15 Oct 2014

31 Hymns: Holy, Holy, Holy

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Holy Holy Holy

I feel like I’ve come to one of the most popular hymns in any given hymnbook.  Since this song doesn’t explicitly mention the Gospel through Jesus Christ and His Work on the Cross – any “believing” person could sing this song – even if they weren’t necessarily a Gospel-believing Christian.

What I love about this hymn is that is marvels at the Creator God, infinite, wise beyond all measure – perfect in everything – yet, one who wills us and bids us and welcomes us to worship him.  Worship him in a way that the created angels don’t.  Worship him in front of other people.  Worship him in front of non-believers.

And if we get a glimpse of this God – this all-consuming God who desires us to know Him – than we will also be introduced to His amazing Song.  Or even vice-versa!  The Father and the Son are one!

 

14 Oct 2014

31 Hymns: Fairest Lord Jesus

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Fairest Lord Jesus

I love reflecting on our wedding day!  We just celebrated 3 years last week so it is always good to think about the actual wedding ceremony.

One of my husband’s groomsmen is an exceptional guitarist.  I asked him if he would play my bridal march because I wanted something simple and acoustic.  I told him I wanted Fairest Lord Jesus played as I walked down the aisle.  He arranged an amazing version and I love the song even more now.

We sang this hymn yesterday in church.  As my husband and I were talking about it, he pointed out verse 2 and the abrupt change in the lyrics.  The hymnwriter begins focusing on creation – but then does an about face to talk about Jesus.

The Agent of Creation!

When I was walking down the aisle, a dream every woman has…I knew every eye would be on me.  But, no matter how my hair or dress or boots looked that day – my Bridegroom is much fairer.

Thanks Craig for helping others see that!

13 Oct 2014

31 Days of Hymns: In Christ Alone

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In Christ Alone

I do believe this modern hymn is one of the clearest pictures of the Gospel, EVER.

But how often to do we want to think about the suffering that the line afforded: here in the death of Christ I live.

Paul says in Philippians 3 that he wants to share in his sufferings – grow in them, pursue them, be like Christ so that he does suffer.

We don’t like suffering.  But, without suffering we have no life.

 

 

6 Oct 2014

31 Hymns: Come Thou Fount

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Come Thou Fount

My Mister and I are coming up on three years of marriage on Wednesday.  YAY us!

I loved our wedding ceremony.  From a personally arranged rendition of Fairest Lord Jesus for my bridal march to the songs sung during a special prayer time to the sermon that was preached – it was an amazing one hour of my life.

One of the hymns we sang as a congregation that day was Come Thou Fount.  I love it. I think I fell in love with it when my friends Jill and Bobby added it to the Anastasia cd many years ago.  It was full of Iriah licks.  So good.  But, I move on.

My mister loves pianos.  Has played since high school and now works for Steinway.  He loves everything about it and as a first task to marriage I watched the making of a Steinway.  So much craftsmanship.

Every person who loves pianos knows that pianos need to be regularly tuned to sound their best.  They are made with a quality that has to be adjusted every now and then because of the wear and tear that playing puts on them!

Tuning is stressful and it can be hard.

Same goes for us.  The wear and tear of life (sin) has left us far from the state Adam and Eve were created in.  They were created perfectly.  High precision.  Then sin destroyed that.

The Spirit works as our tuner.  The Word serves as an instrument.  Other believers help tune us.  The longer we go in between tunings the harder it is to tune.  Tune my heart – soul – mind – strength – to sing thy praise.

 

4 Oct 2014

31 Days of Hymns : Jesus is Lord

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Jesus is Lord

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.

31 Days of Hymns

1 Oct 2014

31 Days of Hymns

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31 Days of Hymns

I grew up in a small town in between two of the largest cities in Florida.  I went to an even smaller town to go to a tiny church until high school.  We sang hymns.  You know the 4 verses with amen at the end.  I could play most of them on the piano by the time I got to high school.  And just if you ask…we either sang all four stanzas or 1, 2, and last.  That’s just how it went.

Some of those hymns were solid and deeply rooted in Scripture.  Others were rooted in feel good theology which is seldom really good theology anyway.

One of the perks of being married to someone who loves music is the depth of knowledge of hymns that he brings to my life.  He has made me think more about the music we sing than I might have ever done otherwise.

So, for the month of October, I’m joining with The Nester again and (hopefully) writing on some of my favorite and requested hymns – both old and new – to hopefully deepen our love for God, His Word, His Church, and deep solid rich lyrics of hymns.

What are some of your favorite hymns?

Tomorrow: Thou Who Wast Rich