周慎安(2011年11月中信月刊)
人的一生自呱呱落地那一刻開始，隨即展開了一場不斷需索的艱辛旅程。永無止境的欲望主宰著每個人的一生，我們願意耗費畢生的心力，只為了滿足這些或許偉大，或許微不足道的想望。
家財萬貫，權傾當朝，這是所有政商名流的人生目標。一簞食，一瓢飲，布衣一件，行囊一只，行腳天下，少少的欲求，也可灑脫地走他一生！究竟一個人要擁有多少，才是真正的幸福呢？
一個出生在加拿大的青年人George Beverly Shea，生長在敬虔的基督教家庭裡，因著擁有非常優美低沉的嗓音，常常在其父親任職牧師的教會中獻唱，但在George Beverly Shea的心中卻完全沒有真實的基督教信仰。大學畢業後，隨即在美國工作，由於他的歌聲動人，常被邀請到電台及電視節目中演唱，成就卓著。聲名遠播的George Beverly Shea，因著功成名就，對於基督教的信仰更覺乏味，離開上帝越來越遠，父母對此感到極為憂傷。母親為他迫切地在上帝面前祈禱，盼望有一天，她的兒子能夠醒悟過來，重回上帝的懷抱。無意之間，George Beverly Shea的母親發現了一位名不見經傳的婦女米勒夫人(Rhea F. Miller1894-1966)的小詩「我寧願有耶穌」，深受感動，隨即將此詩放在鋼琴前，疲累的George Beverly Shea回到家，看到鋼琴前的這首詩，輕輕地吟誦之後，上帝的靈激動他，George Beverly Shea不停地問自己：「我從早到晚忙忙碌碌，究竟是為什麼？我若賺得了全世界，卻賠上了自己的性命，這對我有什麼好處呢？」他忘情地在鋼琴上為這首詩譜寫了優美的旋律，George Beverly Shea的人生徹底改變！他加入了美國著名佈道家葛理翰的佈道團，用他的歌聲走遍全世界，宣揚上帝在他身上的奇妙作為，至今有22億的人聆聽過他的現場演唱，這項紀錄沒有一位歌手超越過！
當一個人將追求擁有一樣東西成為他人生的唯一目標時，往往這也就是他的人生悲劇的開始。但是，當他領悟到，一個人擁有的越多，也應是付出越多的道理時，追求擁有的欲望，會成為一股力量督促著他，更加喜樂地迎接挑戰，努力獲得更多，再分享出去，不僅自己蒙福，更能成為多人的祝福。
汲汲營營一輩子，你累了嗎？朋友們！夜深人靜時，靜下來問問自己，你究竟要什麼？
我寧願有耶穌 詞：Rhea F. Miller 曲：George Beverly Shea
1.我寧願有耶穌，勝於金錢，我寧屬耶穌，勝過財富無邊；
我寧願有耶穌，勝於地土，願主釘痕手引導我前途。
2.我寧願有耶穌，勝於稱揚，我寧忠於主，滿足主的心腸；
我寧願有耶穌，勝於美名，願對主忠誠，宣揚主聖名。
副歌：
勝過做君王，雖統治萬方，卻仍受罪惡捆綁；
我寧願有耶穌，勝於世上榮華、富貴、聲望。
(附註)歌詞選自「青年聖歌」詩歌本第一集第120首及「口唱心和」詩歌本第133首。
作詞者辭世的新聞:
http://www.gospelherald.com/article/ministries/48121/george-beverly-shea-long-time-singer-for-billy-graham-crusades-died-at-104-video.htm#.UW-0HqJTC8A
George Beverly Shea, the ten Grammy Award winning soloist of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), died Tuesday following a brief illness. He was 104.
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| George Beverly Shea, the ten Grammy Award winning soloist of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), died Tuesday following a brief illness. He was 104. |
"George Beverly Shea was one of my closest friends for nearly seventy years, and has been one of the dearest friends my wife, Ruth, and I have ever had...I've been listening to Bev Shea sing for more than 70 years, and I would still rather hear him sing than anyone else I know." Billy Graham said in the statement on the passing of Shea.
He first sang for Graham in 1943 on the Chicago radio hymn program, “Songs in the Night,” then joined Graham’s crusade team in 1947. Since then Shea has carried the Gospel in song to every continent and every state in the Union. He stayed until Graham’s declining health ended most of the evangelist’s public appearances over the span of more than one-half century.
“As a young man starting my ministry, I asked Bev if he would join me,” Graham said then. “He said yes and for over 60 years we had the privilege of ministering together across the country and around the world. Bev was one of the most humble, gracious men I have ever known and one of my closest friends. I loved him as a brother.”
Born in Winchester, Ontario, Canada, where his father was a Wesleyan Methodist minister, Shea’s first public singing was in the choir of his father’s church. Between Crusade, radio, and television dates in many countries, he sang at hundreds of concerts and recorded more than 70 albums of sacred music. At age 23 he composed the music to one of his best known solos, “I’d Rather Have Jesus.”
Of the hundreds of songs he sang, Mr. Shea was most closely identified with “How Great Thou Art,” a hymn that became the de facto anthem of Mr. Graham’s ministry. In 1957, at a crusade in New York City, Mr. Shea, by popular demand, sang it on 108 consecutive nights.
Shea was the recipient of ten Grammy nominations, a Grammy Award in 1965, and was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Grammy organization in 2011.
“Even though Bev was 10 years older than my father, he never acted his age,” said Franklin Graham. “He was absolute fun to be with. Bev was one of the most gracious and unassuming men I have known. He was always encouraging and supportive, a man of deep faith and strong commitment to Jesus Christ.”
Shea is survived by his wife, Karlene, and his children from his first marriage, Ronald and Elaine. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Erma, who died in 1976.
作詞者的現場演唱
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