From the time I was a boy, I loved this hymn.  The hymn comes from a poem found among a collection of writings by Rev. Maltbie Babcock

Entitled “Thoughts for Every-Day Living.”   Rev. Babcock lived in Lockport, New York and loved to take walks near the Niagara Falls where he enjoyed the panoramic vista and scenery.

He called these walks “going out to see the Father’s world.”  

It was after his death at the age of 42 that his wife found the writings.  The hymn came from his poem “The Father’s World.”  Here are the words:

This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world,
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

 

The words make you feel safe and secure, why be sad, God reigns, the Lord is King!  

And on Easter, that is what we proclaim.  

But this Easter my heart was sad. 

Sad because of people with so much hate in their hearts that they became so foreign from God that they took innocent lives on such a day of Glory.  

We have failed somewhere to show these people the true love of God. We have not shared with them the story that would change their hearts and lives.  

Christians around the world have taken the easy road.  

We cannot afford to do that any longer.  We have a story to tell.  A life-changing world-changing story.  

We know the devil by hate.  We saw his face on the stone face of cowards with backpacks on their shoulders on Easter Sunday.  

But this is our Father’s World and we will not let you take it!  

Folks it is in our daily lives where the rubber meets the road. Live the life, love one another as Christ has loved you.  

It is the only way.  

Be vigilant to show love, to students and persons who have cut themselves off from their feelings, who have entrapped themselves in unfeeling practices that separate themselves from love and caring for others.  

Find a church and get involved, your children may complain at first but they will thank you later.  

 

John Warren is Senior Pastor at First United Methodist Church, 502 North 6th Street in Orange.