Keep the Lower Lights Burning - The Spoken Word

A long time ago, noted preacher Dwight Moody told his congregation a story about a boat, helplessly rocking and plunging on a stormy, starless night near the Cleveland harbor. The mariners on board could see the lighthouse, but they needed to find their way through the narrow passage in the treacherous rocks that surrounded the harbor. Normally a light on the shore, aligned with the lighthouse, marked the passage to safety. But on this night, the lower lights had gone out.
Finally, the desperate captain decided they had no choice but to proceed into the harbor without the guidance of the lower lights. "With a strong hand and brave heart"-but in almost total darkness-"the old pilot turned the wheel." Tragically, he missed the channel, crashed the boat upon the rocks, and lost the lives of his sailors.1
Moody then explained the lesson to be learned from his story: the Master will take care of the great lighthouse, but He depends on us to keep the lower lights burning. Philip Paul Bliss was directing the singing at the meeting that night and was so inspired by Moody's story that he wrote what would become one of his most popular hymns, "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy." He also composed the music, a hymn tune known as "Lower Lights," which was first published in 1871.
The storms of life put many around us in peril. They may long to approach the light of "our Father's mercy" but are unsure how to navigate the obstacles in their way. We all know how they feel, because each of us has been lost at sea from time to time.
Most often, God uses us to rescue them. If we can keep the light of faith burning in our hearts, if we align our light with the Light above, we can guide an exhausted mariner safely home. We can be the lower lights that "send a gleam across the wave. Some poor fainting, struggling seaman [we] may rescue, [we] may save."2
1. See Ira D. Sankey, Sankey's Story of the Gospel Hymns (1906), 138--39; see also Karen Lynn Davidson, Our Latter-Day Hymns: The Stories and the Messages (1988), 322--23.
2. "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy," Hymns, no. 335.
Episode 4409. Aired March 16, 2014

[@tresfordchikonde567]

This message made me love every single word in the song

[@DorianC]

This gives the hymn so much more meaning. I love it!

[@lavexitosh]

Amen

[@isogunro]

WOW! Never understood the lower lights because I was looking for the lower lights attached to the lower part of the lighthouse. This brought it home for me.

[@suetappana6578]

Continuing to be "filters through the haze" for those who sometimes feel lost at sea. God bless you all forever and ever!

[@Filomm1]

I specifically searched the history of this hymn because first of all, I have loved it since my youth days as a Baptist, from the Baptist Hymnal, in my older years, I have learnt it in the Sesotho Language, a Language widely spoken in the Southern African country of Lesotho 🇱🇸 and in South Africa. Many people do not understand the meaning of this song, as they sometimes sing it to usher the Pastor up the podium to deliver his or her sermon,, in Baptist, we would sing it as a closing hymn for example, to alert the body of Christ to go out and continue to Let The lower lights burning, much more like the hymn Jesus Saves!

[@TheZimrathMinistry]

Amen...

[@geniviaj2677]

Mon cher beau-père m'a partagé l'histoire de la conservation de la lumière, une histoire du prédicateur Moody, qui nous rappelle qu'il nous revient de maintenir la flamme de la foi allumée en partageant Sa parole. Après cette merveilleuse histoire, Ira a ensuite chanté (ce qui m'a rappelé mon propre père chantant des hymnes des années auparavant). Mais celui-ci était particulièrement spécial, l'hymne "Storms of Life" de 1871. Que Dieu vous bénisse tous !

[@captaingregg]

Wonderful..

[@luisisaza8189]

🙏🙌❤