Not Now but in The Coming Years Lyrics
Author: Maxwell N. Cornelius Music: James McGranahan (1840-1907)
1 Not now, but in the coming years,
It may be when with Christ we stand,
We’ll read the meaning of our tears,
And there, sometime, we’ll understand.
Then trust in God through all thy days;
Fear not, for He doth hold thy hand;
Though dark thy way, still sing and praise,
Sometime, sometime, we’ll understand.
2 We’ll catch the broken thread again,
And finish what we here began;
God will the mysteries explain,
And then, ah, then, we’ll understand.
3 We’ll know why clouds instead of sun
Were over many a cherished plan;
Why song has ceased when scarce begun;
’Tis then, sometime, we’ll understand.
4 Why what we long for most of all,
Eludes so oft our eager hand;
Why hopes are crushed and castles fall,
Till then, sometime, we’ll understand.
5 God knows the way, He holds the key,
He guides us with unerring hand;
Sometime with tearless eyes we’ll see;
Yes, then, ’tis then, we’ll understand.
Not Now but in the Coming Years Hymn History
Not Now but in the Coming Years is a hymn that was composed by Maxwell Cornelius.
Maxwell Cornelius went through a lot of trials in his life. As young man he broke his leg and the doctors had to amputate it.
Because of this he left business and went to college. After college he became a minister of the word.
He took charge of a church in California which was in deep debt, and it was a struggle to try to clear this debt.
Soon after clearing this debt, Maxwell lost his wife. Maxwell preached at the funeral and at the end of the preaching he quoted a hymn that he had recently composed. And that hymn is the hymn we are discussing in this post.
A newspaper published the sermon and the hymn. As providence would have Major Whittle read it and was so truck by their beauty that he cut it out and carried them in his bible for three months.
At the end of the three months, he wrote a chorus for this hymn.
Soon afterwards he gave the song and the chorus to Mr. McGranahan. Mr. Granahan added the music to the hymn, and it is his tune that we sing this song nowadays.
Below are more hymns’ lyrics and stories:
A Shelter in The Time of Storm Hymn Story and Lyrics
My God My Father While I Stray
My Days are Gliding Swiftly By
Oh Tender and Sweet Was the Master’s Voice
Lord of the Harvest Once Again
