Singing Praises and Prayers with Joy

Michael Summers What brings you joy? When does that joy flow into your prayers? How do you celebrate the gifts that God has given you? When I consider what gives me joy, my family, singing, and following baseball come to mind immediately. This past year, my wife and I have spent joyful time with children (and their wonderful spouses) and grandchildren. I look forward to conversations with my brothers. I’ve been an Atlanta Braves fan since 1991 but have followed baseball closely since I was ten years old, and possibly before then. As for singing, I have loved to sing since I was a small child sitting beside a gifted alto (my mother), whose grandfather had taught singing schools more than a hundred years ago. I sang in school choirs in junior high school, high school, and college, and have sung in community choirs. I also took private voice classes when I was in college. Most of my singing has been in the context of worship with churches, where joy has come from the act of worshipping our Creator, Sustainer, and Savior, but also from the fellowship of singing with fellow believers. I had the privilege of singing with the Freed-Hardeman College (now University) Acappella Singers for three years. During that time, I performed with the group in over thirty states and in several European nations. Several performances made deep impressions on me. Singing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” as part of a male octet from the group as part of the 1978 Independence Day Celebration on the Washington Mall was a unique experience that among other things, deepened my faith as I meditated on and sang the words “in the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the seas with a beauty in his bosom that transfigures you and me.” The hymn in its entirety reinforces a sense of the sovereignty and glory of God, but those words with their imaginative poetic imagery hint at the magnificence of salvation that can transform individuals and cultures. John Robert Hall, our director, turned down an opportunity in our European concert tour during the summer of 1976 to sing before an estimated thousand people because we had a prior engagement. As I remember, on the night of that prior engagement, thirteen people were in the audience in Liege, Belgium, to hear us sing. After the audience began weeping during the concert, we learned during the intermission that they were overwhelmed that our group of about forty singers had come all the way from America to sing to them. Their gratitude was far greater than I suspect we would have received at the far larger venue that had been rejected. I and my fellow singers learned a valuable lesson that night about the joy of serving others. We owed a great debt to our wise director. One of the songs that we performed during our tour of Europe that summer was an arrangement of Psalm 95, a passage that summarizes well my joy in singing praises and prayers to God: “Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care” (Psalm 95:1-7). The next psalm calls for all creation to rejoice with the peoples of the earth because of the glory, but also the faithfulness of God. Singing praises and prayers to God gives me joy even more now than fifty years ago because I have learned that God indeed is faithful, and I have seen evidence of his glory in what he has created. Quotations from the Bible are from the New International Version God of glory and grace, I have seen your glory in the beauty of snow-capped mountain peaks and have glimpsed your power in fear-provoking powerful storms. Even when I have sustained loss, your love has empowered me, and I have survived because you provided. Whether I sing, “Nearer, still nearer, close to thy heart,” or “Shout to the Lord,” joy fills my heart when I contemplate your love. Thank for the blessings of family and friends who have shared my joy by singing with me as we worshiped you. Thank you for hearing our celebration of your love and for answering our prayers. Thank you for the ability to experience joy. In the words of another song, “joyful, joyful, we adore you, God of glory, Lord of love.” I pray joyfully in the name of Jesus, amen.

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Singing old songs

C.S. Lewis made a famous argument for the importance of reading classic books, those written in previous eras. Lewis argued that there are “dangers” in an “exclusive contemporary diet” because books have “hidden implications” that even the authors themselves are unaware of. Every age has its blind spots. But classic books have stood the test of time and reading them provides perspective on the “controversies of the moment.”

Lewis’ observations are profound. And I think they can equally be applied to today’s worship songs.

Consider his words:

Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books. . . . None of us can fully escape this blindness, but we shall certainly increase it, and weaken our guard against it, if we read only modern books. . . . Not, of course, that there is any magic about the past. People were no cleverer then than they are now; they made as many mistakes as we. But not the same mistakes. They will not flatter us in the errors we are already committing; and their own errors, being now open and palpable, will not endanger us. Two heads are better than one, not because either is infallible, but because they are unlikely to go wrong in the same direction.

Couldn’t the same be said about songs? A diet consisting almost entirely of modern music is deficient. But when we also sing music from previous eras we see marked differences in the theology, themes, and emphases. The predispositions of our own era’s lyrics are brought to light, and our personal theology and assumptions are challenged in the process. And that is a valuable thing.

Read Lewis’ essay, “On Reading Old Books,” here.

Beloved Hymns: Just as I Am

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out.”John 6:37 (ESV). 

Charlotte Elliott was an embittered woman. She suffered from poor health and a disability that had hardened her. She once said, “If God loves me, he would not have treated me this way”. In May 1822, a Swiss Minister named Dr. Cesar Malan, visited Charlotte in her home in Brighton, England. He had heard of her illnesses and had hoped to help her. Over dinner, Charlotte lost her temper and began railing against God and her family in a violent outburst. Her family, embarrassed by her actions, left the room and Dr. Malan was left alone with Charlotte.

As he sat observing her, he considered the best way to approach her. Finally, he said, “You are tired of yourself, aren’t you? You are holding on to your hate and anger because you have nothing else in the world to cling to. Consequently, you have become sour, bitter, and resentful.”

Stunned by his candor, Charlotte asked him, “What is your cure?”

The doctor simply said, “The faith you are trying to despise.”

As they talked, Charlotte’s heart began to soften, and she asked, “If I wanted to become a Christian and to share the peace and joy you possess, what would I do?”

“You would give yourself to God just as you are now, with your fighting and fears, hates and loves, pride and shame.”

“I would come to God just as I am. Is that right?” Charlotte did come just as she was, and her heart was changed that day. As time passed, she found and claimed John 6:37 as her special verse: “… he who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”

Years later, her brother, Rev. Henry Elliott, was raising funds for a school. Charlotte wrote a poem, and it was printed and sold across England. The leaflet said: Sold for the benefit of Saint Margaret’s Hall, Brighton: “Him that cometh to Me I will in no way cast out”.Underneath was Charlotte’s poem— which has since become the most famous invitational hymn in history!

Although she never enjoyed good health, Charlotte lived to be 82 years old and wrote about 150 hymns. After her death, her loved ones sifted through her papers, and they found over a thousand letters she had kept in which people expressed their gratitude for the way that this hymn had touched their lives.

Just as I am, without one plea,

 but that thy blood was shed for me,

and that thou bidd’st me come to Thee,

 O Lamb of God, I come, I come!²

 Suggested Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your death on the cross that made it possible for me to come to you just as I am. You overlook my “ugliness” and accept me with all my human flaws. I am so grateful for your loving kindness and forgiveness! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

• “Just as I Am” Hymn by Charlotte Elliot.

Sing to One Another

Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Ephesians 5:19  Paul wrote two parallel verses about the use of songs and hymns for the edification of believers: Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. In Ephesians, Paul wrote, “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” But in Colossians, he used the stronger word “admonish”—“admonishing one another.” “Speaking” in Ephesians, but “admonishing” in Colossians. One thing is the same in both: “one another.” There is great power in spiritual hymns and songs that contain biblical truth. When we sing (speak) together and give attention to the words, they can instruct and admonish us just as they can when we read them in the Bible or biblically-based books.

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This is yet another reason to be a singer of spiritual songs, especially when worshiping with others. Let your heart follow the words and be shaped by them. A debtor to mercy alone, of covenant mercy I sing. Augustus M. Toplady David Jeremiah

The Grammar of Love

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11  Sometimes Greek grammar can illuminate our responsibilities as Christians—as in 1 John 4:11. When the Greek word “if” is followed by a certain kind of verb form (in this case, “loved us”), the “if” condition is assumed to be true. So we could translate the verse, “If God so loved us”—and indeed, He did—then we also ought to love one another in the same way. “So loved us” forces the question, How did God love us? The answer is found in the preceding verse 10: He sent His Son into the world to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Putting verses 10-11 together, we see our responsibility. God loved us sacrificially. If God loved us sacrificially—and indeed, He did—then we also ought to love one another sacrificially. Our responsibility, then, is to love one another the same way God has loved us. God sacrificed His Son to love us—what have we sacrificed to love others? Have we sacrificed anger, pride, resentment, material goods, time, self-interest? Greek grammar makes our responsibility clear. Since God sacrificed for us—and indeed He did—we ought to sacrificially love others as well. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.  Isaac Watts, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”   David Jeremiah

Self-Focused Prayer

John 6:1-27 After this Jesus went over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. It is sometimes called Tiberias. ² Many people followed Him. They saw the powerful works He did on those who were sick. ³ Jesus went up on a mountain and sat down with His followers. ⁴ The Passover supper to remember how the Jews left Egypt was soon.

⁵ Jesus looked up and saw many people coming to Him. He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread to feed these people?” ⁶ He said this to see what Philip would say. Jesus knew what He would do. ⁷ Philip said to Him, “The money we have is not enough to buy bread to give each one a little.”

⁸ One of His followers was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He said to Jesus, ⁹ “There is a boy here who has five loaves of barley bread and two small fish. What is that for so many people?” ¹⁰ Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was much grass in that place. About five thousand men sat down.

¹¹ Jesus took the loaves and gave thanks. Then He gave the bread to those who were sitting down. The fish were given out the same way. The people had as much as they wanted. ¹² When they were filled, Jesus said to His followers, “Gather up the pieces that are left. None will be wasted.” ¹³ The followers gathered the pieces together. Twelve baskets were filled with pieces of barley bread. These were left after all the people had eaten.

¹⁴ The people saw the powerful work Jesus had done. They said, “It is true! This is the One Who speaks for God Who is to come into the world.”

¹⁵ Jesus knew they were about to come and take Him to make Him king, so He went to the mountain by Himself. ¹⁶ When evening had come, His followers went down to the lake. ¹⁷ They got into a boat and started to cross the lake to go to the city of Capernaum. By this time it was dark. Jesus had not come back to them yet. ¹⁸ A strong wind was making high waves on the lake. ¹⁹ They were about half way across the lake when they saw Jesus walking on the water. As He got near the boat, they were afraid. ²⁰ But Jesus called to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” ²¹ They were glad to take Him into the boat. At once they got to the other side where they wanted to go.

²² The next day the people on the other side of the lake saw no other boat there but the one His followers had been in. The people knew Jesus had not gone with His followers in the boat because they had gone alone. ²³ There were other boats from Tiberias that had come near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. ²⁴ The people saw that Jesus and His followers were not there. They got into boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

 

²⁵ The people found Him on the other side of the lake. They said to Him, “Teacher, when did You come here?” ²⁶ Jesus said to them, “For sure, I tell you, you are not looking for Me because of the powerful works. You are looking for Me because you ate bread and were filled. ²⁷ Do not work for food that does not last. Work for food that lasts forever. The Son of Man will give you that kind of food. God the Father has shown He will do this.”

Which interests you more—who Jesus is or what He can do for you? I’m afraid many of us are more concerned about what He gives than discovering who He is. But this is nothing new. When Jesus walked the earth, the crowds often sought Him out for what He could do for them. Even though their needs were quite often legitimate, Christ knew their motives.

There is a fine line between using the Lord to get what we want and humbly coming to Him with our needs and struggles. Sometimes issues are so urgent in our mind that instead of submitting to His will, we’d rather pray for Him to act in the way we want. Then, what might appear to be “faith” is really a demanding spirit.

If our prayers have dealt only with presenting our requests to the Lord, we’ve missed a great opportunity to get to know the One with whom we’ll spend eternity. How much of your communion with God is devoted to your needs—even legitimate ones? Are you getting to know the Lord? Although God delights in our prayers and the details of our life, He also wants us to enjoy His presence.

Phil Wickham: Living Hope

Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Jesus Christ, my living hope

The full words:  

How great the chasm that lay between us
How high the mountain I could not climb
In desperation, I turned to heaven
And spoke Your name into the night
Then through the darkness, Your loving-kindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished, the end is written
Jesus Christ, my living hope

Who could imagine so great a mercy?
What heart could fathom such boundless grace?
The God of ages stepped down from glory
To wear my sin and bear my shame
The cross has spoken, I am forgiven
The King of kings calls me His own
Beautiful Savior, I’m Yours forever
Jesus Christ, my living hope

Oh, hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope

Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
Oh, Jesus, Yours is the victory!

Why Singing Hymns the Traditional Way is Better than Singing the Pop Worship Way

Jonathan Aigner has some styrong opinions. Good to read and think through his ideas.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/ponderanew/2020/11/24/why-singing-hymns-the-traditional-way-is-better-than-singing-the-pop-worship-way/

Hymns for Seasoned Citizens

The Old Rugged Face

Precious Lord, Take My Hand, And Help Me Up

It is Well With My Soul, But My Knees Hurt

Nobody Knows the Trouble I Have Seeing

Amazing Grace, Considering My Age

Just a Slower Walk With Thee

Count Your Many Birthdays, Name Them One by One

Go Tell It On The Mountain, But Speak Up

Give Me That Old Timers’ Religion

Blessed Insurance

Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah, I’ve Forgotten Where I Parked

Comfort One Another

https://thepreachersword.com/2020/09/18/comfort-one-another/