Must I go, and empty-handed

C668 CB930 E930 F173 K668 R666 S418 T930
1
“Must I go, and empty-handed,”
Thus my dear Redeemer meet?
Not one day of service give Him,
Lay no trophy at His feet?
 
“Must I go, and empty-handed?”
  Must I meet my Savior so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him:
    Must I empty-handed go?
2
Not at death I shrink nor falter,
For my Savior saves me now;
But to meet Him empty-handed,
Thought of that now clouds my brow.
3
O the years in sinning wasted;
Could I but recall them now,
I would give them to my Savior,
To His will I’d gladly bow.
4
O ye saints, arouse, be earnest,
Up and work while yet ’tis day;
Ere the night of death o’ertake thee,
Strive for souls while still you may.
108

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Nov 26 2024
Busuyi

Lagos, Nigeria

God help me to be committed to soul winning

Nov 14 2024
Jibuin Benedict Gunwi

Yde, Center Region, Cameroon

This remainds me to be busy on mission. The reasons for my being is winning souls for Christ.

Jul 31 2024
Jack Petrash

Irving, TX, United States

Dear Lord! May I speak the word of the Gospel to someone today! Make my life full of dispensational value. Only You know that the one who gets saved today may preach to others bringing a multitude into your kingdom.

Jul 28 2024
Alice Isaac

Ikorodu, Lagos, Nigeria

This song is my daily prayer to God, that I may win souls for God, that I may have positive impact on people.

It's so inspirational.

It's reminds me to work while it's day.

It's teaches me to give all my days to God.

It's breaks me spiritually, each time I sing.

Jul 13 2024
Brother Chinedum Stephen Olisakwe

Agric Owutu Ikorodu, Lagos, Nigeria

The first day I heard this Spirit inspired wake up call hymn in a Redeemed Church bible study in Apapa Lagos . it was this very year 2024. My spirit took hold of all the letters as well as message of this hymn. in my sleep that same night , the HolySpirit kept the hymn in my heart, even till date..

I knew that the call to win souls for the Kingdom of my God came upon me since May 2008, I knew I have done little work so far in the ministry and I knew that the most weapon of Satan this great Call of the LORD upon was carnality and seduction.. my prayer is that the LORD rescue me from being an unfruitful son and servant of God. thank you LORD ESUS!

Jul 9 2024
Obiaeri Ifeoma

Lagos, Nigeria

This song has kept me going. Despite the waves of life. Oh Lord I need more of your grace

Jul 7 2024
Ifeoma

Akwa, Anambra, Nigeria

This song reminds me in difficult situation, knowing fully well that I cannot do anything in life and in my ministry without God. It was sung in an Ordination at St. Andrew Anglican Church, Onitsha on 7/7/2024.. May God Almighty strengthen us IJN Amen.

Jul 2 2024
Rec'D Chukwunonso John Molokwu (Okwumbuzo)

Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom

Father you have given me this mandate to win souls and thus shall I do, all I ask is the grace to fulfill this mandate in Jesus Christ mighty name. Amen

Jun 25 2024
Queen Monsuratu Momoh

Obiaruku, Nigeria

Lord help me win souls I

beg you help me lay it all for the kingdom

May 14 2024
Helen Daniel

Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Singing the song now as we preached on sleeping laborers during the season of harvest

Once there was a young girl who fell into sin and contracted tuberculosis. She was dying in the hospital. An old servant of the Lord preached the gospel to her, telling her that the Lord Jesus had borne all her sin and persuading her to confess her sins, repent, and accept Jesus as her Savior. At first this girl resisted. She wondered how the Lord could forgive a sinner like herself. However, after she accepted the Lord, she was saved and became very happy, and peace filled her heart. After a few days, this old servant went to see her again. He was surprised to find her with a very sad face and very sorrowful. The servant asked her, "Why? Do not let Satan cheat you." She said, "No, I know that my sins have been forgiven." "Then why are you so sorrowful?" She answered sadly, "My years and days are almost finished. I am lying here, and I am about to die. When I stand in front of the Lord, the Lord may reckon me as saved. But what do I have to bring to Him? I can only tell the Lord that I have come empty-handed! How can I face my Lord with empty hands?" Truly, if the Lord takes you today, what do you have to bring to Him? Have you ever saved a soul? That is why this sister was very sad. The old servant said to her, "Sister, do not worry. I will take what you have just said and will write a song right next to your bed to encourage others to preach the gospel. In this way, all those who preach the gospel and save souls because of this song will share their rewards with you." He wrote the now well-known song: "Must I go, and empty-handed, /Thus my dear Redeemer meet?" Because of this song, many were touched to go out to preach the gospel. That is what the Lord means when He says, "I will restore to you the years/That the swarming locust has eaten, /The licking locust and the consuming locust and the cutting locust." Therefore, let us testify for Him today, serve Him, and recover the zeal which was in the beginning.

We must remember that one day we will all stand before the Lord. How will we give an account of ourselves, if our hands are empty? Hymns, #930 says, "'Must I go and empty-handed,' / Thus my dear Redeemer meet? / Not one day of service give Him, / Lay no trophy at His feet?" This hymn gives a vivid description of how pricked our hearts should feel. We should not wait for others to ask whether our friends and relatives are saved. I am afraid that when God asks us, even the angels will condemn us. This understanding will change our living. In the past we had our friends and relatives over for dinner and politely laughed and conversed with them, but we never preached the gospel to them. How can we repay our debt of the gospel to them?

The story behind the writing of this hymn is very touching. A number of years ago, a certain saint was dying and was full of regret for not having brought anyone to the Lord. A servant of the Lord told this saint that he would write a hymn that would help others in the coming years to rise up to take the time while they are still living to save sinners. The matter of saving sinners is something which all of us need to seriously consider. If we were to go to meet the Lord this very day, what would our condition be related to this matter?

This hymn was written long ago in America by Charles C. Luther. It was translated into Chinese at an early date and was widely sung among Chinese Christians. The story behind this hymn concerns an American sister who lived an ordinary Christian life. While she was on her deathbed, she suddenly felt that she had failed the Lord and was ashamed to meet Him because she had not led one person to Him in her lifetime. Therefore, she was exceedingly sorrowful. Her pastor, who was Charles C. Luther, not knowing how to comfort her, wrote this hymn to express her sentiments. When I was young, every time I attended a gospel revival meeting, we would sing this hymn. The tune can easily arouse one's spirit. Even though the original Chinese translation was poor, each time after we sang the hymn, there would always be people walking up to the front in tears and consecrating themselves for the gospel.

Later when I was compiling our hymnal, I spent much time considering whether this particular hymn is suitable to be included. Because our emphasis has always been on such high topics as the Spirit, life, Christ, and the church, I felt that the content and thought of this hymn were rather ordinary and therefore did not deserve to be included. However, because I had obtained a deep impression from this hymn, I truly liked it and could not forget it. Moreover, there is something special about the tune that can easily stir up the believer's spirit for gospel preaching. Therefore, I decided to do my best to improve the translation and to include it in the hymnal.

This hymn says that when a believer dies and goes to meet the Lord, he should not be empty-handed but should offer some trophies to Him. We preach the gospel not in fear of death but because we do not want to meet the Lord empty-handed. That we are saved is not a problem, but we still need to live an overcoming life that we may have trophies to offer to the Lord. Paul said that the believers whom he led to salvation were his hope, joy, and crown of boasting before the Lord (1 Thes. 2:19-20). If when you meet the Lord, you see that everyone else is bringing a herd of lambs and you alone are empty-handed, you will feel sad and ashamed. However, if you also bring with you a good number of lambs, your feeling and joy will be indescribable.

According to this hymn, while we believers are alive, it is day, and when we die, we enter into the dark night, that is, the night of death (stanza 4). We must work while it is day, for when night comes, no one can work (John 9:4). Therefore, while it is still day, before the night falls, we should work actively to save many souls that we may bring with us to offer to the Lord. Although the spiritual meaning of this hymn is not very deep, it has its value in practicality.

Details

Preaching of the Gospel
Empty-handed?
Charles Carroll Luther (1847-1924)
George Coles Stebbins (1846-1945)
C Major
6/8
8.7.8.7.D.
55543165344432543

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