Safe In the Arms of Jesus

Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe on His gentle breast;
There by His love o’ershaded, Sweetly my soul shall rest.
Hark! ’tis the voice of angels Borne in a song to me,
Over the fields of glory, Over the jasper sea.

Refrain:
Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe on His gentle breast;
There by His love o’ershaded, Sweetly my soul shall rest.

Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe from corroding care,
Safe from the world’s temptations; Sin cannot harm me there.
Free from the blight of sorrow, Free from my doubts and fears;
Only a few more trials, Only a few more tears!

Jesus, my heart’s dear Refuge, Jesus has died for me;
Firm on the Rock of Ages Ever my trust shall be.
Here let me wait with patience, Wait till the night is o’er;
Wait till I see the morning Break on the golden shore.

Although probably not her most well-known hymn, this is another hymn written by Fanny Crosby – one of the most prolific hymn writers in Christian history.  Her personal testimony is not only powerful, but her writings are a reminder to me to maintain the proper perspective about life, about grace, about trials and tribulations, and about God.  Your initial reaction to this hymn might be that it is about one longing to go to Heaven.  That day when we go to be with the Lord.  But let me tell you a little bit about the hymn’s history.

The story behind this particular hymn is a rather difficult one.  According to the resources I have, the thought behind this hymn came to her after an awful tragedy in Mrs. Crosby’s life.  She was pregnant, but lost the baby during childbirth.  She was so personally devastated by the event that she hardly spoke to anyone about it, and never told anyone if the child was a boy or a girl.  Years later, a musician stopped by her apartment and wanted to run a melody by her.  She listened and exclaimed “That’s ‘Safe in the arms of Jesus!'”  She left the room, went and prayed that God would give her the words quickly as the musician was on a tight schedule and would be leaving within the hour.  She pinned the words of this hymn and she felt that it was written for the bereaved, especially mothers that had lost their children.  

I hope you will re-read the words to this song with an understanding of the circumstances behind it because I think you will not only see the hope that she had for her lost child, but you will also see the comfort she received from the Lord.  I hope all of us can realize that in His arms is the only place we truly find peace and rest.

A few short comments on the lyrics:

• “By His love overshadowed” – I find it interesting that she doesn’t write about the pain that she was experiencing being “taken away” or being freed from the circumstances, but writes that the pain and hurt were “overshadowed” by His love.  As a parent, I don’t know if I can even imagine the depth of pain she must have felt.  But I am encouraged by the fact that God’s love for her was so real that it overshadowed that deep hurt, and that she could testify to His great love.

• “Safe from corroding care” – One of the definitions of the word “corrode” is “to eat or wear away gradually.”  Isn’t that what care and worry seem to do in our lives?  Constant worry over things we can’t control tend to eat away at our faith and can leave us discouraged.  But I am reminded by these words that we can be “safe from corroding care” when we are leaning on and trusting in the Lord.  When we “cast all our cares upon Him,” it changes how we view our circumstances, and should be an encouragement to us. 

• “Free from the blight of sorrow” – One definition for the verb “blight” is “to destroy, ruin, or frustrate.”  Although I have experienced some sadness in my life, I have not been through deep sorrow like Mrs. Crosby must have felt.  A sorrow that destroys, ruins, and frustrates.  I can imagine this singular event, the loss of a child, impacted her the rest of her life.  That kind of sorrow can destory hope, ruin plans, and be a source of constant frustration.  But aren’t you glad that there is freedom in Christ from sorrow?  The Bible reminds us in Psalm 30:5 that “…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”  The author’s words are a testimony to the comfort found in the arms of God.

I am sure that you have probably heard the following phrase over the past couple of weeks – “Have a Safe and Happy New Year!”  I probably have said something similar to my friends, family and co-workers this month.  However, this hymn reminds us of the true source of safety and happiness.  It is not found in one’s savings account.  True safety is not found in an automobile with anti-lock brakes and airbags, or a house with deadbolts and an alarm system.  True happiness is not just an emotional fix we get when everything is going right in our lives.  True safety and happiness are only found in God.  When we are living in His will and trusting in His care. 

I hope the words of this hymn, written by a Godly lady about a difficult time in her life, will encourage you during difficult times you may face this next year.  I pray that you have a Safe and Happy New Year – in the arms of Jesus.