JOHNNY COME HOME

O my Johnny married me
By light of the harvest moon…

Then war came knocking while rocking a babe
And I watched my Johnny go

And so the story begins about a young couple, deeply in love, getting married and having a son. All too soon the man is called to go off to war, leaving his wife and child behind.

There were letters sent and letters received; there were tears shed and prayers said; there was anxious waiting and constant watching; and there was ever so much hoping! But as the years passed and the war finally came to an end, there was no sight nor sound of the soldier.

O in vain I wait, I hope
His body was never found…

I have often thought that of all the songs on this album, “Johnny Come Home” expressed the least amount of hope. But recently I have come to realize that the exact opposite is true! The hope spoken of in this song is actually the deepest and strongest kind of all. It is that hope against hope.

Did you know that the phrase ‘hope against hope’ was originally derived from a Bible verse? Romans 4:18 says, “who, contrary to hope, in hope believed… ” and it refers to a story in Genesis. God had promised that Abraham and Sarah would have a son, even though they were well past the ability to conceive a child. But Abraham, “contrary to hope, in hope believed”. He hoped against hope.

For many, many years, I myself prayed a seemingly impossible prayer. And “contrary to hope”, I am still hoping for the answer of my heart. Yes, I am still waiting… in hope against hope.

Johnny, Johnny, O Johnny come home
Autumn leaves already fall
Johnny, Johnny come home to me
Before snow covers us all