This weekend, Pastor Jon read a stanza from a hymn by George Matheson. I was curious to find out some of the back story. Here's what I found.
George Matheson was a Scottish minister who lived in the late 1800s. He became blind in his 20s. He never married and died in 1906.
Matheson is best known for his hymn "O Love Which Will Not Let Me Go".
The hymn that was quoted this weekend is called "Make Me a Captive, Lord"
Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free.
Force me to render up my sword, and I shall conqueror be.
I sink in life’s alarms when by myself I stand;
Imprison me within Thine arms, and strong shall be my hand.
My heart is weak and poor until it's master find;
It has no spring of action sure, it varies with the wind.
It cannot freely move till Thou has wrought its chain;
Enslave it with Thy matchless love, and deathless it shall reign.
My will is not my own till Thou hast made it Thine;
If it would reach a monarch’s throne, it must its crown resign.
It only stands unbent amid the clashing strife,
When on Thy bosom it has leaned, and found in Thee its life.
"Make Me a Captive, Lord" lists a series of paradoxes. George Matheson wrote it as an interpretation of Ephesians 3:1, where Paul speaks of being the prisoner of Jesus Christ. Originally titled "Christian Freedom," the hymn lists a series of paradoxes. The first phrase, "Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free" is related to the beginning of a historic Church of England prayer, "O God . . . whose service is perfect freedom . . . ." This thought is common throughout Christianity, it is also reflected in John Donne’s Holy Sonnet XIV: "Take me to you, imprison me, for I, except you enthrall me, never shall be free . . . ." from Songsandhymns.org
Though his life was difficult, Matheson had an impact on those around him, including Queen Victoria and Oswald Chambers.
I also love John Donn's Holy Sonnet XIV; for many years I carried a copy on a note card in my Bible. If you've never read it, you can find it here.