GENTLE GIANT

Time with Jesus - 5 Dec 2013

Hi all,

While thinking about what to write today, I suddenly recalled the Hymn, “Who is on the Lord’s Side”? Google took me to the authoress as well as the words of the hymn. Some details of her life revealed many aspects of her ministry similar to those the Lord has granted me. A short biography is included below.

Frances R. Havergal (1836-1879)

Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King? Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring? Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe? Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go? By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine, We are on the Lord’s side—Saviour, we are Thine!

Jesus, Thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem, But with Thine own life blood, for Thy diadem; With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee, Thou hast made us willing, Thou hast made us free. By Thy grand redemption, by Thy grace divine, We are on the Lord’s side—Saviour, we are Thine!

Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe, But the King’s own army none can overthrow; ’Round His standard ranging, victory is secure, For His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure. Joyfully enlisting, by Thy grace divine, We are on the Lord’s side—Saviour, we are Thine!

Chosen to be soldiers, in an alien land, Chosen, called, and faithful, for our Captain’s band, In the service royal, let us not grow cold; Let us be right loyal, noble, true and bold. Master, Thou wilt keep us, by Thy grace divine, Always on the Lord’s side—Saviour, always Thine!

Frances Ridley Havergal was a Christian devotional writer, poetess, hymn writer and musician who was born December 14, 1836, into a cultured, religious family at Astley, Worcestershire, England. She was the youngest child of William Henry Havergal, a Church of England minister and noted poet and church musician who authored about 100 hymns.

At the age of 3, Miss Havergal could read; at the age of 4, she began reading and memorizing the Bible; at 7 she began writing verse. When she was eleven, her mother died after a long period of suffering. Miss Havergal was converted and committed her life to Christ in 1851, at the age of 14. She said, "I committed my soul to the Saviour ... earth and heaven seemed brighter from that moment; I did trust the Lord Jesus."

Educated at home and in private schools in Worcester, England, and in Dusseldorf, Germany (1852-53), her scholastic achievements included proficiency in several modern languages, in addition to Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Miss Havergal had a thorough training in linguistics and music and was a pianist and singer. She was also a devoted Bible student, memorizing the New Testament as well as the Psalms, Isaiah, and the Minor Prophets.

Although highly educated and cultured, she maintained a simple faith and confidence in her Lord. She lived a disciplined prayer life and it is said that she never wrote a line without first praying over it. "I believe my King suggests a thought, and whispers me a musical line or two, and then I look up and thank Him delightedly and go on with it. That is how my hymns come."

"Writing is praying with me. You know a child would look up at every sentence and say, 'And what shall I say next?' That is just what I do; I ask Him that at every line He would give me not merely thoughts and power, but also every word, even the very rhymes."

Quite early in life, her poems were published in "Good Words" and other religious periodicals. Her poems are permeated with the fragrance of her passionate love for Jesus.

In 1870, her father died suddenly. After 1873, she literally carried out her now famous couplet, "Take my voice, and let me sing, always, only, for my King." and she sang nothing but sacred music of the love of God and His way of salvation. Her life's mission was to sing and work for Jesus. 
She had both a great taste for music and a good knowledge of harmony, a natural and inherited turn for melody, a ringing touch on the piano, a beautiful and well-trained voice. These gifts she now entirely devoted to Christ; whether at home or in mixed society she always "sang for Jesus." Her hymn of consecration, "Take My Life and Let It Be" was written by Miss Havergal in 1874. She gives the following account:

"Perhaps you will be interested to know the origin of the Consecration hymn 'Take my life.' I went for a little visit of five days [to Areley House]. There were ten persons in the house, some unconverted and long prayed for and some converted, but not rejoicing Christians. He gave me the prayer 'Lord, give me all in this house!' And He just did! Before I left the house every-one had got a blessing. The last night of my visit after I had retired, the governess asked me to go to the two daughters. They were crying, &c; then and there both of them trusted and rejoiced; it was nearly midnight. I was too happy to sleep, and passed most of the night in praise and renewal of my own consecration; and these little couplets formed themselves, and chimed in my heart one after another till they finished with 'ever only, ALL FOR THEE!'" Her prayer, "Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold," in the same hymn was not lightly stated. In August, 1878, Miss Havergal wrote to a friend, "The Lord has shown me another little step, and, of course, I have taken it with extreme delight.

Take my silver and my gold
Not a mite would I withhold 

“Take my silver and my gold” now means shipping off all my ornaments to the church Missionary House, including a jewel cabinet that is really fit for a countess, where all will be accepted and disposed of for me. Nearly 50 articles are being packed up. I don't think I ever packed a box with such pleasure."

Some hymns for which she wrote the words include:

"I Gave My Life for Thee" (written when she was 22 years old in 1858 just prior to an extended illness during which she did little or no writing for nine years)
"Lord, Speak to Me" (1872)	"Another Year Is Dawning" (1874)		"Take My Life & Let It Be" (1874)		"Like a River Glorious" (1876?)
"Who Is on the Lord's Side?" (1877)		"Golden Harps Are Sounding" (1871)		"True-Hearted, Whole-Hearted, Faithful and Loyal" (1878)
"I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus" (written 1874; said to be her favourite of all her hymns, a copy of the text was found in her personal Bible after her death).

She wrote some of her own tunes for her hymns and her father wrote the music for others.

Miss Havergal also wrote many small devotional tracts and narratives in prose and numerous little books of poems and hymn texts, all marked by the same earnest and practical piety. Themes for her writings were faith, consecration, and service.

Frail in health all of her life, Miss Havergal one day caught a severe cold which caused inflammation of the lungs. When told that her life was in danger, she exclaimed, "If I am really going, it is too good to be true!" At another time she responded, "Splendid! To be so near the gates of heaven." At the very end, it is reported that she sang clearly, but faintly, another of her hymns, "Jesus, I Will Trust Thee, Trust Thee with My Soul." Then, according to reports by her sister, she looked up steadfastly, as if she saw the Lord; and surely nothing less heavenly could have reflected such a glorious radiance upon her face. For ten minutes we watched that almost visible meeting with her King, and her countenance was so glad, as if she were already talking to Him! Then she tried to sing; but after one sweet, high note her voice failed, and as her brother commended her soul into the Redeemer's hand she passed away. 

Frances Ridley Havergal died at Caswall Bay, Swansea, Wales, June 3, 1879, at the age of forty-two. She never married.

Frances Havergal was a contemporary of Fanny Crosby (1820-1915). Although these two gifted women never met, each was an admirer of the other. In a letter sent by Miss Havergal to Fanny Crosby, she wrote:

Dear blind sister over the sea-- An English heart goes forth to thee. We are linked by a cable of faith and song, Flashing bright sympathy swift along

One in the East and one in the West, Singing for Him whom our souls love best. Singing for Jesus! Telling His love All the way to our home above,

Where the severing sea, with its restless tide Never shall hinder and never divide. Sister, what shall our meeting soon be When our hearts shall sing and our eyes shall see?

Shalom

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 5 Dec 2013			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
©	These devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes					©
INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	GENTLE GIANT
At the age of ±10, I started to read the Beano and the Dandy. It may be a strange thing for a septuagenarian to confess, but I loved those comics. They came out weekly and I would follow them with great interest. Corky the cat, Big Ego, Desperate Dan and other fictional characters amused me greatly. Desperate Dan was my favourite. He would eat “cow pie”, a whole cow, in one sitting. His strength was legendary. He could pick up just about anything. His habits were vaguely 21st century. Like many men today, he always needed a shave! Dan was a bit like the famous lover in “Wait a Minim”. He would “Never shave the whiskers, from off of his horny hide. / He just knocked them in with a hammer and bit them off inside”. Despite Dan’s enormous strength, he was able to handle a twenty ton weight with the same dexterity as a flower. From the same era came a comic strip advertising a body building course. The first picture showed a bully chasing a skinny man away from a pretty girl and throwing sand in his face. The thin man then took a Charles Atlas Body Building course. The final picture was of this “new” man chasing away the bully. What wasn’t stated, was how long it would take for this transformation. It wouldn’t be overnight, in spite of the fact that it appeared to be the same pretty girl of the same age in the advert. As Christians, we need to remember that we are not alone. In fact Scripture tells us that we are never alone. 20 Teach them (Disciples) to obey everything I have commanded you. And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end." Matthew 28:20 NIrV It’s an amazing fact that He is with us whether we see Him or not. Furthermore, He is much stronger than “Clive”. Everything was made by Him and for Him. So He is more than a match for a million “Clives”. It’s very comforting to know that when we get to the end of ourselves, we have arrived at the beginning of Him! At the same time we need to be aware that He is with you as much as He is with me! He also has the extraordinary ability of always supporting righteousness. So we can only expect His assistance when we are pursuing righteousness. If we stray into sin, He is still there, but he is more reticent to help until the sin is sorted out. He is always the defender of the weak. So Christian husbands, be warned. Jesus is on your side and on your wife’s side. If you get out of line with her, she will call on Him to help. Under such circumstances, He will side with the one who is right. In some instances, I’ve found that He sides with Phyllida, not me. That’s a big problem. I don’t like being confronted by a million “Clives” at the same time. The odds are stacked up very much against me. So ladies, if you have a problem with your husband, don’t shout at him. Talk to the Lord. Let Him settle it! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			9 He guards the paths of those who are faithful to him. But evil people will lie silent in their dark graves. "People don't win just because they are strong. 1 Samuel 2:9 NIrV	When I was still a schoolboy, I had a distant “friend” He really was a “pipsqueak”, but sometimes he’d pretend, That he was “Charlie Atlas” the strongest man alive. Few people ever challenged him. His brother’s name was “Clive”. Now Clive was something different. A tower of a man, With great big bulging biceps; a bit like Desperate Dan. He had a reputation for tearing men to shreds. Anyone who challenged him was dispatched to his bed. They were the strangest couple. Clive had all the brawn. My friend was very “brainy” and he would speak with scorn, About all his opponents. If they got out of line, He simply told his brother, who’d say to him, “He’s mine!” It was a neat arrangement and people stayed well clear, Of any altercation. They knew that Clive was near. They both grew into manhood. My friend became a sage. His brother was a wrestler with a leaning for the stage! I’m not sure how it ended. In fact I do not care. But there’s an application to what happened way back there. I’ve got an elder brother. I’ve learned to know Him well. If anybody picks on me, they could end up in Hell. Because this Man is jealous. I’m His and He is mine. Better known to others, as Jesus Christ Divine. If I’m intimidated, I only have to call. And Jesus Christ will settle it. I’m not afraid at all. And yet, I have a problem and don’t know what to do. The woman I have married, she knows Christ Jesus too! And since He is a gentleman, if I get out of line, She takes the situation to Jesus Christ Divine. Now I am quite ecstatic when He is on my side. But let me tell you frankly, that He supports my bride. When things for her get difficult; she simply turns to prayer. It isn’t very long before I wish He wasn’t there. And yet the situation is satisfactory. Because when I need discipline He comes and “fixes” me. So she has the advantage. But truly I don’t mind. A husband’s duty to his wife is, “do not be unkind”. We know I lead the family. This fact is very plain. But if I am tyrannical. He’ll “fix” me once again. Jim Strickland Written 5th December 2012
			45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 1 Samuel 17:45 ESV
			49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. 1 Samuel 17:49-50 ESV
			16 No king succeeds with a big army alone, no warrior wins by brute strength. 17 Horsepower is not the answer; no one gets by on muscle alone. 18 Watch this: God's eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love. Psalms 33:16-18 MSG
			12 Riches and glory come from you, you're ruler over all; You hold strength and power in the palm of your hand to build up and strengthen all. 1 Chronicles 29:12 MSG
			8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time He said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT