O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go

© Copyright 2013 PJ Stassen

All Rights Reserved

Faith begins as an experiment and ends as an experience.

                                        - Dean W.R. Inge, 1860-1954.

   This song, reportedly written by George Matheson in only five minutes, was introduced to me by the Gaithers, and specifically as so beautifully sung by Danny Gaither a few years prior to his untimely demise.  It was, among others, also sung at the funeral of American President Calvin Coolidge in 1933, apparently his favourite hymn.
   The insert below is a photograph of the 10328 ft. (3148 mtrs.) Cathkin Peak in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, and if this world can be this beautiful (the proverbial ‘shadow of things to come’) how beautiful must Heaven be?  And, can a Creator who makes such exquisite things ever be evil?  Can a God who speaks such beautiful scenes into existence by the words of His mouth exude anything but love? And, will that love ever let us go?  
   If He died for us when we were still unbelieving sinners, how much more will He care for us (and live for us) now that we are His children?  And, if His DEATH, by some mysterious Heavenly Alchemy, could engineer our eternal Salvation, what will His LIFE not be able to accomplish for us in Eternity?  

   This song, O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go, is one of those evergreen pieces of wonderful, melodious poetry-in-song that, once you have heard it, simply won't ever let you go.  It tells the story of not only a mighty Creator and an obviously no-nonsense Judge, but also a loving Messiah, Saviour and Heavenly Father!  I may be wrong, but I think it was Charles Spurgeon who has said, "Behind a stern countenance God hides a smiling face."   

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O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go

(George Matheson, 1842-1906/Albert L. Peace, 1844-1912)

O love that will 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 Light that foll’west all my way,

I yield my flick’ring torch to Thee;

My heart restores its borrowed ray,

That in Thy sunshine’s blaze its day

May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me thru 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.

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.  

Piet Stassen

eLiterature/eLiteratuur:

1. Scribd Publishing Site:  www.scribd.com/PietStassen (ENGLISH & AFRIKAANS)
2. eBook: 'Evolution: The Science That Evolved Into A Fairy Tale' (ENGLISH)  
3. eBook:  'Bertrand Russell Revisited: Rebuttal Of Bertrand Russell's 'Why I Am Not A Christian''(ENGLISH)
4. eBook: 'Meditations & Contemplations: A Reader For Both Atheists And Creationists' (ENGLISH)
5. eBook: 'Conservation, Rhino Poaching And Hypocrisy' (ENGLISH)
6. eBook: 'Why Darwinism ('Evolution') Does Not Make Sense' (ENGLISH)
7. eBook: 'Names And Titles Of Jesus Of Nazareth (ENGLISH)'
8. eBoek:  'Darwin Of Christus: Suid-Afrikaners By 'n Kruispad!' [AFRIKAANS].
9. eBoek:  'Bevryding Van Die Anti-Evangelie Van Ateisme-Evolusionisme' [AFRIKAANS].
10. eBoek:  'Name & Titels Van Jesus Christus' [AFRIKAANS].
11. eTracts, Christian (Free, Downloadable):  Free, downloadable Christian eTracts for free distribution (ENGLISH)
12. eTraktate, Christelik (Gratis, Aflaaibaar): Gratis, aflaaibabre Christelike Traktate vir gratis verspreiding (AFRIKAANS)

Bibliography.

1.  Andrews, Allen (1969) Quotations For Speakers And Writers. Newnes Books. London.

2.  Hymntime. ‘Albert L. Peace’. Accessed At <http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/o/l/t/oltwnlmg.htm’> [online] 2013.

3.  Panoramio. ‘Cathkin Peak’. Accessed At <http://www.panoramio.com/photo/70289960> [online] 2013.

4.  Peterson, John V. (1968) Great Hymns Of The Faith. 'O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go'. Singspiration^® Inc. Zondervan Publishing House. Grand Rapids, Michigan.   
5.  Wikipedia. ‘George Matheson’. Accessed At <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Matheson> [online] 2013.