Carrie Ellis Breck is credited with having written over fourteen hundred hymns. Probably her best-known hymn is “Face To Face (With Christ My Savior)”. This one, “When Love Shines In” appeared in at least 118 hymnals, so it, too, has gotten around. Through its cheerful melody and four encouraging verses it gets us singing the words “when love shines in” thirty-two times (33 if you throw in the title). She used the rest of the lyrics to list benefits of letting “love shine in”. Singing it all the way through certainly gets a person thinking about God’s love — and acting on it, too! Please give it a sing-along listen, then let’s talk about love’s power.

♫♪ Jesus comes with power to gladden ♫♪

“For you make me glad by Your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done”
(Psalm 92:4)

“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it”
(Psalm 119:24)

No doubt a hugely important reason Jesus Christ came was to save mankind, to make the new birth available. But it is interesting to read his sermon beginning in Matthew 5, and look for a salvation message. The meeting he ran that day was not like our modern evangelical services ending with an alter call to accept Jesus as Lord.

Remember that his audience that day were people living under a three-way oppression, being ruled by Romans, being ruled by a self-serving king and being ruled with suffocating religious mandates directed by Pharisees and Sadducees. What Jesus brought them that day was the good news of the Kingdom of God. He led them toward seeing the One who IS — the One who is good, who was at that very moment over and above them all — above Rome, above the king and above the religious leaders. He introduced them to a new way of thinking — about their place and importance in HIS kingdom and how life on earth could be for them starting that day.

Read Matthew in light of that lyric, “Jesus comes with power to gladden” and try to imagine what Jesus’ words were stirring in those hearts on that wonderful day. Salvation, yes. Brighter days ahead, yes. The Kingdom is here — NOW. Change can begin right now.

I’ll bet some gladness got planted. As sons of God and followers of the Lord, we, too, can exercise power to bring gladness — “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” — to light up a place like the angels did and like Jesus did. We have been invited to work in stunningly glorious company!

♫♪ Love will teach us how to pray ♫♪

What an interesting idea from our song’s lyrics!

I went looking for verses that might support this idea, and found these to start a conversation —
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love. [1 John 4:18 BSB]

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. [Hebrews 4:16 ESV]

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:6–7]

We read here that love drives out fear. Prayer drives away anxiety. If we lack confidence to approach the throne of grace, we might fire up some love and prayer to gain that confidence. Love, prayer and deliverance seem to go hand and hand. How and where do we start? It seems our song was designed to help us get up and moving in the right direction. It seems true that prayer is not far away when love shines in.

♫♪ Trials may be sanctified ♫♪

For Christmas this year I was given a book titled, “Don’t Waste Your Sorrows” (by Paul E. Billheimer). The book has helped me be more enthusiastic about this lyric than I might otherwise have been. One of the book’s reviewers said,
“This book explains the purpose of suffering and tests in a Christian’s life, making absolute sense to the point that you can understand why Paul says, “count it all joy.” Still not easy to do, but at least the author’s explanation and teaching can begin to put our thinking and perspective in the correct mindset to grow in our walk into the image of the Messiah.”

I know God wants us to be strong — more than conquerors — victorious. He does not harm us to help us. But a good case can be made that to be fully human and grow strong in the Lord, we are going to need to overcome challenges in life. The good news here is that when we walk with the Lord, we can expect trials to lead to blessings.

I think the songwriter was on to something wise and good when she wrote,

“♫♪ Trials may be sanctified,
and the soul in peace abide,
life will all be glorified —
when love shines in ♫♪”

God bless you lots
-Dale R.

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Download this song sheet

LYRICS: When Love Shines In
Text: Carrie Elizabeth Ellis Breck (1874)
Tune: William James Kirkpatrick

1. Jesus comes with power to gladden,
When love shines in,
Every life that woe can sadden,
When love shines in.
Love will teach us how to pray,
Love will drive the gloom away,
Turn our darkness into day–
When love shines in.

Chorus:
When love shines in, when love shines in,
How the heart is tuned to singing,
When love shines in,
When love shines in, when love shines in,
Joy and peace to others bringing–
When love shines in!

2. How the world will grow with beauty,
When love shines in,
And the heart rejoice in duty,
When love shines in.
Trials may be sanctified,
And the soul in peace abide,
Life will all be glorified–
When love shines in.

3. Darkest sorrow will grow brighter,
When love shines in,
And the heaviest burden lighter,
When love shines in.
’Tis the glory that will throw
Light to show us where to go;
O the heart shall blessing know–
When love shines in.

4. We may have unfading splendor,
When love shines in,
And a friendship true and tender,
When love shines in.
When on earth the victories won,
And new life in glory begun,
There will be no need of sun
When love shines in.

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