Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary God Pause - Moved by the Promise for Saturday, 31 May 2014 "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" ELW 742

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary God Pause - Moved by the Promise for Saturday, 31 May 2014 "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" ELW 742
1. What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
ev'rything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit;
oh, what needless pain we bear—
all because we do not carry
ev'rything to God in prayer!
2. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness—
take it to the Lord in prayer.
3. Are we weak and heavy-laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there. 
On this 50th anniversary of my graduation from Luther Seminary, I thank God for then president Dr. Alvin Rogness and the professors I had during my years of seminary study.
The hymn, "What A Friend We Have in Jesus," was not included in the original proposed list for the new Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW), published in 1978. The Commission on Worship invited feedback on the list and that feedback resulted in "What A Friend" being included.
During the two years I was at Luther Seminary (1962-1964), Dr. Rogness and his wife Nora continued to mourn the loss of their 24-year-old son Paul, killed in an accident a short distance from home, as he returned from two years of study at Oxford. 
When I wrote to the Commission on Worship to support the inclusion of this hymn, I shared that on several occasions when Dr. Rogness preached in chapel, he chose this hymn as being especially meaningful for him. It said to me that he found a faithful friend in Jesus, "who will all our sorrows share."
Friend Jesus, what a "privilege to carry everything to God in prayer." Thank you for our seminaries and those who passed on "the faith once delivered to the saints." Amen.
Selmer "Sam" Hatlestad
Watertown, S.D. 
Master of Divinity , 1964
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