Joseph Scriven was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1819. His family was rather prosperous, and he enjoyed a good life. He graduated from Trinity College, and was soon engaged to be married. However, his fiancee accidentally drowned the day before they were to be married.
He decided he needed a complete change after that tragic event, and moved across the ocean to Canada. In Canada, he again met a young woman, fell in love, and was to be married. But this time, his fiancee developed pneumonia and died before they were married.
After those terrible incidents in his life, when most people would have been mad at God, Joseph decided to devote the rest of his life to helping others. He would travel around looking for poor people in need and do whatever he could to help them, such as cutting wood and doing other chores.
One day Scriven received word that his mother back in Ireland was very ill. He couldn’t afford the price of a trip back to Ireland, so he wrote a poem and sent it to his mother.
Eventually that poem was made into a hymn and published. It is today still a very well known hymn that goes like this:
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.
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.
Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he’ll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.
Here was a man who even though he had suffered great heartache and trials in his life – still knew that Jesus Christ was the best friend we could ever hope for.
There’s no other friend like our dear Savior, Jesus Christ. He’s the best and closest friend we could ever ask for.
Far too often, we ignore Him, and treat Him like a stranger rather than a friend. Yet, if we have nothing else, but have Jesus – we’ve got ALL we need, because He has promised to supply all our needs!
He has never broken a promise, He will never forsake us, He loved us so much He died on the cross for us!!!
As a Christian we have a true friend in Heaven who’s power and love for us are beyond our ability to describe or comprehend.
Indeed – What A Friend we have In JESUS!! No friend on earth can even compare.
There is a name I love to hear,
I love to sing its worth;
it sounds like music in my ear,
the sweetest name on earth.
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
because he first loved me!