Brothers and Sisters,

We overlook some great hymns for various reasons. Perhaps they are slow, old, or set in a minor key. Whatever the reason, I wanted to bring to your attention over the next several weeks and months some hymns that are rarely sung in the church today that I have personally found to be a source of great comfort and encouragement.

First up is “Come, Ye Disconsolate” by Thomas Moore.

1. Come, ye disconsolate, where'er ye languish,
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.

2. Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,
Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,
"Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot cure."

3. Here see the bread of life, see waters flowing
Forth from the throne of God, pure from above.
Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing
Earth has no sorrow but heaven can remove.
Come, ye disconsolate, where'er ye languish.

One of the things that I love about this hymn is that it opens with an invitation. Our God is always calling us to draw near to him in faith, and I appreciate this echo of that biblical theme.

I also appreciate the fact that this hymn acknowledges an aspect of our Christian experience, it acknowledges that sometimes the people of God are discouraged. Sometimes our hearts have been deeply wounded. Christianity has always acknowledged suffering in this world, and when Christians suffer we are identifying with our Savior in his humiliation.

Finally, while this hymn acknowledges the difficulty that we experience in our lives, it does not leave us there, for we are reminded that there is solace for our sorrow in our Savior and God. Earth has not sorrow that heaven cannot heal. Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot cure. Earth has no sorrow but heaven can remove. Amen and praise God! May we heed the invitation of Jesus Christ who said in John 7:37, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”

Warmly in Christ,
Mike