Whispering Hope

Songwriter Septimus Winner ( ) –He wrote under many pseudonyms Alice Hawthorne (his mother’s maiden name: used for songs he felt were sentimental) Percy Guyer Apsley Street Mark Mason Paul Stenton –A self-taught musician including piano, guitar and violin Owned his own music store where he offered lessons on both instruments –Wrote 200+ music volumes for 20+ instruments –Produced 2,000+ arrangements for piano and violin –Wrote Cogitations of a Crank at Threescore and Ten

Songwriter Wrote many well-known songs –Ten Little Indians –Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone –Listen to the Mocking Bird He sold this song for $5. By his death in 1902, it had sold 20 million copies Wrote political songs during the Civil War –Demanding the reinstatement of Gen. McClellan For which he was arrested for treason after 80,000 copies of his songs sold –He was released after agreeing to stop selling the music and to destroy the copies remaining in his possession

The Song His only hymn –Friends say he had not intended it to be a hymn and was surprised by its quick popularity in churches The last song of his to gain widespread popularity

Whispering Hope “Whispering hope” – the words themselves seem strange –Whispering is an adjective describing hope –How can hope be described as speaking softly? The word “whisper” when used in relationship to the Bible always reminds me of one story –The story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19

The situation 1 Kings 17 – Elijah rebukes Ahab for sin –3 ½ years of drought follow –Ahab tries to hunt Elijah down, kills many prophets 1 Kings 18 – Elijah challenges prophets of Baal to a contest –The prophets of Baal lose and are executed –The people turn to the Lord –Rain returns to Israel It was a time of great triumph for God –It should have been a great moment for Elijah, but...

1 Kings 19:1-10 Jezebel, the queen, promises to kill Elijah in the next 24 hours Elijah believes the threat and starts running –First to Beersheba in Judah There he prays that he might die An angel twice appears and tells him to eat –Then he makes a 40 day journey to Mt Horeb through a desert surviving only upon the food God had fed him those 2 times Then God asks Elijah why he had come –Elijah says he has done all that he could, but the Israelites aren’t going to change and he is alone and they want to kill him

1 Kings 19:11-13 God has Elijah stand outside –God causes a strong wind (tornado?) –God causes an earthquake –God sends down fire (lightning?) God was not “in” any of those things –He used those spectacular and fearsome things –But Elijah was not to confuse the spectacular things God does with God Himself Instead God speaks to Elijah in “a still small voice” (lit. “a sound of soft stillness” or “the tone of a gentle blowing”)

1 Kings 19:11-13 Elijah recognizes the presence of God and covers his face God ask Elijah again why he had come Elijah gives the same answer God assures Elijah that his work was not done –And he was not alone –God’s word was still active in people’s hearts and lives Elijah had expected the spectacular events on Mt Carmel to change the nation –When they didn’t, he lost hope –And with a whisper God restored his hope, reminding him the word of God was working

Stanza 1 Soft as the voice of an angel, Breathing a lesson unheard, Hope with a gentle persuasion Whispers her comforting word: Wait till the darkness is over, Wait till the tempest is done, Hope for the sunshine tomorrow, After the shower is gone. Hope is what brings us through the darkest times –We know during the storm, that it will end and there will be sunny days ahead –Hope is a lesson we understand sometimes without realizing it is being taught (like Elijah) What is the comforting word hope brings us? –Rom 5:1-5 God loves us, have faith, there is a reward

Stanza 2 If, in the dusk of the twilight, Dim be the region afar, Will not the deepening darkness Brighten the glimmering star? Then when the night is upon us, Why should the heart sink away? When the dark midnight is over, Watch for the breaking of day. The worst time to look into the distance is at dusk – things are unclear –But as it gets even darker, you can see even farther, all the way into space –And you shouldn’t be scared of the darkness because you know it will be followed by day

Stanza 2 Rom 8:22-25 –As we live here on earth with its sorrows and temptations, sometimes it seems that heaven is far away –But rather than despair, we should let the disappointments of earth make us see much more clearly that hope of heaven Luke 1:76-79 –And we know no matter how dark the earth may seem, soon a new day will dawn for the saved 2 Pet 1:16-21

Stanza 3 Hope, as an anchor so steadfast, Rends the dark veil for the soul, Whither the Master has entered, Robbing the grave of its goal. Come then, O come, glad fruition, Come to my sad weary heart; Come, O Thou blest hope of glory, Never, O never depart. Based on Heb 6:13-20 –God gave His word and swore an oath to fulfill that word so that we might have hope That hope extends “through the veil” into the presence of God and it is an anchor –That is, it is firm, unchangeable –Christ has gone there beyond the veil (overcoming death and making it powerless) So there again we have the certainty of our hope for eternal life

Stanza 3 and Chorus “glad fruition” means... –“the enjoyable attainment of something desired” –A desire to have eternal life (Rev 22:20) Chorus: Whispering hope, oh how welcome thy voice, Making my heart in its sorrow rejoice. When we are facing sorrows, there is nothing better than to turn to God’s word and listen for His words of hope whispered to us from the pages –Turning our sorrow to rejoicing (Rom 12:12)

Conclusion When things look their darkest and you feel like Elijah that you can’t go on –Find the words of hope offered by God, knowing that He will keep His promises (an anchor on which we can depend) –Like Abraham in Rom 4:18 “who contrary to hope, in hope believed” when God said he’d be the father of many nations when he was without a child God has promised us a better tomorrow, let that hope whisper to your soul