Then Sings My Soul Saturday - 7/26/08

Many of us as women struggle with insecurity, especially in relationships. Somehow we never quite outgrow that elementary and junior high angst of wondering if we are really, truly liked. Friendships come and go. Marriages fall apart. Families are dysfunctional. We often find ourselves disappointed again and again.

But there's one Who cares far beyond what we can imagine. This beautiful old song has become even more dear to me as I've gotten older and have a few miles on me, so to speak. And as with so many of our hymns, it was born out of a great heartache.

"Charles Weigle spent most of his life as evangelist and that meant he was on the road a great deal.. One day after returning home from an evangelistic crusade, he found a note left written by his wife. She had had enough of being an evangelist's wife. She couldn't take it anymore. She said she was leaving him and taking their young daughter to live in a distant city.

"Weigle was despondent. What could he do to restore the marriage? How could he continue to serve the Lord when he couldn't even make his marriage work? He thought of suicide; he had ruined his wife's life and ruined his own life. No one really cared for him, he thought.

"And then he felt sustained by the grace of God. The simple truth that Jesus still loved him brought him through. Sitting at the piano, he started writing. . .about how God's love hadn't changed. Despite everything, Jesus had not forsaken him. No one ever cared for him like Jesus."

Source: The Complete Book of Hymns: Inspiring Stories About 600 Hymns and Praise Songs, William J. Petersen & Ardythe Petersen, Tyndale, 2006.

NO ONE EVER CARED FOR ME LIKE JESUS

I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus,
Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true;
I would tell you how He changed my life completely,
He did something that no other friend could do.

Chorus:
No one ever cared for me like Jesus,
There's no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me,
O how much He cared for me.

All my life was full of sin when Jesus found me,
All my heart was full of misery and woe;
Jesus placed His strong and loving arms about me,
And He led me in the way I ought to go.

Ev'ry day He comes to me with new assurance,
More and more I understand His words of love;
But I'll never know just why He came to save me,
Till some day I see His blessed face above.

WORDS & MUSIC: Charles F. Weigle, 1932

Be sure to visit Amy's blog for more Then Sings My Soul Saturday songs!