WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL JESUS

Have you ever experienced a long night of caring for a sick child or loved one and you thought the morning would never come?  I'm sure many of us have faced those long dreary nights.  Or maybe it has been a time of carrying a heavy weight or facing a heavy care or burden.  Or maybe it has been a time of facing a grief or loss.  We all face times like this.  They are part of our earthly journey.  But hopefully, in times like this, you've experienced God's presence and a song that has brought you peace and comfort.  A song that the Lord has implanted in your mind - a song of deliverance, of courage, of strength.  And this has helped you understand that Jesus is there to help carry you through this time and lightened your load.  And hopefully your heart has responded with "thank you, wonderful, wonderful Jesus". I've experienced this often while caring for sick loved ones, while undergoing medical tests, while waiting for results, while facing bad news, in moments of stress, in times of indecision and in times of grief.  And that is the theme of this week's choice written by Anna B. Russell (1862-1954) in 1921.  The music was written by Ernest O. Sellers while he was teaching at the Baptist Bible Institute in New Orleans, Louisiana.  But that is the only background that I have been able to locate on either of them or the hymn itself.  Someone has said that the hymn was based on Psalms 32:7, "Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah."  That could very well be the case, but I haven't found anything to verify that.  But I would assume that Anna Russell most likely faced those same dreary days and long nights as we do.  And, she must have also experienced the presence of the Lord and the song that He implanted in her heart.  And this must be her testimony.  This hymn should be both a challenge and a reminder to us who are living almost a century later.  A challenge to hide God's Word in our heart as well as Biblically based hymns and choruses that the Holy Spirit will bring to our minds when we need them.  And a reminder to recognize God's presence in both the good times and the trying times.  He is there to comfort us when we trust Him.

(1)    There is never a day so dreary,

There is never a night so long,

But the soul that is trusting in Jesus

Will somewhere find a song.

Wonderful, wonderful Jesus,

In the heart He implanteth a song:

A song of deliverance, of courage, of strength,

In the heart He implanteth a song.

(2)   There is never a cross so heavy,

There is never a weight of woe,

But that Jesus will help to carry

Because He loveth so.

Wonderful, wonderful Jesus,

In the heart He implanteth a song:

A song of deliverance, of courage, of strength,

In the heart He implanteth a song.

(3)   There is never a care or burden,

There is never a grief or loss,

But that Jesus in love will lighten

When carried to the cross.

Wonderful, wonderful Jesus,

In the heart He implanteth a song:

A song of deliverance, of courage, of strength,

In the heart He implanteth a song.

(4)   There is never a guilty sinner,

There is never a wandering one,

But that God can in mercy pardon

Through Jesus Christ, His Son.

Wonderful, wonderful Jesus,

In the heart He implanteth a song:

A song of deliverance, of courage, of strength,

In the heart He implanteth a song.

You can listen to it here.   LISTEN