Prayers from the Hymnal: ’Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus

Prayer for the Day presented by Julia Loveless, worship leader & singer-songwriter.

Good morning. In 1879, Louisa Stead - an Englishwoman who had immigrated to the States - was walking with her family around Long Island in New York. While walking, they suddenly heard the frantic sounds of a child who had fallen into the waters and was drowning. Louisa’s husband immediately jumped into the water in an attempt to save the boy but, tragically, both he and the boy ended up drowning in the waves. Somehow, remarkably, from this place of utter despair and enormous tragedy, Louisa wrote the lyrics to the simple hymn “’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus”. It’s hard to imagine such a beautiful statement of faith coming from such an experience, and yet so many of our beloved hymns seem to stem from such circumstances. Perhaps there is something about the starkness of human suffering and grief that actually propels us towards a hope that can not be shaken by them. An eternal hope that remains steadfast and unaffected by the turbulent, chaotic and cruel happenings of life. It leaves us in a place of recognising both the beauty and power in our faith, but also our need for more of it. And so I pray simply this morning using her lyrics; “Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him. How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er. Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus, O for grace to trust Him more.” Amen.