sunday songs

In 1922, a woman named Rhea F. Miller wrote a poem. Somehow, ten years later a copy of that poem was on top of an organ in a family home in New York.  A 23-year-old musician saw the poem, and its words touched the cry of his heart.  He set the words to music.  His mother heard her son singing this testimony of commitment.  She came from the kitchen, with tears in her eyes, and asked him to sing it the next Sunday.

When the congregation heard his deep voice sing, little did they know that song would become one of the most well-known Christian hymns.  A few years later, this musician joined forces with a young evangelist and they traveled the world together.

The musician: George Beverly Shea

The evangelist: Billy Graham

The song: I'd Rather Have Jesus

I'd Rather Have Jesus

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,
I'd rather have His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I'd rather be led by His nail pierced hand

Refrain:
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway;
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name

He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom,
He's sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He's all that my hungering spirit needs,
I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,

Philippians 3:8 NAS