Joseph Scriven endured tragedy upon tragedy in his troubled life. Just as he was about to be married, his fiancée in Ireland fell from her horse while crossing a bridge, and drowned in a lake on the day before the wedding was planned nearly 200 years ago. Scriven, while waiting on the other side of the bridge, watched the tragedy unfold. In his utter grief, the young man decided to quit Dublin and leave for Canada, packed his bags, and left his mother behind. Following a time of pastoring and teaching, he threw himself into obscured charity work… chopping firewood for widows, giving away his clothing to those more needy, and spreading his money to those without any. Some years later, Joseph received word that his mother was enduring her own health crisis. He gathered his creative skills and wrote a poem, which became known eventually as, “What a Friend we have in Jesus. ” This he did for his mother alone, never intending anyone else to see it. But she passed it on to a friend… who published it as a hymn, though at the time, no one knew the author.

At about the same time, Joseph again fell in love and planned his wedding. And once more, tragedy visited him. Joseph’s fiancée contracted tuberculosis… and soon passed away. He continued to bury himself in many charitable endeavors. Much later, not long before his own death, Scriven lay in bed as a friend came to comfort him. The friend, saw next to Joseph’s bed, the poem, “What a Friend we have in Jesus, ” scribbled on a piece of paper. His friend asked him about the poem. Joseph acknowledged that he had composed the poem years earlier for his mother while she was enduring a time of testing. His friend asked him, “Is it true that you wrote this text? ” “The Lord and I did it together, ” he replied, “all my life I’ve been blessed by this hymn as well. A gift to us, born out of the excruciating pain of one another. ”

When I am in too much distress to say a word and pray, I, like Helen, sing this hymn to the Lord instead, As I meditate on the words and sing over and over, the words start speaking to myself, and suddenly I have that perfect solace from God.

Joseph Scriven, the author of this lovely hymn was born in Banbridge, Co Down, Northern Ireland - where I'm from. He died in Port Hope, Canada.

I often find it difficult to pray and instead recite this hymn - it brings me solace when I'm troubled.

This hymn says it all. No problem big or small, relevant or irrelevant in our mind is insignificant to our Lord. Let's take all our situations to the Lord to develop a deep mature fellowship with Him. We can talk with the Lord Jesus about anything isn't that wonderful. Just following the lines in this hymn guides us into a sweet fellowship with the Lord to pour out our heart to Him so that in return we are Filled with Him. Amen

Jesus have saved my life and guiding to through eternal life!

To God be the glory

Take it all to him in prayers, He cares!

HALLELUJAH!!!

Healing ☔

I cry whenever I sing this hymn. It was my late mother's favourite hymn.