On November 18, 1861, the Lord began to speak a beautiful word of hope to a fractured American society as a woman by the name of Julia Ward Howe slept fitfully while troops marched in the streets below. As she lay waiting for the dawn, the lines of a beautiful poem began to fashion themselves in her thoughts. The memory of some of the greatest lines in the Old Testament came to her mind, mingled with the faces of soldiers seated around campfires and battle trumpets recently heard. The cost of the Civil War had not been counted; the horror of the war had not been foreseen. It had been entered upon in excitement, almost a pleasurable fervor. And now the pleasurable fervor had given way to determination and the solemn acceptance of sacrifice.

She got out of bed and began to write, "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord" ... and minutes later a beautiful gospel message flowed from the pen, "In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea. With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me; as he died to make men holy let us live to make men free, While God is marching on."

It was over a year before her poem was discovered and set to a familiar tune that the soldiers knew. Very quickly it was being sung in many Army regiments. On one occasion a Chaplain McCabe sang it at a mass meeting in Washington. The audience joined in on the chorus. "Glory! glory, hallelujah! Glory! glory, hallelujah! Glory! glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on." The effect was magical as people wept and sang together ... and above the applause was heard the voice of Abraham Lincoln, exclaiming, while the tears unashamedly rolled down his cheeks, "Sing it again."

Julia Ward Howe was a beautiful Christian lady who permitted God to use her to present his gospel of hope to her troubled world.

Today God has a good word for our nation’s problems. Permit him to speak it through you.