STAND BY ME

The God Who Rules, Wins, Knows and Rescues, Also Stands by His Own

Born to an enslaved father and a free mother, Charles Albert Tindley suffered loss at an early age and was sent to live with his aunt after his mother's death in order to keep his freedom. 

To help support his family, he was hired out to work as soon as he was able. He married Daisy at age seventeen and the two had eight children together.

Charles' work ethic helped him focus on his seminary education -- taken via correspondence school -- while serving as a church sexton (groundskeeper) at East Bainbridge Street Church in Philadelphia. Eventually, in 1902, after over twenty-five years of faithful service as a sexton and many years as a bishop in surrounding churches, Charles was appointed as the pastor back at East Bainbridge. 

The Lord quickly prospered his ministry and the church relocated in 1904 and again in 1924.  Tindley was active in the community and worked hard to fight racism and help African Americans buy homes through his church-operated savings and loan. The church eventually grew to about ten thousand members and was renamed Tindley Temple after his death. 

Known as the grandfather of black gospel music, Tindley wrote many hymns and often connected them to his sermons, introducing them in the services. 

Tindley's "Stand by Me" is a well-known hymn that has also crossed over into popular culture. Elvis Presley, Bob  Dylan and other popular musicians recorded Tindley's version of the hymn and it was the inspiration behind Ben E. King's non-religious song of the same title. 

The hymn "Stand by Me" is remarkable in that each stanza petitions the Lord to stand by the reader/singer, reminding the Lord of His character as shown in a variety of specific accounts we see in Scripture.

Of course, this is a practice we are free to do, too, in our own prayers and petitions to the Lord who is always on our side. 

What stories in the Bible show you the attributes of your God? And how does God show those attributes to you, too? And when was the last time you asked God to stand by you based on those attributes?