PASS ME NOT O GENTLE SAVIOR

           "Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior" is a 19th-century American hymn written by Fanny Crosby in 1868, and set to music by William H. Doane in 1870.  I must admit that while I often sang these words, I have never been able to include them in a blog because I have had some difficulty understanding and accepting the words.

          Would the Lord, my Savior and my God, "pass me by?"  Is it possible that with all that you or I are going through that somehow He would skip over us while working with others?  Would he heal another and skip over us?  We know the answer to that question is a definite "no".  God has made promises that He will not break, such as "I will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:8, Hebrews 13:5).  

          A dear friend, Dr. Dan Allen, recently shared this question weeks before the Lord took him home with cancer. "God has a plan for us," he said.  "He has us running our own race, the Christian life, and there will come a time when if I can quote another song, "we all get to Heaven" … Some will get there sooner than others.  Their race will have been completed and God will call them home.  Then they will be healed.  But at no time will He pass His children by."  Today my friend Dr. Dan has completed his race and He has not been forgotten as he is now healed and in the presence of Jesus.

          According to evangelist Wendell Calder, "Our God is Working An Eternal Plan And He Is On Schedule."
          This hymn was actually written by Fanny Crosby after a visit to a detention center in Manhattan.  While there she had an encounter with one of the inmates.  After sharing some words and singing some of her songs to the inmates, she heard one of them cry out, "Good Lord, do not pass me by."   That evening composer William Doane suggested Crosby write a song about that.  She did and later Doane put music to the song.
          Crosby tried putting herself in the shoes of those who are suffering and being disregarded. This made her understand that many of them had been rejected. With that, it took a profound faith to believe that there's someone in this life who would never pass anyone by. That someone is no other than Jesus Christ.

          To a great extent, the creation of the song assures the prisoner and anyone who would cry out to the Lord would certainly not be passed by Him. After all, He is the loving son of God who gave His life to the world.

            Psalm 34:18 "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever." Matthew 5:4 "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
            Put your trust in the Lord.  He will not pass you by.

 

1    Pass me not, O gentle Savior,

hear my humble cry;

while on others thou art calling,

do not pass me by.

Refrain:

Savior, Savior,

hear my humble cry;

while on others thou art calling,

do not pass me by.

2    Let me at thy throne of mercy

find a sweet relief;

kneeling there in deep contrition,

help my unbelief. [Refrain]

3    Trusting only in thy merit,

would I seek thy face;

heal my wounded, broken spirit,

save me by thy grace. [Refrain]

4    Thou the spring of all my comfort,

more than life to me,

whom have I on earth beside thee?

Whom in heaven but thee? [Refrain]

Listen to it here.   PASS ME NOT