~Jesus Calls Us

       Few ministers’ wives can write a hymn-to-order for their husbands, even if they are famous poets in their own right. 

       But Cecil Frances Alexander did just that for her preacher husband.

       One afternoon during the week of November 25, 1852, her twenty-ninth year, she sat alone in the living room of their parsonage in Tyrone, Ireland, working over a new poem.……….

       When her husband inquired, she replied, “It is a new poem based on your sermon of last Sunday morning.”  He looked surprised and said, “Honestly, dear, I didn’t think you were paying attention.  But it does help a congregation, even if it is only his wife.” 

       She reminded him that he had preached on “The burial of Moses,” which was the subject of her new poem.

       Later that evening, as they talked about the sermon and the poem it had inspired, Mr. Alexander said, “Next Sunday is St. Andrew’s Day.  Since you wrote about the burial of Moses after last Sunday’s sermon, I wonder if you could write a poem for next Sunday morning before you hear the sermon.”

       “I’ll do what I can,” she told him.

       He took a Bible and read the account of the calling of Andrew by Jesus as recorded in Mark 1:16-18.  They discussed the coming sermon during supper, and she promised to do her best with the poem he had requested.

       That night, before retiring, she read the familiar Scripture verses again, and soon wrote down the stanzas which he was to read at the close of his sermon the following Sunday morning.  her first stanza contained these lines.

—Ernest K. Emurian

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Jesus Calls Us[1]

1           Jesus calls us: o’er the tumult

Of our life’s wild restless sea,

Day by day His sweet voice soundeth,

Saying, “Christian, follow me.”

2           Jesus calls us from the worship

Of the vain world’s golden store:

From each idol that would keep us,

Saying, “Christian, love me more.”

3           In our joys and in our sorrows,

Days of toil, and hours of ease,

Still He calls, in cares and pleasures,

“Christian, love me more than these.”

4           Jesus calls us: by Thy mercies,

Savior, make us hear Thy call,

Give our hearts to Thine obedience,

Serve and love Thee best of all.