“I’ve Got a Mansion”

You’ve probably all heard the hymn “I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop,” but do you
know where the story originated? Ira Stanphill (1914-93) was preaching in a time of
depression. One day, he went for a drive and ended up in a very poor neighborhood of
rickety houses. He saw a young girl who stood in front of the shack that was her home.
Her dress was patched, and she was clutching a tattered ragdoll. Her smile and
radiance contrast strikingly with the grim poverty around her. Curious, he rolled down
his window and asked, “What makes you look so happy?” She exclaimed, my father just
inherited a fortune, and he is building a mansion for us just over the hill. The story
sparked Stanphill’s imagination and became his understanding of what the Lord is doing
for his followers. In Jesus’ farewell discourse, he said, “In my Father's house are many
mansions; if it were not so, I would’ve told you. I go to prepare a place for you...” Mr.
Stanphill used the truth of that scripture and the story of the little girl to pin the song that
we sing to this day, which brings so much hope. What you might not know is that Mr.
Stanphill's life was broken as his wife left him, and shortly after, he received an
announcement from his doctor that he had a malignant brain tumor and was told, “you
only have three months to live.” He recovered and went on to ride over 500 songs,
many of them dealing with trials and testing and proving God‘s promise that he does
give us songs in the night. (Psalm 42:8.) I have seen the difficulties of life firsthand and
many of you have as well, but God does give us a song in the night, and he has
prepared for us a mansion just over the hilltop and someday we will be together
celebrating as mortgage free owners of the mansion that Christ has built for us. Stay
faithful, my friends, we do serve a living God, who is certainly the light in the darkness.
Blessings, hope to see you Sunday.
Pastor Steve.