A Powerful Prescription #RTTBROS #Nightlight
In the Sweet By and By"
"There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
Refrain:
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore."
In heaven, we will be with God forever!
"Revelation 21:3 KJVS - And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God" (Revelation 21:3)
Looking at this beautiful hymn and its story, I'm struck by how God can use the simplest moments to create something that touches hearts for generations.
Back in 1868, pharmacist Samuel Fillmore Bennett was working in his drugstore when his friend Joseph Webster walked in looking particularly blue. Joseph was a local musician who sometimes battled depression, and on this day his face was long with discouragement. When Samuel asked what was wrong, Joseph replied, "It's no matter, it will be alright by and by."
Those words hit Samuel like a flash of inspiration. He sat down at his desk and began writing as fast as he could, the words coming almost instantly. When customers entered the store, Samuel was too absorbed to help them - they just visited with Joseph by the old stove while Samuel scribbled away.
Finally, Samuel handed his friend the paper and said, "Here is your prescription, Joe. I hope it works." Joseph read the words aloud, and instantly a tune came to him. He picked up his fiddle, played the melody, and suggested they try singing it as a quartet. Just as they finished, another customer walked in and declared, "Gentlemen, I've never heard that song before, but I think it will be immortal."
He was right. In less than thirty minutes, in an ordinary drugstore, God used one man's discouragement and another's inspiration to create a hymn we've been singing for over a century.
Here's how we can apply this to our lives:
Look for God in ordinary moments. Samuel didn't need a cathedral to write an immortal hymn. He needed a friend, a piece of paper, and a heart tuned to heaven. God's still working in everyday places today.
Turn your struggles into stepping stones. Joseph's blues became the catalyst for a song of hope. Your difficult season might be exactly what God wants to use to bless someone else walking the same path.
Speak hope into discouragement. When you see someone struggling, don't just say "hang in there." Point them to the eternal perspective. Sometimes people need reminded that this isn't all there is.
Live with eternity in view. If we really believe heaven is our destination, it ought to change how we handle today's troubles. They're real, they hurt, but they're temporary.
So the next time you're feeling discouraged, remember that your "by and by" moment might be just around the corner. After all, heaven's gonna be sweeter than we can imagine, and until we get there, we've got work to do and hope to share.
Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.
https://linktr.ee/rttbros
