Seeing Jesus: Oh that will be glory!

How does one illustrate "glory"? One way:
through the glory of God's creation. Here,
looking up through a pink dogwood tree.

The word “glory” has been on my mind, along with a wonderful old hymn whose refrain replies to the prospect of seeing Jesus after death:
Oh, that will be glory for me,
Glory for me, glory for me,
When by His grace I shall look on His face,
That will be glory, be glory for me.

Composed in 1900 by Charles Gabriel, who wrote verse and/or tunes to some 7,000 hymns, it was part of the turn in 19^th century Gospel music from meditative to energetic, easily-sung hymns. The hymn grew out of Gabriel’s friendship with Ed Card, director of the Sunshine Rescue Mission in St. Louis, Mo. Card was known for his smile and nicknamed “Old Glory Face.” He was legend for exclaiming “Glory!” when he preached, and ended prayers with “And that will be glory for me!” The song he inspired Gabriel to write came to the attention of international evangelists, whose use popularized it around the world. Before Card died, he reportedly had the joy of singing Gabriel’s hymn and knowing his life had been its inspiration.

 

Gabriel was born in 1856 in an Iowa prairie shanty. Christians gathered in his family’s home, with his father usually serving as leader. Early on, Gabriel loved music. He taught himself to play the family’s little reed organ, and the lad told his mom he’d someday write a famous song. She replied, “My boy, I would rather have you write a song that will help somebody than see you President of the United States.”

Among his songs that “helped somebody” were “Send the Light,” “I Stand Amazed in the Presence,” “What a Savior,” “He is so Precious to Me,” and “More Like the Master,” He also wrote the tunes to others’ lyrics for “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” “Brighten the Corner Where You Are,” “Higher Ground,” “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” and “Since Jesus Came into My Heart.”

Many of these are part of the “music fabric” of my spiritual life. But recently I’ve been drawn back to these hopeful words from Gabriel’s hymn:

When all my labors and trials are o’er
And I am safe on that beautiful shore,
Just to be near the dear Lord I adore,
Will through the ages be glory for me.

What an amazing thing—to know a God who is high and exalted, but intimate and tender, who cared enough to visit this earth in Jesus Christ. The Bible says God sent an archangel named “Gabriel” to announce the birth of the Messiah. “Gabriel” means “devoted to God,” and how appropriate that a gifted man from a poor home, his last name “Gabriel,” should grow up to “announce” the good news of Jesus through song!