We are in the middle of an awesome series at The Community Fellowship. It is called CLASSICS and uses hymns to remind us of the faith and theology that God has given us. These truths literally help us have firm faith during tough times.
These have been tough times. A pandemic is something we have never experienced before and would like to be over. The last week has been strange with a shortage of gas and people running to fill up their cars. It resulted in many of our local stations being out of gas for hours or even a day.
We have looked at the hymns “How Great Thou Art” and “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”. This Sunday we move on to “Amazing Grace” which is likely the most popular hymn, at least of my dad.
Let me pause this Friday to share a story with you. Joey Martin attends our church, serves with our Raceway Ministry team and is a great dude. He shared a story about his father that I would like to pass on to you, and he gave me permission to do so. This is awesome. Enjoy…
"Softly and Tenderly"
During WWII, my daddy, Webster Martin was drafted into the U.S. Army, 80th Division. He saw action in France, Italy, and I believe Luxembourg. He was in the infantry and was also a radio operator. In one particular skirmish, in which I'm not exactly sure of the location, he was pinned down in a foxhole, more than a likely a bomb crater. He was by himself and very scared, and there was lots of ordinance being used, and he very much feared for his life. He prayed to "All Mighty God", (as he would state), that if God would get him out of this situation, he would turn his life over to Jesus. Not too long after that, the shelling slowed down, and he was able to return to his unit minutes later, and they were able to push on.
About a year later, he was shot in battle in France.
The bullet went through his right hand… into the stock of the rifle… then in his side, piercing some internal organs… then out his back. After being in a field hospital, he was sent to a hospital somewhere in England. While in England, the Army decided to send him home, which he did… actually sailing home on the Queen Mary, that was used as an Ally hospital ship at the time.
He was then sent to a base in North Carolina until he was fully recovered. After recovery, he went home to Bassett, Virginia.
The first Sunday that he was home, he went to church, and kept his promise to God and accepted Jesus into his life. The song they were playing as he was walking up the aisle?
"Softly and Tenderly...Jesus is calling".
Did he stick to his guns and follow Christ Jesus?
Jump ahead 60 years… give or take.. at Pocahontas Bassett Baptist Church, where he had been a deacon for decades… off and on, drove the church bus for many years, and had been in the adult choir, for what they think was 45 plus years. Due to old age and medical issues, he had told the music director, George Hearn, that he was afraid he couldn't be in the choir any longer. The choir got together and decided to do something special for him. By the way, my brother Jimmy was in the choir as well.
On a particular Sunday, we all went to church, knowing they were going to do something special at the end for him, except he had no idea of what was coming.
As the preacher finished his sermon, and started a prayer of invitation, my girls, Whitney and Taylor, who were probably 14 and 11 at the time, snuck out of the pew and met my brother on the stage. As the preacher finished, a lone piano started playing, and my girls and my brother started singing the 1st verse of "Softly and Tenderly...." to which my daddy, as well as myself, and others, completely lost it. Then the choir director raised his hands for the rest of the church to stand, then the huge pipe organ kicked in, and everyone finished the song.
Not a dry eye in the house.
Afterwards they presented him with a plaque in honor of his service and after the service had a dinner downstairs, where his first cousin, who was also the pianist mentioned earlier, and others belted out hymn after hymn.
He passed away in 2004.
Jump ahead many years, when Carrie Underwood sang the hymn at the CMA awards, in memory of those lost in the country music business, and those lost in the shooting at the music festival in Las Vegas that year. Even Carrie Underwood choked up singing the song near the end.
We were all messaging each other… "I'm not crying, you're crying"
So yes, as you said in your sermons, that these songs can bring back memories. Your first week of the series, it was hard to sing "How Great Thou Art" without getting emotional. That was one of my fathers favorite as well. My Mamma typed the words to that song, as well as "I'd Rather Have Jesus...Than Silver or Gold" on index cards and would tape them inside our medicine cabinet and sing while she was getting ready in the mornings. We tried to retrieve them when we sold their house, but the yellowed cards fell to pieces.
……..
That is a powerful story that hits us in our hearts. Thank you, Joey, for sharing. May each of us share our stories of how we came to faith in Christ and how that has changed our lives.
Acts 2:21 NLT
But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
Comments