STAND BY ME

          The seasons of life that we encounter include disappointments, sickness, tribulation, failures and even persecution.  But these encounters are easier to face if you have one to go through them with you.
          And believers have found that they do have One, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will stand by them and guide them through these challenging experiences.  This truth is what is shared by Charles Albert Tindley (1851-1933)  in his hymn "Stand By Me".
          Tindley's father was a slave, and his mother was free. His father died when he was very young. He was taken in my his mother's sister Caroline Miller Robbins in order to keep his freedom. It seems that he was expected to work to help the family. In his Book of Sermons (1932), he speaks of being "hired out" as a young boy, "wherever father could place me." He married Daisy Henry when he was seventeen. Together they had eight children, some of whom would later assist him with the publication of his hymns.
         Tindley was largely self-taught throughout his lifetime. After he and Daisy moved to Philadelphia in 1875, he took correspondence courses toward becoming a Methodist minister. He did this while working as a sexton for the East Bainbridge Street Church. Beginning in 1885 he was appointed by the local bishop to serve two or three-year terms at a series of churches, until coming full circle to become pastor at East Bainbridge in 1902. 
          Under his leadership, the church grew rapidly. They relocated in 1904 to the East Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church, then again in 1924 to the new Tindley Temple, where the membership roll blossomed to about ten thousand.
          Tindley was known for being a captivating preacher, and for also taking an active role in the betterment of the people in his community. His songs were an outgrowth of his preaching ministry, often introduced during his sermons. Tindley was able to draw people of multiple races to his church ministry; likewise, his songs have been adopted and proliferated by white and black churches alike. 
          Each of the verses of this hymn talk about one of the storms of life that we encounter and what Jesus can do to help us through them.  As I've grown older I especially like the fifth one. "When I'm growing old and feeble, stand by me." "When my life becomes a burden, and I'm nearing chilly Jordan, O thou Lily of the Valley,
stand by me."
          Now our lives may take different paths but we all will grow older and probably more feeble and most likely a burden to some, sooner than we expect.  But Jesus will stand by us and bear us safely to our new home where we will no longer be feeble nor a burden to anyone.
          "Thou who knowest all about me, stand by me."

1    When the storms of life are raging,
stand by me; (stand by me)
when the storms of life are raging,
stand by me. (stand by me)
When the world is tossing me
like a ship upon the sea,
thou who rulest wind and water,
stand by me. (stand by me)

2    In the midst of tribulation,
stand by me; (stand by me)
in the midst of tribulation,
stand by me. (stand by me)
When the hosts of hell assail,
and my strength begins to fail,
thou who never lost a battle,
stand by me. (stand by me)

3.   In the midst of faults and failures,
stand by me; (stand by me)
in the midst of faults and failures,
stand by me. (stand by me)
When I've done the best I can,
and my friends misunderstand,
thou who knowest all about me,
stand by me. (stand by me)

 

4    In the midst of persecution,
stand by me; (stand by me)
in the midst of persecution,
stand by me. (stand by me)
When my foes in war array
undertake to stop my way,
thou who rescued Paul and Silas,
stand by me. (stand by me)

 

5   When I'm growing old and feeble,
stand by me; (stand by me)
when I'm growing old and feeble,
stand by me. (stand by me)
When my life becomes a burden,
and I'm nearing chilly Jordan,
O thou Lily of the Valley,
stand by me. (stand by me)

You can listen to it here.   STAND