這首詩是米勒夫人(Rhea F. Miller)於1925年作詞，當代著名歌唱家謝伯偉(George B. Shea)受這首詩感動於1932年譜曲，從而放棄電台廣播歌唱高薪，加入葛理翰佈道團，全心投入詩歌佈道。謝伯偉今年92高齡，仍繼續用詩歌佈道。超過半世紀以來，這首詩改變了無數人的生命和抉擇。
1939年，英國國王喬治六世與王后，接受美國總統羅斯福邀請，赴美訪問。在白宮歡迎晚宴上，羅斯福總統安排了一位著名的印地安人歌劇演唱家白羽酋長(Chief White Feather)獻唱。
白羽酋長唱完兩首詠歎曲，來賓熱烈鼓掌要求他再唱一曲。白羽酋長是一位虔誠的基督徒，他低頭沈思之後，抬起頭來望著來賓說：「我可以唱一首發自內心的歌嗎?」來賓再次鼓掌。當他用美好的聲音唱出「我寧願要耶穌」後，懇切的向王后問道：「妳認識耶穌嗎?妳願承認祂是妳的拯救者?」
當白宮官員對此突如其來的舉動正不知所措之際，王后回答說：「我認識祂為上帝，認識祂為基督，耶穌是我心靈的導師，我先生也是。」
喬治六世起身走向百羽酋長，握著他的手說；「我也寧願有耶穌…」
喬治六世從小個性十分內向害羞，天生患有口吃，但喜愛閱讀聖經。當他得知他敬愛的兄長，愛德華八世(即溫莎公爵)，最終決定為了婚姻問題而退位，自己將繼承王位時，當場落淚。喬治六世，英國國王，他的身世背景，比一般平民更深刻的領受這首詩歌。
白羽酋長是印地安人，生就一付嘹亮的好歌喉。幼年隨父旅行，經人發掘訓練，成為非常受歡迎的歌劇演唱家。他的事業順利，但個人生命卻充滿悲劇。
他的母親是一為虔誠的基督徒，從小教導他聖經，試圖帶領他信主，但他從未接受。一直到….
他的兩個兒子在車禍中死亡，妻子異離，他無法接受挫折，而從紐約市一輛快速移動的火車跳下自殺。當他被人送往一所醫院急救，背脊已折斷，意識模糊，情況非常危急。一位基督徒醫生為他動手術，在他耳邊輕聲對他說：「耶穌愛你，耶穌因你的罪而死….」
那正是母親從小對他說的話，但當時的他意識模糊，無法對醫生作出回應。手術完成後，他在病房內的床上，向神說：「是的，耶穌，祢是我的拯救者。」
即使背椎骨損壞使他成為半殘廢，上帝完全治愈他心靈的傷口。出院之後，進入聖經學院，並開始在美國和海外佈道，用他令人驚嘆的聲音讚美上帝。
By Jim Reeves
James Travis (August 20, 1923 – July 31, 1964) was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well known as a practitioner of the Nashville sound (a mixture of older country-style music with elements of popular music). Known as “Gentleman Jim”, his songs continued to chart for years after his death. Reeves died at age 40 in the crash of a private airplane. He is a member of both the Country Music and Texas Country Music Halls of Fame.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgwGiF0-mlE
By George Beverly Shea
In 1932 Shea composed the tune to “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” the words of which were written by Rhea F. Miller (1894–1966), the wife of Dr. Howard Miller, later a general superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene. When RCA signed Shea to a recording contract, “the song that the company chose to initially spotlight their new singer was “I’d Rather Have Jesus.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk9f8zhTwIg
Lyrics
| I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold; I’d rather be His than have riches untold; I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands; I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand Refrain: Than to be the king of a vast domain And be held in sin’s dread sway; I’d rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today. I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause; I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause; I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame; I’d rather be true to His holy name He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom; He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb; He’s all that my hungering spirit needs; I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead | 我寧願有耶穌，勝得金錢， 我寧屬耶穌，勝得財富無邊； 我寧願有耶穌，勝得華宇， 願主釘痕手，引導我前途。我寧願有耶穌，勝得稱頌， 我寧忠於主，成全祂的事工； 我寧願有耶穌，勝得名聲， 願向主聖名，永赤膽忠誠。
恩主比百合花，更加美艷， 遠比蜂房蜜，更加可口甘甜； 惟主能滿足我飢渴心靈， 我寧願有主，跟隨祂引領。 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，勝得世界榮華，富貴，聲望。 |