The Persistent Caller

When I was a boy growing up in Waycross, Georgia, times were hard around our house.  My Mother always said we were not poor, but I knew we were not rich either.  As I remember those years, I remember a stereo console which showed up in our house.  You know how memories are.  They just bring things into view without any explanation about how they got there.  I wonder about that stereo.  We certainly did not have the money to make frivolous purchases.  But, somehow it became a part of what I remember about growing up.  And with it came albums of music.  Some of it was classical, some contemporary, a lot was Christian.

 

One of the songs I put on that turntable was "Softly and Tenderly."  Gale Storm was the singer.  It is amazing the things which are stored away on the gray matter hard drive.  Whenever I heard the song later in life, I would always remember it spinning on that stereo turntable.  Maybe you remember it, too.  "Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, Calling for you and for me; See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching, Watching for you and for me. (Chorus)  Come home, come home, You who are weary, come home; Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, Calling, O sinner, come home!"  It was written in 1880, was a favorite of Dwight L. Moody, and has served the church as a powerful invitational hymn for generations.

 

But, like a lot of old hymns, it is not used much anymore by the contemporary church.  After all, it is old.  And, it mentions sinners.  It even points to the need for making an intentional response to Jesus as Savior.  So, with those three strikes against it, it is out.  What a shame!  Everything old is not useless.  Perhaps, my almost seventy years will not allow for any other conclusion.  But, more than that, I know about sinners and their need for Jesus.  I know about this, not from watching and judging others, but from looking in the mirror and moments of kneeling at the altar.  How thankful I am each day for Jesus and His persistent calling of this old sinner.