The Story Behind the Song
All things work together for good to them who love God. (Romans 8:28 KJV)
How can anything good come from losing someone I loved so much? How can God possibly be glorified through this tragedy? Have you asked yourself these questions? The journey of mourning often makes the verse in Romans seem impossible. The fog brought on by the pain of loss makes it difficult to see beyond the next moment, let alone the next week or the next year. But the truth is that God will weave a beautiful tapestry of all the events of your life that will touch and encourage the lives of others. Today, I would like to look at a couple of examples of how God used the most painful times in the lives of Christians to inspire them to compose beautiful hymns of praise.
Horatio Spafford was a successful lawyer in Chicago who was a deeply spiritual man. In 1870 Horatio's 4 year old son died of scarlet fever. The following year, he lost all of his real estate investment in the great Chicago fire. In 1873 when the famous evangelist D.L. Moody went to Great Britian for an evangelistic campaign, Horatio Spafford decided to take his wife and four daughters to England to assist in the mission. When a business problem came up, Spafford elected to stay behind but sent his family ahead to England with plans to soon join them. His family boarded the S.S. Ville du Havre and began the trip across the Atlantic Ocean. On November 22, the ship with Horatio's family aboard was struck by an English vessel and sank immediately. His wife survived but all four of his daughters drown. Spafford took the next ship to England to be with his wife. When he came to the location on that lonely ocean where his precious daughters perished, he wrote this poem that was later set to music. Perhaps you will recognize it.
"When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, It is well with my soul."
Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to good people. No doubt this is a question that a pastor named Cleland B. McAfee asked himself in 1901. Pastor McAffee was the minister of First Presbyterian Church of Chicago. A creative and musical person, he frequently wrote original hymns for his congregation. But tragedy struck unexpectedly when Cleland received the news that diptheria had claimed the lives of his two beloved nieces. To comfort his own heart as well as the heart of his grieving brother, the pastor composed a hymn which he sang at the double funeral. I believe it will be familiar to you.
Near to the heart of God,
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God."
There is a place of comfort sweet,
A place where we our Savior meet,
Near to the heart of God."
Thomas A. Dorsey was an African American blues pianist born in 1899. After committing his life to Jesus, he was invited to become the choir director of Chicago's Pilgrim Baptist Church in 1932. Thomas devoted himself to Christian music and song writing as a way of ministering to the people living through the Great Depression. Not long after accepting the new job, Dorsey was scheduled to be a featured soloist at a revival meeting in St. Louis. His wife was expecting their first child and she stayed behind. After the first meeting of the revival, Dorsey received a telegram with the heart-breaking words: "Your wife just died." Thomas raced home to find that his newborn baby boy died shortly after his wife. Even though he managed to get through the funeral, he withdrew from his friends and family. He questioned his faith in the God he served. A friend visited Dorsey and arranged for him to be alone in a room with a piano. The musician sat at the piano for a long while slowly exploring the keys with his fingers. Soon he felt peace sweep through his soul. He found himself playing a melody and these words popped into his head. I'm sure you've heard them before.
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.
through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light.
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.
Dear friend, do any of the words of these hymns written from the heart of grieving souls resonate with you? The same God who comforted these men of faith is reaching out to you. Take His hand. Let Him lead you home.
Journaling Ideas
1. Which of the above hymns speak to your heart? Why?
2. Describe how God has been faithful to you.
3. Read Jude 1:20-21. What can you do to build up your faith?
Your Grieving Toolbox
Your tool to add to your toolbox today is a prayer partner. It is especially important for you to fortify yourself with prayer during this upcoming holiday season. Find at least one person that will pray with you and establish a time to pray together in person or over the phone.
Beloved of God, I pray that you will gaze on the beauty of Lord and seek him in His temple as you face a holiday without your loved one. May you hide in His shelter and sit upon the rock of His love. (Based on Psalm 27:4-5)
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