Be Still My Soul - Hope In the Midst of Congregational Loss

 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”     (Psalms 34:18)

 “’Be still and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge’ Selah” (Psalms 46:10-11)

Over the last three months, we as a church family have faced an unusually challenging and traumatic season in which we have lost nine of our members to death.  While we certainly celebrate their homecoming resurrection in heaven, they will be sorely missed by us here on earth. 

As part of this, I am also fully aware of how these consecutive losses have taken an emotional toll on each of us both as individual church members and friends, and as a congregation as a whole.

Yet, even in the midst of these heartbreaking losses, I wanted to offer not only the two scriptures above (from Psalm 34 and Psalm 46) but also to offer the lyrics of a famous Christian hymn that I hope will provide to each (and all) of us an invitation to -- and source for -- courage and hope in this difficult season.

In 1899, hymnwriter Jean Sibelius read the lyrics of a poem by Katharina von Schlegel from a century earlier and was led to set them to a famous tune that ended up creating one of the most enduring Christian hymns – one that we still sing today:

“Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;

bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

leave to thy God to order and provide;

in every change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend

through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

 

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake

to guide the future as He has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

all now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know

His voice, who ruled them while He dwelt below.

 

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,

and all is darkened in the veil of tears,

then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,

who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.

Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay

from His own fullness all He takes away.

 

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on

when we shall be forever with the Lord,

when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,

all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.”

[--Words by Katharina von Schlegel (1752), Tune “Finlandia” by Jean Sibelius (1899), found in The United Methodist Hymnal #534]

May each of our souls “be still and know" that God is with us through all the losses we’ve experienced lately.  May we remember that the Lord is “close to the brokenhearted” (us!) and that – as the hymn says -- “in every change He faithful will remain!”  

Whatever loss, change or transition you are facing today, I invite you to join me in trusting that God is with you and with us all!  Remember, God loves you and I do, too!