Sharing the Savior’s Story

New Perspective III

Let me tell you about Major Andre. Andre had, some time before, walked away from the strict religious training given to him by his parents who were religious refugees in England. The major had enjoyed the social life of an up-and-coming army officer. His life was filled with diversion, distraction, and indiscretion. His capture and trial changed all of that. With just days to go before his death, Andre' was confronted with where he was going to go—and in whom he was going to believe. The power of the Lord changed the major’s heart, his perspective, his eternal destiny. In repentance and … well, why should I tell you what happened? Let the major tell you. This poem was found in his pocket after he was hanged at Tappan, New York, on October 2, 1780. The major had written:

“Hail, sovereign love, which first began; The scheme to rescue fallen man! Hail, matchless, free, eternal grace, Which gave my soul a Hiding Place! Against the God who built the sky I fought with hands uplifted high—Despised the mention of His grace; Too proud to seek a Hiding Place. Enwrapt in thick Egyptian night, And fond of darkness more than light. Madly I ran the sinful race, Secure—without a Hiding Place! But thus the eternal counsel ran: Almighty love, arrest that man! I felt the arrows of distress, And found I had no Hiding Place. Indignant Justice stood in view; To Sinai's fiery mount I flew. But Justice cried with frowning face, This mountain is no Hiding Place! Ere long a heavenly voice I heard, And mercy's angel soon appeared: He led me, with a beaming face To JESUS as a Hiding Place. On Him almighty vengeance fell, Which must have sunk a world to hell! He bore it for a sinful race, And thus became our Hiding Place. Should sevenfold storms of thunder roll, And shake this globe from pole to pole, No thunderbolt shall daunt my face, For Jesus is my Hiding Place.”

And then, the major concluded with this verse:

“A few more setting suns at most Shall land me on that glorious coast, Where I shall sing the song of grace, and see my glorious Hiding Place!” A new perspective.

Excerpt from The Lutheran Hour broadcast of: September 14, 2003