Hello OBC family. The Bible said, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 – HCSB).
I am sharing this passage because last Monday I had the opportunity to play the piano to a group of seniors with the gospel quartet, “The Pathfinders”, and at the very end of the program, a sweet lady asked me if I can play the old hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” I did, and she was in tears, perhaps having a memory attached to this hymn. Let me tell you something about this hymn.
The author of the lyrics was Joseph Medlicott Scriven, a young man from Ireland. His life was full of tragedies, but he remained faithful to the Lord. He had poor health and was not able to join the army. Then, when everything was looking better, on the evening of his wedding day, his fiancée died tragically in a drowning accident. He moved to Canada to start over and there he found a girl and fell in love with her. They got married but, sadly, she died suddenly from an illness just a few days after the ceremony, even though, he trusted in the Lord every day.
In the midst of these hard times, he wrote a poem to his mother back in Ireland, to comfort her soul, telling her that the only friend that she has, and the only friend that he has, was Jesus. He never expected that these lyrics would become a popular hymn. After its publication, a friend asked if Scriven really did write it and he replied, “The Lord and I did it between us.”
1 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!
2 Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
3 Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge--
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
you wilt find a solace there.
In His service,
Israel
I am sharing this passage because last Monday I had the opportunity to play the piano to a group of seniors with the gospel quartet, “The Pathfinders”, and at the very end of the program, a sweet lady asked me if I can play the old hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” I did, and she was in tears, perhaps having a memory attached to this hymn. Let me tell you something about this hymn.
The author of the lyrics was Joseph Medlicott Scriven, a young man from Ireland. His life was full of tragedies, but he remained faithful to the Lord. He had poor health and was not able to join the army. Then, when everything was looking better, on the evening of his wedding day, his fiancée died tragically in a drowning accident. He moved to Canada to start over and there he found a girl and fell in love with her. They got married but, sadly, she died suddenly from an illness just a few days after the ceremony, even though, he trusted in the Lord every day.
In the midst of these hard times, he wrote a poem to his mother back in Ireland, to comfort her soul, telling her that the only friend that she has, and the only friend that he has, was Jesus. He never expected that these lyrics would become a popular hymn. After its publication, a friend asked if Scriven really did write it and he replied, “The Lord and I did it between us.”
1 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!
2 Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
3 Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge--
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
you wilt find a solace there.
In His service,
Israel
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