DI BALIK KISAH LAGU KARANGAN STUART HABLIN BERJUDUL TAK TERSEMBUNYI KUASA ALLAH

Stuart Hamblin

Dahulu di tahun 1950-an ada seorang penyiar radio, pelawak, dan penulis lagu di Hollywood, yang bernama Stuart Hamblin. Ia dikenal karena peminum, suka gonta-ganti wanita, suka pesta pora, dan lain-lain. Salah satu lagu hits-nya pada waktu itu adalah "Aku Tidak Mau Pergi Berburu Denganmu Jake, Tapi Aku Pergi Berburu Cewek". 

Pada suatu hari seorang pengkhotbah muda mengadakan Kebaktian Kebangunan Rohani (KKR) di tenda. Hamblin mengajaknya ikut siaran di acara radionya untuk mengolok-olok dia. Untuk mengumpulkan informasi lebih banyak untuk acaranya, Hamblin menghadiri salah satu acara KKR itu. 

Pada awal acara ibadah itu sang pengkhotbah mengumumkan, “Di sini ada seorang pria yang hidupnya penuh kepalsuan.” Mungkin saja ada orang-orang lain yang merasa hal yang sama, namun Hamblin merasa yakin bahwa dirinyalah yang dimaksud pengkhotbah itu (beberapa orang menganggapnya ia tertempelak), namun ia tak bertobat.

Perkataan itu terus menghantuinya sampai beberapa malam kemudian, sehingga ia muncul di depan pintu kamar hotel pengkhotbah itu dalam keadaan mabuk pada sekitar jam 2 pagi, meminta agar pengkhotbah itu berdoa baginya. Namun pengkhotbah itu menolak, sambil berkata, “Ini adalah urusan anda dengan Tuhan dan saya tidak ingin mencampuri.” Meskipun demikian pengkhotbah ini mempersilakan Hamblin masuk ke kamar hotelnya dan mereka berbicara sampai jam 5 pagi, hingga Stuart bertekuk lutut di hadapan Tuhan dan menangis, berseru kepada Allah.

Itu bukanlah akhir kisahnya. Sejak saat itu Stuart berhenti meminum minuman keras, berhenti mengejar-ngejar wanita, berhenti melakukan segala hal yang “fun”. Segera ia mulai tidak disukai oleh lingkungan Hollywood. 

Akhirnya ia dipecat dari stasiun radio itu ketika ia menolak perusahaan bir menjadi sponsor. Ia mengalami masa yang sukar. Ia mencoba menulis beberapa lagu “Kristen”, namun yang meraih sukses hanya lagu “This Old House”, yang digubah untuk temannya, Rosemary Clooney. 

Sementara ia terus bergumul, seorang sahabat lamanya, John, menemuinya dan berkata kepadanya, “Semua kesulitan ini dimulai ketika engkau menemukan “agama”. Apakah hal itu layak untuk ditukarkan dengan semuanya?” Stuart berkata sejujurnya, “Ya.” 

Kemudian sahabatnya ini bertanya, ”Dahulu engkau sangat menyukai minuman keras, apakah tidak pernah kepingin lagi?” Dan jawaban Stuart, “Tidak!” Lalu John berkata lagi, “Aku tidak mengerti bagaimana engkau bisa berhenti minum dengan mudah.”

Dan jawaban Stuart adalah, “Itu bukan rahasia besar. Segalanya mungkin bersama Allah.” Atas jawaban ini John berkata, “Nah, itu adalah perkataan yang menarik. Engkau harus menulis sebuah lagu tentang hal itu.”

Dan seperti orang bilang, “Selebihnya kemudian menjadi sebuah sejarah.” Lagu yang digubah Stuart adalah “It Is No Secret” yang diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Indonesia, “Tak Tersembunyi Kuasa Allah.” Lagu ini telah menjadi berkat bagi banyak orang.

"Tak tersembunyi, kuasa Allah

Yang lain ditolong, saya juga

Tangan-Nya terbuka, menunggulah

Tak tersembunyi, kuasa Allah."

Ngomong-ngomong, sahabat Stuart itu adalah John Wayne. Dan pengkhotbah muda yang menolak mendoakan Stuart Hamblin? Dialah …Billy Graham! 

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STUART HAMBLIN

Back in the 1950's there was a well known radio host/comedian/song writer in Hollywood named Stuart Hamblin who was noted for his drinking, womanizing, partying, etc. One of his bigger hits at the time was "I won't go hunting with you Jake, but I'll go chasing women."

One day, along came a young preacher holding a tent revival. Hamblin had him on his radio show presumably to poke fun at him. In order to gather more material for his show, Hamblin showed up at one of the revival meetings.

Early in the service the preacher announced, "There is one man in this audience who is a big fake." There were probably others who thought the same thing, but Hamblin was convinced that he was the one the preacher was talking about (some would call that conviction) but he was having none of that.

Still the words continued to haunt him until a couple of nights later he showed up drunk at the preacher's hotel door around 2AM demanding that the preacher pray for him!

But the preacher refused, saying, "This is between you and God and I'm not going to get in the middle of it." But he did invite Stuart in and they talked until about 5 AM at which point Stuart dropped to his knees and with tears, cried out to God.

But that is not the end of the story. Stuart quit drinking, quit chasing women, quit everything that was 'fun.' Soon he began to lose favor with the Hollywood crowd. He was ultimately fired by the radio station when he refused to accept a beer company as a sponsor. Hard times were upon him. He tried writing a couple of "Christian" songs but the only one that had much success was "This Old House", written for his friend Rosemary Clooney. 

As he continued to struggle, a long time friend named John took him aside and told him, "All your troubles started when you 'got religion,' Was it worth it all?" Stuart answered simply, "Yes." Then his friend asked, "You liked your booze so much, don't you ever miss it?" And his answer was, "No." John then said, "I don't understand how you could give it up so easily." And Stuart's response was, "It's no big secret. All things are possible with God." To this John said, "That's a catchy phrase. You should write a song about it." 

And as they say, "The rest is history." The song Stuart wrote was "It Is No Secret." The song has blessed many people since then. 

"It is no secret what God can do. 

What He's done for others, He'll do for you.

With arms wide open, He'll welcome you.

It is no secret, what God can do ..."

By the way ... the friend was John Wayne. And the young preacher who refused to pray for Stuart Hamblin? ... That was Billy Graham.