For the Good News Club at Herndon Elementary, we are teaching a series of lessons entitled “Jesus: God of Power and Glory”. The memory verses for this series are Matthew 6:9-13, the Lord’s prayer (or better described as the Lord’s model prayer). Today’s verse was give us this day our daily bread. We learned how Jesus provided bread and fish for the 5000 men plus women and children, even though feeding that large group seemed like an impossibility. We reviewed with the children how the Lord is able to provide for us as well, and not just food. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
Just before we went to our Good News Club, I heard part of a message where the hymn ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus was referenced. The message of trusting Jesus fit perfectly with our club preparation. Later I read the story of this hymn. Here it is:
This hymn talks about the joy that can be found having faith in God! . . . Through the creation of this hymn, she has helped many people deal with similar tragedy in their own lives – simply by encouraging them to trust in Jesus.
Louisa Stead was born in Dover, England in 1850. As a teenager, Stead felt called to be a missionary. She went to America at age 21, and lived for a time in Cincinnati, Ohio. Attending a camp meeting in Urbana, Ohio, she felt the missionary calling even more strongly. Unfortunately, she was not able to go to China as she had intended, due to her frail health. She married a Mr. Stead in 1875 and moved to New York, where the couple had a daughter, Lily.
When Lily was four years of age, the family decided one day to enjoy the sunny beach at Long Island Sound, New York. While eating their picnic lunch, they suddenly heard cries of help and spotted a drowning boy in the sea. Mr. Stead charged into the water. As often happens, however, the struggling boy pulled his rescuer under water with him, and both drowned before the terrified eyes of Louisa and her daughter. Out of her ‘why?’ struggle with God, during the ensuing days, glowed the meaningful words of the hymn Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus from the soul of Louisa Stead.
Soon after, Louisa and Lily left for the Cape Colony, South Africa, where Louisa worked as a missionary for fifteen years. She married Robert Wodehouse, a native of South Africa. Because of her health, the family found it necessary to return to the United States in 1895. Wodehouse pastored a Methodist congregation during these years until, in 1900, they returned to the mission field, this time to the Methodist mission station at Umtali, Southern Rhodesia (present day Zimbabwe).
Louisa passed away after a long illness, in 1917, at her home near the Mutambara Mission. Following her death, it was recorded by the Christians in Rhodesia that: “We miss her very much but her influence goes on as our 5,000 converts continually sing this hymn in their native language”.
Perhaps the hymn might be best described as a hymn based on the name of Jesus. Indeed, “Jesus” is sung twenty-five times if one sings all four stanzas and the refrain. https://enjoyingthejourney.org/hymn-history-tis-so-sweet-to-trust-in-jesus/
May we ask for His grace to trust Him even more as well! He is TOTALLY trustworthy!
“Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8)