THE STRANGER OF GALILEE

          What a thrill and privilege it must have been to have lived when Jesus lived and to have followed Him as He taught, performed amazing miracles, and ministered to so many.  I imagine many followed because they felt He was a "great show" and a wonderful teacher.  But others must have realized that they were with the Son of God.  We can only imagine what it would have been like and how we would have responded.  When I was growing up, my contacts to Christian music were generally limited to hearing musicians in church.  We didn't have television or Christian radio or all the recordings and internet music which we enjoy today.  The first talented vocalist that I can remember was Ruth Hartman, the wife of one of my early pastors.  She had a beautiful soprano voice that I still haven't forgotten.  And the song that I most enjoyed hearing her sing was this week's choice, written by Lelia N. Morris, "The Stranger of Galilee".  And as Mrs. Hartman sang the verses I could picture being with Jesus ... by the Sea of Galilee ...healing the blind ... making the lame whole ... calming the angry sea ... teaching and ministering to the great crowds. And as I would have viewed the nail prints in His hands I could imagine him saying "It was for thee!".  Hearing this beautiful song was almost like being there.  And I can still echo the words of the chorus, "And I felt I could love Him forever,so gracious and tender was He!"  And one day, as the chorus states, I did claim Him as my Savior.  As mentioned earlier, these words were penned by Lelia Morris in 1893.  I have featured many of her 1000+ texts in this blog before.  She wrote hymns as she did housework.  And if you remember, after she became blind at the age of 52, she continued to write hymns on a 28-foot blackboard that her family built for her.  Maybe this hymn is new to you.  If so, read the words carefully and think about Jesus, the Stranger of Galilee, who "went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people." (Matthew 4:23).  And thank Him for going to the Cross for you.  Hopefully you have also experienced your burden of sin falling off at His pierced feet.  If you haven't, then listen to the words of the last chorus, "Oh, my friend, won't you love Him forever, so gracious and tender is He! Accept Him today as your Savior,this Stranger of Galilee."  And when you do that, He will no longer be a stranger to you, He will be your Savior and Friend.  What more could you want or need?

1. In fancy I stood by the shore, one day,

Of the beautiful murm'ring sea;

I saw the great crowds as they thronged the way

Of the Stranger of Galilee;

I saw how the man who was blind from birth,

In a moment was made to see;

The lame was made whole by the matchless skill

Of the Stranger of Galilee.

And I felt I could love Him forever,

So gracious and tender was He!

I claimed Him that day as my Savior,

This Stranger of Galilee.

2. His look of compassion, His words of love,

They shall never forgotten be;

When sin-sick and helpless He saw me there,

This Stranger of Galilee;

He showed me His hand and His riven side,

And He whispered, "It was for thee!"

My burden fell off at the pierced feet

Of the Stranger from Galilee.

And I felt I could love Him forever,

So gracious and tender was He!

I claimed Him that day as my Savior,

This Stranger of Galilee.

3. I heard Him speak peace to the angry waves,

Of that turbulent, raging sea;

And lo! at His word are the waters stilled,

This Stranger of Galilee;

A peaceful, a quiet, and holy calm,

Now and ever abides with me;

He holdeth my life in His mighty hands,

This Stranger of Galilee.

And I felt I could love Him forever,

So gracious and tender was He!

I claimed Him that day as my Savior,

This Stranger of Galilee.

4. Come, ye who are driven and tempest-tossed,

And His gracious salvation see;

He'll quiet life's storms with His "Peace, be still!"

This Stranger of Galilee;

He bids me to go and the story tell—

What He ever to you will be,

If only you let Him with you abide,

This Stranger of Galilee.

Oh, my friend, won't you love Him forever?

So gracious and tender is He!

Accept Him today as your Savior,

This Stranger of Galilee.

You can listen to part of this hymn sung by one of my favorite groups, Greater Vision.  LISTEN 1

Here is a more complete version of this beautiful song.   LISTEN 2