When no one seems to care

… Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night? (Job 35:10)
Charles Weigle was born into a German Luther home, in Indianna ca 1871, just when Purdue University was 2 years old. He was used to hearing the bible read and music in their home and at the age of 12 he came under conviction he was lost and needed salvation. He had been a rough boy, knifed a friend, beat other boys up, knocked a boy down with a bat and nearly killed him. He knew he was hopeless with out Christ. That night at that little church revival he trusted Christ as his savior. He spent his life as an itinerant minister. Along with his ministry he wrote hymns of faith. However as with all great hymns there must needs be a travail of the soul in order to give birth to a great masterpiece. [The Victorious Life]It is not difficult to sing when all is going well but it is when times are tough. Remember Paul and Silas sang at Midnight after being beaten and thrown into jail. Often God gives a special song to one of his hurting children during the night times of their life. Believers find new joys in their nights of sorrow and despair, and they discover a greater closeness with their Lord during times of deep need. The apostle John wrote the book of Revelation while on the barren island of Patmos; John Bunyan completed the classic Pilgrim’s Progress while in the Bedford jail; Beethoven composed his immortal 9th Symphony while totally deaf; and Fanny Crosby once remarked, “If I had not lost my sight, I could never have written all the hymns God gave me.” (Hymns of Faith)Out of such a dark time Charles wrote one of his best loved hymns. After preaching a long stint of revivals Charles returned home as always to his faithful wife. He, upon entering his home, found a note from his wife. The note said she had had enough of an evangelist’s life. She was leaving him. Weigle later said that he became so despondent during the next several years that there were even times when he contemplated suicide. There was the terrible despair that no one really cared for him anymore. Gradually his spiritual faith was restored, and he once again became active in the Christian ministry. Soon he felt compelled to write a song that would be a summary of his past tragic experience. From a heart that had been broken came these choice words that God gave to Charles Weigle:
I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus since I found in Him a friend so strong and true; I would tell you how He chang’d my life completely—He did something that no other friend could do.All my life was full of sin when Jesus found me; all my heart was full of misery and woe; Jesus placed His strong and loving arms around me, and He led me in the way I ought to go.Ev’ry day He comes to me with new assurance, more and more I understand His words of love; but I’ll never know just why He came to save me, till some day I see His blessed face above.Chorus: No one ever cared for me like Jesus; there’s no other friend so kind as He; no one else could take the sin and darkness from me—O how much He cared for me!
[Amazing Grace Hymn stories]
How is your life...Has it taken a turn for the worst....the best that can be had many times is tough....Someone once said when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I believe the greatest people in history are people who have learned how to do that. C.S. Lewis stated that God's best teacher was suffering. Tell your story to me...I will glady cry with you and pray with you and learn with you..Pastor Tom June 30, 2010