Hymn Story, on JESUS CALLS US, by William Petersen

Most of the hymns that Cecil Alexander wrote were written for children, and many of her best children’s hymns were written before she was twenty years old.

When Cecil was thirty-two, she married William Alexander, a parish minister in an impoverished rural area of Northern Ireland. She loved the people. One writer says, “From one house to another, from one bed of sickness to another, from one sorrow to another she went.” Another describes her life this way: “Day after day she rode over the wet moorlands in all weathers, carrying food, warm clothing, medical supplies to the impoverished and sick.”  

One day her husband asked her to write a hymn for adults. He would be preaching on the call of Andrew by Jesus on the shores of Galilee, and he needed a hymn to go along with his sermon. So, she wrote “Jesus Calls Us,” a simple hymn with a powerful application. It was one of the few hymns that she wrote for adults.

Scriptures: Exodus 3:10-12; Matthew 4:18-20; Luke 9:23
Themes: Discipleship, Dedication, Service

Lyrics of the Hymn:

Jesus calls us; o’er the tumult
Of our life’s wild, restless sea,
Day by day His sweet voice soundeth,
Saying, “Christian, follow Me.” 

Jesus calls us from the worship
Of the vain world’s golden store,
From each idol that would keep us,
Saying, “Christian, love Me more.” 

In our joys and in our sorrows,
Days of toil and hours of ease,
Still He calls in cares and pleasures,
“Christian, love Me more than these.”

Jesus calls us: by Thy mercies,
Savior, may we hear Thy call,
Give our hearts to Thine obedience,
Serve and love Thee best of all.

By CECIL FRANCES ALEXANDER (1818–1895)

Reference for the Hymn:
Petersen, William. The Complete Book of Hymns (pp. 342-343). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.