What A Friend We Have In Jesus

By Luke Powell Ministries. The author of What a Friend We Have in Jesus was Joseph M. Scriven. He was born in Ireland in 1820 and had a bright future ahead of him, but his plans for a military career ended up not working out because of bad health. Then, tragically, the night before his wedding, Scriven's fiancée was drowned. In his grief, trying to get over this, he relocated, moving from Ireland to Canada. He worked as a tutor but did a lot of work amongst the poor and the struggling in that area. He had a deep Christian faith that led to this lifestyle of giving compassion towards those in need, to the amusement of some of his friends, in fact. Then, very sadly, tragedy struck again because he was engaged for a second time, and his fiancée ended up dying after a very brief illness. This poor man struggled and faced a lot of depression as a result of these tragedies in his life. Sadly, at the age of 46, he was found drowned—nobody's quite sure if it was an accident or if it was perhaps suicide. Shortly before he died, a friend was visiting him. As he was going through some of his notes and things around his bedside (because he wasn't very well, he was quite sick), this friend happened upon this verse: What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! Amazed by what he just read, his friend asked him where this came from, if he had written it himself. Scriven famously replied, "The Lord and I wrote it between us." Then he explained that he'd written this poem, in fact, for his mother back in Ireland who was struggling with her own difficulties and storms in life. He wrote this beautiful poem just for her, sent it off to her, and didn't think much more about it. Thankfully, this friend of his got hold of this poem—otherwise it would probably be lost to history. Doesn't that make you wonder what amazing works have been lost to history because people have kept them to themselves instead of sharing them? Thank God that his friend happened upon these words so that you and I can get the comfort from the words of this powerful hymn. I know that I have been comforted many times singing this song, as I'm sure you have. A sad story indeed—Scriven's own difficult life—but thank God that you and I have been able to benefit from the beautiful words that he wrote. 1 What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer! 2 Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer! Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer! 3 Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Saviour, still our refuge-- take it to the Lord in prayer! Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In his arms he'll take and shield you; you will find a solace there. This Hymn was written by Joseph Scriven. He was born in Ireland and died in Canada (1819 - 1886)