(1 Peter 5:6) “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you.”
There isn’t much background information available about this song but, almost every resource relates this same sad and disturbing story.
Charles Frederick Weigle, a friend of Billy Sunday’s, was a poor itinerant evangelist. He was often on the road preaching wherever he had an opportunity but his wife was not a willing accomplice. She did not share his enthusiasm for the ministry.
During one of his preaching missions, his wife left him. She took their young daughter and moved to a distant city where she thought she might find a more glamorous and exciting life. When he returned home, he found this heartbreaking note:
“Charlie, I’ve been a fool. I’ve done without a lot of things long enough. From here on out, I’m getting all I can of what the world owes me. I know you’ll continue to be a fool for Jesus, but for me it’s goodbye!”It was the worst time of his life; he was alone and suicidal. He thought his work was finished and no one would care whether he was dead or alive.
In his desperation, his thoughts turned to God and he began to pray. He begged God to forgive him and to assure him of his faith. Then, after a long retreat, he returned to the work of the ministry. About his heartbreaking experience he said, “A mantel of grief covered me, but God’s grace sustained me.”
About five years later, his wife was dying. She said to someone who was at her bedside, “I wish I had my life to live over.” She asked her daughter to look for her father and ask him to pray for her. But it was too late. She died before Charles could be found.
Once again, Charles sought the comfort of the Lord. And that’s when he wrote NO ONE EVER CARED FOR ME LIKE JESUS.
The hymn is not especially deep or scholarly. It is just the personal testimony of a man who seemed to have lost everything and had no other place to turn except to his Lord.
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