Abide With Me

“Abide with me” – One of the most well-known hymns, which is associated with a special occasion and which is often sung at funerals, expresses great anguish felt by the writer whilst also expressing His great faith and hope of heaven. This is “Abide with me”. The writer Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847) was pastor of a small church whose congregation were mostly seafaring folk, and as such were in those days to the ravages of the weather and tragedy of sudden death. Lyte himself was a sickly man who suffered much ill health. Eventually he was persuaded to exchange the climate of Lower Brixham, Devon, for warmer and sunnier climes. when told he had “consumption” or TB. He had become very attached to his congregation and his ministry among them. The Sunday before he was due to leave he took his last service , preaching his last sermon. administering them communion, and committing them to the Lord in prayer. That same evening at home overcome with grief and anguish over the coming parting and in search of solace and comfort, he wrote the five verses of this hymn. Then before retiring to bed he handed them to his daughter, and the next day left for Nice. It was barely two months later that he died at the age of 54. Little would he know of the legacy he left behind; a ministry completed and a hymn which has strengthened and consoled countless numbers of people over many years, and will no doubt continue to do so. How wonderful to know that what ever our feelings, our concerns and worries, we can take them, as well as our praise and thanksgiving, and pour them out and share them before our loving and compassionate God. For He loves us so much that He gave His most precious gift , His Son, that in professing Jesus as Lord and Saviour we might share eternity with Him.