A hymn that has long been one of my
favorites is the nineteenth century work, “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.”
The story behind it makes it even more
meaningful.
The author, George Matheson, had been partially
blind since birth when at eighteen his vision failed rapidly, and he became
totally blind. Still, a brilliant seminary student, he became a pastor of a large church in Edinburgh,
Scotland. In June of 1882, he suffered a
devastating heartache which cannot be verified, but some think it the rejection
from a fiancé. He wrote this hymn which came from that time. In his words, “It was the quickest bit of work I ever did in my life. I had the impression rather
of having it dictated to me by some inward voice than of working it out myself.
I am quite sure that the whole work was complete in five minutes . All the other verses I have ever written are
manufactured articles; this came like a dayspring from on high. I have never
been able to gain once more the same fervor in verse.”
Matheson went on to pastor the same church
for thirty-three years and write fine devotional literature, but he is best
remembered for this hymn which came from one of the most challenging times in
his life.
I have recently read a line in Streams in
the Desert which said, “No calamity will ever bring only evil to us, if we will
immediately take it in fervent prayer to God.”
This is what Matheson did. I find it
interesting that if the story is true of Matheson’s rejection in love, he turned to the Love in which He would never suffer
rejection.
“O
Love that wilt 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.
“O
Joy that sleekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow thru the rain, and feel the promise is not vain, that morn shall tearless be.”
When we go through rejection, loss, or fearful times, what a comfort to remember there is a Love that will never let us go—a Love in which we may rest, find new life, and hope.
The last verse of this hymn reminds us of the great work God has done for us through Jesus and what we find in surrendering to Him:
“O
Cross that liftest 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.”
I am reminded of words the prophet
Jeremiah wrote, “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying, ‘I have loved you
with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness’” (Jeremiah
31:3).
That everlasting Love has gone before us,
is with us now, and will be with us all the days of our lives. What a blessing
to know it will never, never let us go.