March 6, 2006

• Dianna Locke just sent me the following email that I would like to share with you.  I wish I had the glory and grace of Joseph Scriven:

  
  

  I just read this story in a WMU email and was so touched I wanted to share it with you.

  
  

   

  
  

  Joseph Scriven had a heart for God.  His main desire in life was to serve  his Savior.  I am impressed with Scriven because he did not have to be a “big shot,” or take credit for thoughtful deeds.  It was said that, wood for a widow was needed, he cut it.  When someone was too poor to pay, he helped financially.

  
  

   

  
  

  Joseph Scriven, while he was a good man, was also a man who knew great sorrow in life.  Shortly before their wedding day, his fiancee drowned in a terrible accident.  His second wife suffered a chill while swimming and, three years later, died.  Even though he had great sorrows, God taught him through his experience and gave him a heart of wonder and warmth and willingness to serve others. 

  
  

   

  
  

  As his mother was dying Joseph wanted to comfort her.  He wrote a hymn for her, never intending to share it with anyone else.  However, a neighbor saw the hymn and asked Joseph if he had written it.  Joseph, in his own humble way, replied, “The Lord and I did it between us.”  Some of you are wondering exactly who Joseph was and what hymn he wrote.  Well, it goes like this:

  
  

   

  
  

      What a friend we have in Jesus,

  
  

      All our sins and griefs to bear,

  
  

      What a privilege to carry

  
  

      Everything to God in prayer.

  
  

      Oh what peace we often forfeit,

  
  

      Oh, what needless pain we bear,

  
  

      All because we do not carry

  
  

      Everything to God in prayer.

  
  

   

  
  

  Thank you, Dianna.  I needed that.

  • 10:23 pm
  • 3 Comments