It’s Just Like His Great Love

A friend I have called Jesus, Whose love is strong and true,
And never fails howe’er ’tis tried, no matter what I do;
I’ve sinned against this love of His, but when I knelt to pray,
Confessing all my guilt to Him, the sin clouds rolled away.

Sometimes the clouds of trouble bedim the sky above,
I cannot see my Savior’s face, I doubt His wondrous love;
But He, from heaven’s mercy seat, beholding my despair,
In pity bursts the clouds between, and shows me He is there.

When sorrow’s clouds o’ertake me, and break upon my head,
When life seems worse than useless, and I were better dead;
I take my grief to Jesus then, nor do I go in vain,
For heavenly hope He gives that cheers like sunshine after rain.

O, I could sing forever of Jesus’ love divine,
Of all His care and tenderness for this poor life of mine;
His love is in and over all, and wind and waves obey,
When Jesus whispers “Peace, be still!” and rolls the clouds away.

Chorus:
It’s just like Jesus to roll the clouds away
It’s just like Jesus to keep me day by day,
It’s just like Jesus all along the way,
It’s just like His great love.

I came across this particular hymn in one of my hymn devotionals, and I also found it in a 75 year old hymn book that was given to me.  If memory serves me correctly, I believe a friend of mine, Phyliss Peterson, is the person that gave it to me.  (Thank you Phyliss for sharing the hymnal with this great song in it).  It is a hymn I was personally unfamiliar with, and also one whose author was unfamiliar to me.  Edna Worrell was the author of the song, and Clarence Strouse wrote the music.  Very little is known about either of them other than the fact that they were both from Philadelphia and that this hymn was probably written in the early 1900’s.

Here’s a link to the tune of the song:

Couple of comments on the lyrics:

• “Bedim the sky above” – I like the author’s use of the word “bedim” in this song because I don’t know if I have ever heard that word before.  Bedim can mean “overcast” or “shroud” or “muddle.”  Our circumstances tend to cast a shadow over everything we know, and can even muddle our faith.  These clouds “shroud” our thinking, and I believe this is a normal feeling that the author is expressing in this song when we go through difficult times.  But the author also reminds us that these “bedimming” clouds can be rolled away.  Not that our words can roll the clouds away, but that Jesus can speak “Peace” to these clouds and that they must obey.

• “When life seems worse than useless” – In my opinion, this is probably the most honest phrase in the whole song.  Has life seemed worse than useless?  Have you ever felt that feeling yourself?  I don’t think there is anything wrong with this kind of honest cry to the Lord.  People in the Bible, even Godly people in the Bible, have had this kind of despondency and despair.  But the author tells us what she did.  She shares how she dealt with this kind of desperation in her life.  She took her grief to Jesus and laid the grief at His feet.  That is truly the only place where that kind of deep grief can truly be healed.  At the feet of Jesus.

There was an interesting stamp inside the 75 year old hymnal where I found this song.  I am assuming it is from the church that originally purchased the hymn.  Here’s how the stamp reads:

Little Ole Fashion’d Country Church

433 E. Nine Mile, Hazel Park, Michigan

The Church of all Denominations

Now, I can tell you that I have never been to this church.  I don’t think I have ever been to Michigan come to think of it.  But if I do go to Hazel Park Michigan, I am going to look up this church.  It’s just the kind of church I would like to go to.  A little church where you know everyone.  An old fashioned church where they still sing great old hymns like this one.  A country church where you can feel comfortable sitting down and sharing a fellowship meal with one another.  And a church of all denominations where we aren’t focused on our differences, but focused on what unifies us – our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and His great love.

That is just the kind of church Jesus wants you and me to be.  A church full of love.  A church full of Him.  A church full of people doing His will.  It’s just the kind of old fashioned church I want to be a part of.  An Acts Chapter 2 church.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.