Ace Collins - Stories Behind the Songs and Hymns about Heaven

O ne of the most fascinating things I found when researching the stories behind songs about heaven is that most were inspired during difficult and trying times. These beloved hymns were often the product of suffering and penned by people looking for answers. Whether a slave, a person trapped in poverty, a preacher, or a teacher, the writer almost always acknowledged that life on earth was not fair. Hence, the need to look forward to a time and a place where love, compassion, and justice were found in abundance.

As I studied in detail the lyrics of these classic songs and hymns, I also realized something profound and inspiring. While they point toward an eternal life in heaven, almost all of them spell out ways to bring a bit of heaven to earth. In other words, they are less about the ultimate rewards of a Christian life well lived and more about how to live a Christian life in this world. In that way, these songs mirror the parables of Jesus and his charge found in Matthew 25:3540 to reach out to the least of these.

As I edited and rewrote the stories behind these amazing marriages of lyrics and music, an image continued to knock on my minds door: the famous jazz funerals of New Orleans. As they march to the cemetery, the mourners are accompanied by a solemn, slowly moving brass band playing songs such as Just a Closer Walk with Thee, but as soon as they leave the gravesite, the musicians break into dance and blast out an up-tempo version of When the Saints Go Marching In. So, yes, while the songs spotlighted in these pages do reflect on the heartbreak of separation, they also forecast a time of reunion and celebration. And that is something to get happy about.

Life is a challenge, life is a trial, and life is not fair, but for the Christian, there is another life where the books are balanced and love abounds. These are the musical stories of heaven as seen through the eyes of people who lived their faith on earth. These chapters offer a road map to making the journey to glory a bit easier and more fulfilling. They are also testimonies to the fact that there is a wonderful victory waiting just over the hilltop.

Authors note: When possible, the lyrics to these powerful songs and hymns are published with each story. For chapters where that is not possible, I suggest readers go online and review the lyrics at various hymn sites.