One day a rich man from across the street saw him and said to a friend, "He looks like a sober man. I think I'll hire him to cut wood for me." "That's Joseph Scriven," the friend replied. "He wouldn't cut wood for you. He only cuts wood for those who don't have enough to pay." And that sums up the philosophy of Joseph Medlicott Scriven, a devoted member of the Plymouth Brethren Church, who took the Sermon on the Mount literally.
Scriven was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1819. He fell for a lovely young woman, but on the eve of their wedding she accidentally drowned.
Scriven never recovered from the shock. The Irishman began to wander, hoping to forget his sorrow. At age 25, he finally settled in Canada.
His faith led him to do menial tasks for poor widows and the sick. He often worked for no wages and was regarded by the people of the community as a kind man, albeit a bit odd.
He later fell in love again and planned to marry a wonderful Canadian woman. But again, tragedy struck. His fiance died after contracting pneumonia.
In 1855, a friend visited an ill Scriven and discovered a poem that he had written for his ailing mother in faraway Ireland. Scriven didn't have the money to visit her, but he sent her the poem as an encouragement. He called it "Pray Without Ceasing." When the friend inquired about the poem's origins, Scriven reportedly answered, "The Lord and I did it between us."
Scriven never intended for the poem to be published, but it made its rounds, and was set to music in 1868 by musician Charles Converse, who titled it "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." It has since become one of our greatest hymns.
Scriven died in 1886 (ironically, in an accidental drowning). In his memory, the town of Port Hope erected a monument with this inscription from Scriven's famous song: In His arms He'll take and shield thee. Thou wilt find a solace there.
Until next time stay blessed . . .
Jasper
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