God Stories With Biblebob (Ep 4) "I Come To the Garden"

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The video version of this podcast features me watering a garden as I sing the song. The singing is not something you'd probably pay to download from Itunes, but the visuals tell a greater story. Either way, I hope you get to spend a few moments imaginging yourself in the garden with Jesus - just after He walks out of an empty tomb.

DO YOU HAVE A GARDEN?

“But Mary [who had returned] was standing outside the tomb sobbing; and so, as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb;” John 20:11 AMP

"I Come to the Garden Alone"

I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses, And the voice I hear falling on my ear The Son of God discloses.

Refrain: And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own; And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice Is so sweet the birds hush their singing, And the melody that He gave to me Within my heart is ringing.

I’d stay in the garden with Him, Though the night around me be falling, But He bids me go; through the voice of woe His voice to me is calling.

“The writer of this lovely song was Charles Austin Miles. He was born in 1868 and became a pharmacist, but his real love was writing poetry and songs to the glory of God. He said this: "It is as a writer of gospel songs I'm proud to be known, for in that way I may be of the most use to my Master whom I serve willingly, although not as efficiently as is my desire." He wrote a number of songs and published them, and this was probably his most famous one. Listen to his own words about this hymn, which I'll quote from a book called 101 Hymn Stories by Kenneth Osbeck:

One day in March 1912, I was seated in the dark room where I kept my photographic equipment and organ. I drew my Bible towards me. It opened at my favourite chapter, John 20—whether by chance or inspiration, let each reader decide. That meeting of Jesus and Mary had lost none of its power to charm. As I read it that day, I seemed to be part of the scene. I became a silent witness to that dramatic moment in Mary's life when she knelt before her Lord and cried, "Rabboni!"

My hands were resting on the Bible whilst I stared at the light blue wall. As the light faded, I seemed to be standing at the entrance of a garden, looking down a gently winding path shaded by olive branches. A woman in white, with head bowed, hand clasping her throat as if to choke back her sobs, walked slowly into the shadows. It was Mary. As she came to the tomb, upon which she placed her hand, she bent over to look in and hurried away. John, in flowing robe, appeared, looking at the tomb. Then came Peter, who entered the tomb, followed slowly by John.

As they departed, Mary reappeared, leaning her hand upon her arm at the tomb. She wept. Turning herself, she saw Jesus standing—and so did I. I knew it was He. She knelt before Him with arms outstretched and, looking into His face, cried, "Rabboni!" I awakened in full light, gripping the Bible with muscles tense and nerves vibrating. Under the inspiration of the vision, I wrote as quickly as the words could be formed the poem exactly as it has since appeared. That same evening I wrote the music. *Text taken from: lukepowellministries .com/friday-classic-hymns/in-the-garden-story-behind-the-hymn

Imagine yourself looking into the tomb of Jesus. He’s not there. You hear a voice behind you. Turning to the sound of the voice, you see Jesus. What does He say to you? Pray within yourself. Imagine being in the garden after the crucifixion and you turn to see Jesus alive.

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody. Jesus loves you and so do we.