“In the Garden”

    Two treasured music books have been passed down to us from Al’s mom, Char Lowery. One is an old family hymnal used in her church. A handwritten inscription inside the cover of the Pilgrim Hymnal (1931) reads: “To the Lowerys—for the goodly purpose of filling their beautiful little home with home-made music, the best music of all. Your minister, Wally Winchell.” It must have meant a lot to Char, who kept it through several moves, finally downsizing to one room at a senior living facility.

    The second book contains the stories behind many favorite ‘gospel’ hymns—songs about the good news of Jesus and how lives are transformed by a personal relationship with Him. One of the hymns mentioned in this little book, Forty Gospel Hymn Stories by George W. Sanville (1943), is “In the Garden.” This was a favorite of Char’s which both she and her mother often played on the piano.

     The story behind this familiar hymn is very interesting. The composer and author, C. Austin Miles, shared how he was sitting down in his darkroom, where he kept an organ along with his photographic equipment. He picked up his Bible and began reading at the spot where it opened, chapter twenty of the Gospel of John. (There must have been a light in the darkroom!)

     Suddenly, the dramatic story of Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene at the tomb, after His crucifixion, came to life. Miles found himself standing in the shade of olive trees, watching a woman enter the garden. She was distraught as she approached the tomb of Jesus, looked inside and then turned away. Amazingly, Jesus stood before the woman and called her by name, “Mary!”

     Startled, she stretched out her arms to Jesus. “Rabboni!” (“Teacher”)

     Miles’ vision was the beginning of the hymn which has inspired many people through the years.  Countless lives have been touched by the words in the chorus: “And He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own…”

     Some time ago, Char made a list of the songs she wanted to have played or sung at her Celebration of Life service. “In the Garden” was one of her requests. It was fitting that her granddaughter, Shanda Lowery-Sachs, along with Shanda’s mother, Priscilla Hawkins, played a beautiful viola-cello duet at the service in July. That hymn evoked many sweet memories of Char and her love of music, along with the comfort of knowing that she is now enjoying sweet communion with her Lord and Savior in heaven.

     What a joy it is to be able to share with you the transforming news that Christ is alive, that we can know Him personally and walk hand-in-hand with Him through this life and for eternity.

“That which was from  the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life…We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” 1John 1:1, 3 NIV

 (Published in the Porterville Recorder, August 2014)