7 Oct 2014

31 Hymns: I Don’t Know Who Holds Tomorrow

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Hymn number 205.

Growing up in a small country church we had times where we could just yell out numbers and that’s the song we would sing. My Mom loved this song - and therefore I loved it. (The link is to an Alison Krauss version of it).

It was great in the teenage years - because you never know what your life is going to hold.

It was great in college years - because the rest of your life seems so hopefully and scary at the same time

It was great in the seminary years - because who in the world am I going to marry and will I ever get my dream job?

It was great in the rough years - because it made me remember the faithfulness of God.

It was great in the dream job years - because only He knew if the writing I did would be accepted and successful (which it was).

It was great when I was courting my now Mister - because He knew His great plan for us as a couple and as a family.

It was great in pregnancy years - because He knew that He formed the boys growing in my belly.

It is great in the unknown future phase we are in right now - and in the parenting phase - and in the daily life with toddlers phase - because He is faithful and knows all things.

I’m thankful for old hymns.

5 Oct 2014

31 Hymns: There is No Sin that I Have Done

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This hymn that I feature today was such a pivotal one in my ability to worship back earlier this year - and I poured it into my husband as well. Thankful for our friend, David Ward, who brings this text to life!

All of the words of this hymn are pure gospel - so I didn’t know which ones to choose - but these waft over me with such purity and surety knowing that I don’t have to be perfect to gain an audience with my King and Savior.

 

 

4 Oct 2014

31 Days of Hymns : Jesus is Lord

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One of the best current or ever hymn writers in my opinion is Stuart Townend. Do all good things come from across the pond?

Most of the songs that the Getty’s sing are co-wrote or written completely by Stuart. And this hymn has been one dear to my husband as of late. I hope you enjoy it as well.

The stanza I chose from this hymn speaks of Christ’s work on the cross. And we boast in that. Even if it didn’t do anything for us in this life - Jesus would still be boast-worthy (1 Corinthians 15) but, it does so much for us in this life. We are welcomed into the presence of the Creator of the Universe by His Son and His work on the cross. We no longer have to be enslaved to a habit, a person, or a way of life because our Savior has risen from the grave. Glory! (One of the pastor’s I served with in Raleigh would always says this - I smile when I think of him saying this).

Live free today. Another newer praise hymn is We Speak to Nations by Israel Houghton - I love it.

3 Oct 2014

31 Days of Hymns: A Shocking Thing

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One of the buzz words for the last decade has been community. And honestly, I still don’t think we get it right half the time- but that’s another story.

Community can be with anything. You can have community in your neighborhood, at your work place, with your facebook friends, over your enjoyment of coffee or wine or handcrafted beer. But true community can only be had by digging deep, suffering with, having one reality and that is in the Gospel.

Don Carson, one of my favorite authors and preachers, is also a hymn writer. My husband fills me in on all these things. I first sung one of his hymns while we were dating. Last night, my husband told me about this hymn, A Shocking Thing.

I hope you love it. And think about it when you next practice the Lord’s Supper - as it is a communion hymn for the church.

The first lines of they hymn remind me of the first verses in Philippians 2. I’m studying this letter of Paul with ladies from my church. Got to this portion this morning. How often we love and be in the church out of rivalry or conceit. Not out of love and unity. May the work of Christ on the cross guard our hearts and minds.

 

 

2 Oct 2014

31 Days of Hymns: Thou Who Wast Rich

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Whenever October rolls around - you will always see pumpkins, and ghosts, and fall leaves.

But, you will also see Christmas lights, fake trees, snow globes, and wrapping paper. Even before Halloween and Thanksgiving, the stores are stockpiling for Christmas.

I have made it a habit not to play Christmas music until December first. There are two exceptions: Advent Songs by Sojourn and Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb. My two favorite cds get played often and throughout the year.

The first hymn that makes the list is one of my husband’s favorites - and I think its partly because it was one of his mentor’s favorites. And its a Christmas carol. Go figure. This link takes you to a devotional written by my husband’s mentor, on his last Christmas on earth. He now knows the beauty of the splendor of this King

Talks all about the incarnation. And you might think why is the incarnation so important? Well, Elyse talks about it in her book here and I highly recommend it. And Philippians chapter 2 talks about it - and how it is important for our every day life in the local church and in our homes.

Stanza three is my favorite because it talks of his ever-abiding presence in our lives and how that aids our sanctification. May you know the power of the Incarnation every day - not just during the Christmas season!

Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.
Emmanuel, within us dwelling,
Make us what thou wouldst have us be.
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.