This is lovely and so heartfelt, Christina. Thanks for sharing! Good food for thought for us all. We are always works in progress. Recognizing that is more than half the battle.
Charles Wesley also had an encounter with a bird and wove it into a Hymn
The circumstance of the writing of this hymn is interesting. The story goes that Charles Wesley was roused from his sleep one night by a terrible storm. Being unable to rest he got up, put on his dressing-gown, and, opening his casement window stood looking out upon the stormy scene. Suddenly a bird, exhausted by the wind, and hotly pursued by a hawk, flew through the open window right into Charles Wesley's breast for protection. Having saved the bird and placed it in security, he turned to his desk and wrote this immortal hymn, so realistic and descriptive of the fear and intense longing of the anxious soul to find safety and rest.
For our soul needs shelter; and the Only One Who can be a refuge for the soul is Jesus. He is our Hiding-place, our Haven of Rest. Listen to these words of the prophet Isaiah (32:2): "A man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest . . . as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."
We have no time to say anything about this wonderful hymn in detail, but I would have you notice one point about it. I have spoken of this in the case of other hymns, but the thought will bear repeating. Notice in it the personal and persistent use of me, and my, and I, in it:
"Let me to Thy bosom fly."
It is the prayer of the individual soul for succour, to the Saviour Himself; the call, as of a drowning man, that insists on being heard, and that can take no refusal; the cry of the terrified, and frail, and helpless bird, pursued by the cruel hawk, that is eager for its life.
Dear friends, are you "Safe in the arms of Jesus"? Have you "hidden" yourselves in Him?
Oh that these questions may go straight home to your hearts. If you are not in Christ, Oh, may God the Holy Spirit awaken you to see your danger. I will read the hymn to you, and then we will sing it together, on our knees, as our closing prayer.
Prayer
"Jesus, Lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly;
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high!
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
Till the storm of life is past,
Safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last!
Other refuge have I none;
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me!
All my trust on Thee is stayed,
All my help from Thee I bring:
Cover my defenseless head
With the shadow of Thy wing.
Wilt Thou not regard my call?
Wilt Thou not accept my prayer?
Lo! I sink, I faint, I fall!
Lo! on Thee I cast my care!
Reach me out Thy gracious hand!
While I of Thy strength receive;
Hoping against hope I stand,
Dying, and behold I live!
Thou, O Christ, art all I want;
More than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick, and lead the blind!
Just and holy is Thy Name!
I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am,
Thou art full of truth and grace.
Plenteous grace with Thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound;
Make and keep me pure within;
Thou of life the Fountain art,
Freely let me take of Thee:
Spring Thou up within my heart!
Rise to all eternity!
Amen."
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.
In an earlier post, I asked your permission to send you a Ray Charles video, but did not receive an answer. I like your Christian themed posts & I am a Christian in the Wesleyan tradition. There are battling biographers of Wesley (John) in England and Francis Asbury in America during the Revolution. The biographers write that each Evangelist invested more “miles on horseback” than the other. All biographers that both men logged more than 200,000 miles. Wesley, from London to Bristol & other coal mining (colliers) towns and Asbury from Maine to South Carolina & west to Kentucky. Thank for your posts.
"When I talk about pursuing humility, I cannot emphasise enough that I. suck. at. it. BUT I also don’t want to put on false humility (a prettily cloaked version of pride) and pretend like I’ve learned nothing from living as an opinionated, outspoken millennial Christian writer. I HAVE THOUGHTS. AND I HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT HAVING THOUGHTS."
I agree with the gist of your article. It's not a bad thing to express a differing opinion with someone. As long as both parties are polite and seeking the truth, it's often a positive experience. It's how we learn to broaden our worldview in a good way.
Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
"How is Jesus sanctifying me?” - what a beautiful question to linger with after this post. Thank you!
Thank you for reading, Brianna! I'm glad it left you with something beautiful to ponder. <3
A friend sent this along from Emily Dickinson
Pain has an element of blank;
It cannot recollect
When it began, or if there were
A day when it was not.
It has no future but itself,
Its infinite realms contain
Its past, enlightened to perceive
New periods of pain.
So well said! Love this perspective and insight. We are too quick to pick up our quills and use them like swords online
Aren’t we just! It’s that keyboard courage.
This is lovely and so heartfelt, Christina. Thanks for sharing! Good food for thought for us all. We are always works in progress. Recognizing that is more than half the battle.
Thank you so much for reading, Lisa! More than half the battle indeed. ♥️
Here is is:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZYH8v42a2w
Charles Wesley also had an encounter with a bird and wove it into a Hymn
The circumstance of the writing of this hymn is interesting. The story goes that Charles Wesley was roused from his sleep one night by a terrible storm. Being unable to rest he got up, put on his dressing-gown, and, opening his casement window stood looking out upon the stormy scene. Suddenly a bird, exhausted by the wind, and hotly pursued by a hawk, flew through the open window right into Charles Wesley's breast for protection. Having saved the bird and placed it in security, he turned to his desk and wrote this immortal hymn, so realistic and descriptive of the fear and intense longing of the anxious soul to find safety and rest.
For our soul needs shelter; and the Only One Who can be a refuge for the soul is Jesus. He is our Hiding-place, our Haven of Rest. Listen to these words of the prophet Isaiah (32:2): "A man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest . . . as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."
We have no time to say anything about this wonderful hymn in detail, but I would have you notice one point about it. I have spoken of this in the case of other hymns, but the thought will bear repeating. Notice in it the personal and persistent use of me, and my, and I, in it:
"Let me to Thy bosom fly."
It is the prayer of the individual soul for succour, to the Saviour Himself; the call, as of a drowning man, that insists on being heard, and that can take no refusal; the cry of the terrified, and frail, and helpless bird, pursued by the cruel hawk, that is eager for its life.
Dear friends, are you "Safe in the arms of Jesus"? Have you "hidden" yourselves in Him?
Oh that these questions may go straight home to your hearts. If you are not in Christ, Oh, may God the Holy Spirit awaken you to see your danger. I will read the hymn to you, and then we will sing it together, on our knees, as our closing prayer.
Prayer
"Jesus, Lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly;
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high!
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
Till the storm of life is past,
Safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last!
Other refuge have I none;
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me!
All my trust on Thee is stayed,
All my help from Thee I bring:
Cover my defenseless head
With the shadow of Thy wing.
Wilt Thou not regard my call?
Wilt Thou not accept my prayer?
Lo! I sink, I faint, I fall!
Lo! on Thee I cast my care!
Reach me out Thy gracious hand!
While I of Thy strength receive;
Hoping against hope I stand,
Dying, and behold I live!
Thou, O Christ, art all I want;
More than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick, and lead the blind!
Just and holy is Thy Name!
I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am,
Thou art full of truth and grace.
Plenteous grace with Thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound;
Make and keep me pure within;
Thou of life the Fountain art,
Freely let me take of Thee:
Spring Thou up within my heart!
Rise to all eternity!
Amen."
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.
from:
https://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bwesley6.html
Beautiful, Phil! Thank you for sharing.
In an earlier post, I asked your permission to send you a Ray Charles video, but did not receive an answer. I like your Christian themed posts & I am a Christian in the Wesleyan tradition. There are battling biographers of Wesley (John) in England and Francis Asbury in America during the Revolution. The biographers write that each Evangelist invested more “miles on horseback” than the other. All biographers that both men logged more than 200,000 miles. Wesley, from London to Bristol & other coal mining (colliers) towns and Asbury from Maine to South Carolina & west to Kentucky. Thank for your posts.
You’re welcome to send the Ray Charles video, sure! I’m not sure when I’ll have space to engage with it, though. Thanks so much for reading my work!
I had to laugh when you wrote,
"When I talk about pursuing humility, I cannot emphasise enough that I. suck. at. it. BUT I also don’t want to put on false humility (a prettily cloaked version of pride) and pretend like I’ve learned nothing from living as an opinionated, outspoken millennial Christian writer. I HAVE THOUGHTS. AND I HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT HAVING THOUGHTS."
I agree with the gist of your article. It's not a bad thing to express a differing opinion with someone. As long as both parties are polite and seeking the truth, it's often a positive experience. It's how we learn to broaden our worldview in a good way.
Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."