Love in the Middle Of
By Lexi Cole
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"
1 John 3:1a
In 1882, George Matheson sat alone on the night of his sister’s wedding. Twenty years prior, Matheson was first in his class, a promising minister and engaged to be married. Devastatingly, he gradually became blind and his fianceé left him because of it. His sister cared for him, but life was changing with her marriage. Alone and blind, this accomplished minister struggled with resurfaced feelings of loss. (1)
Loss is universal. The older I get, the more profound loss I see in my life and in the lives of people I love: loss of a relationship, loss of health, loss of a job, loss of a dearly loved one. Some loss is chosen; often, it’s loss we never asked for. Recognizing his own loss, Matheson wrote this hymn in five minutes:
O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
O light that follows all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.
O Joy that seeks me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that lifts up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be. (2)
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be. (2)
There are two things that have touched me through this hymn. The first speaks of a love from a powerful God that is unfailing. The mere fact that His love is steadfast is extremely powerful. His is a love that will never let us down…it won’t let us go. Secondly, Matheson alludes to the Holy Spirit who follows, seeks and guides us. In the midst of loss, we can choose to be in relationship with the Creator of the Universe who comforts His children and guides them through His Spirit.
Our loss is oh so real. Our God comforts and heals in the midst of our brokenness, and His love is forever constant. Matheson experienced loss - - loss of his sight, loss of a loved relationship, loss of a hoped-for future - - but in that, he chose to cling to His God of Love.
GOING DEEPER:
1. How have you seen your God of Love at work in the middle of your own loss?
FURTHER READING:
(2) My choir is currently singing an arrangement of this hymn. My director arranged it, so it’s not published nor do I have a video recording of it online to share with you, but this link has another arrangement of this hymn (some classic Gaither) if you would like to listen to it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sykrVzp2vPg&feature=related
Lexi is finishing her semester at Bethel University as an Elementary Education major and planning her wedding with her fiancé, Andrew. She serves with Children’s Ministries at Oakwood.
