Hymn-Theology: For Thee All the Follies of Sin I Resign

“My Jesus I love Thee, I know Thou art mine.

For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.”

Will­iam R. Fea­ther­ston, 1864. “‘My Jesus I Love Thee”

his song makes me wonder why it took me so long to come to the Lord. A neighbor took me to church in 5th grade and I walked forward, but that was it.

It wasn’t until a host of self-destructive behaviors (sin) and a persistent martyr (witness) told me the Gospel message that I surrendered my life to Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Savior.  I was 19.

What have we really given up for the Lord?  Think about it.  All the things that had such a hold on us — that we clung to in sheer desperation — just to keep up some semblance of reason to resist His grace, what were they, really?

Drinking, carousing, drug use, over spending, gluttony, unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, malice, brawling, whatever it was that kept us from Jesus, on this side of the cross now seems so futile, empty, or vain as “The Teacher” tells us in his sermon called Ecclesiastes, an entire message on the folly of sin.

But at the time sin doesn’t seem like folly; it has such a grip on us.  This line forever resonates in my mind:  “for Thee all the follies of sin I resign” because it serves as a continual reminder that all of those behaviors, grudges, etc. were such a waste.  They were a waste of energy, emotion, time, money; they were folly and foolishness,  a “candy-coated water drop,” empty.  And that is the first of the two-fold meaning this stanza has for me.

Hymn-Theology: How I’ve Proved Him O’er and O’er

“Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him;

How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er…”

Lou­i­sa M. R. Stead, 1882. “‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus”

It never ceases to amaze me how lyrics can make such a lasting impression and even function as time-release capsules; giving you an inoculation when you really need it. One of those phrases is “how I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er” from the hymn “Tis So Sweet To Trust in Jesus.”

My favorite version of this hymn is by The Martins, but I first heard it in 2001 by Jana Alyra, better known for her children’s music, from her album No Place Like Home.  Lately that refrain has been my soul’s nourishment, encouraging me during difficulties that I need to remember that the Lord is worthy of my trust.  That I can prove (testify) over and over again of His faithfulness.  I brought it into my worship sets for Fridays and it’s been so encouraging to the congregation.

Those lyrics were said to be written as Louisa Stead witnessed her husband drown while attempting to save a little boy *.  Often in the darkest hours and the most difficult trials, we learn that we [actually] can put our trust in Jesus and that He will “come through” for us. 

Hymn-Theology: Prone to Wander, Lord I Feel It

“Prone to wander, Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above”

Robert Robinson, 1735-1790, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”

Many of the well-known and well-written hymns speak of the character and the nature of God.  They serve a grand purpose to reinforce and/or teach good, sound theology; they are songs about God.  Others, like the one that comes to mind for this post, talk about our walk, our heart, our sin, and how God responds to us; they are  songs (prayers) to God.

Ever since I heard this hymn on Fernando Ortega’s HYMNS & MEDITATIONS CD, it has gripped my very soul.  There are so many wonderful lyrics in this hymn, but the last stanza is especially heart-moving and thought-provoking.

“Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love”

Sometimes we wander on purpose; like the time we took Josie, 14 at the time, to Walmart.  She thought it would be really funny to wander (ditch me).  She wanted me to look for her.  It was a test.  How much did I love her?  Would I leave my husband in the store to look for her?  How long would I look for her? Once I found her, and after giving her a piece of my mind or two, I explained that there is nothing she can do to make me love her less.  I passed her test, but she didn’t pass mine.  I realized that day, that I had to keep her on a short leash, so to speak, until she would stay close.  The Lord does the same with us.

Other times, like a child in Disneyland, the world offers so much to grab our attention.  Noises, songs, the smell of churros in the air, Mickey and Goofy wanting to pose in a photo with us are all competing to have our audience.  If we don’t stay close to our parents, we could easily be separated until they come to find us. 

Hymn-Theology: Just A Few More Weary Days and Then…

“just a few more weary days and then

I’ll fly away”

Albert E. Brumley © 1932 Wonderful Message

There are many promises in the Bible – most of which are billed, promoted, and packaged as memory verses, promise books, daily bread cards, perpetual calendars, coffee mugs, and the like.  One of the promises spoken to us by Jesus, often omitted from such paraphernalia, is John 16:33:

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

It’s an amazing and awesome thought:  “in the world you will have tribulation.”  That is a promise.

With all of my heath issues and personal issues that result, this song has become a great comfort to me of late (my favorite version is by The Gaithers).

I feel so uplifted as my HOPE turns to Heaven; there are “just a few more weary days” left.  As my perspective shifts from my trouble, this earth, our economy, etc., I am filled with joy helping me to not only accept, but overcome physical, temporal suffering.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For Thought & Discussion:

• Why Did I Write this?
• Look up James 1:2-3.  What is the exhortation in that verse?  How does it apply?
• Look up 2 Corinthians 4.  How does Paul’s exhortation in this chapter encourage you?  What insight do you get from verse 4 on Paul’s motivation to persevere?
• Wondering about “flying away?”  Look up 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.
• What are your thoughts about this stanza?
• Are there any other verses that back up this lyric theologically?
• Have you used this song lately?  Have you explained it?

I’ll Fly Away
Albert E. Brumley © 1932 Wonderful Message

Here is a live recording from 10/16/09 motel outreach of I’ll Fly Away

Hymn-Theology: God of the Reason Why

“Jesus the Righteous One
Lord of the earth and sky
God of the reason why”

Dan Marks – “Jesus The Righteous One” (c) 1998 CCLI#2882905

To date, I’ve focused these blog posts on what we would traditionally call hymns, but I’d like to focus on a song written by Dan Marks called “Jesus The Righteous One.”  It was originally recorded when he was the worship leader at Calvary Chapel Downey on a CD that is out of print.  Fortunately, Danny Donnelly recorded as part of his Solo Worship CD and offers the chart free on his website.

I’ve always loved this song from the moment I heard it in 1998 until this day.  Even this week, while I was praying and complaining to God, the phrase from that song “God of the reason why” came to me.

Hymn-Theology: Though the Wrong Seems Oft So Strong

“This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.”

Maltbie D. Babcock – “This Is My Father’s World” 1901

Lately, I’ve been listening to Jadon Lavik’s Roots Run Deep CD featuring his interpretation of hymns.  This line:  “though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet” (This Is My Father’s World) has struck me intensely.

There are so many times that we question the way God rules.  We think, can this really be God’s world?  How can the Father allow this or that to happen? (Which is the first lie–but another blog.)

Psalm 24:1 tells us that the “earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.”  Yet Ephesians tells us that we wrestle against the rulers of darkness.

So which is it?

Yes.

There is no authority that God hasn’t given (Rom 13:1).  Since all authority originates from Him, then it’s logical that He, in His Sovereignty, has allowed the wrongs which often seem overwhelming, strong, and irrefutable.  He even has given authority to Satan.

We know from the story of Job that Satan had permission from God to test him (Job 1:8-12, Job 2:3-6).

That being said, HE is still the Ruler.  He is going to judge the world.

That hope of vindication and justice should cause us to rest in the shadow of His wings, under His protection–not to take it upon ourselves to seek vengeance.

1 Peter 2:12 NLT

Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

Revelation 1:5 NLT

…Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth…

For Thought & Discussion:

• Why Did I Write this?
• What are your thoughts about this stanza?
• Are there any other verses that back up this hymn theologically?
• Have you used this song lately?  Have you explained it?

Hymn-Theology: Peace We Often Forfeit

“O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”

Joseph Scriven– “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” 1868

Have you considered the stanza from the hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” that contains the line “Oh what peace we often forfeit?”

What images and meanings does forfeit conjure up in your mind?

When I think of forfeiture, I picture a sports team that doesn’t have the required minimum number of players.  This lack of requirements causes the other team to win the game.

Forfeit, a 14th century verb, is defined by Merriam-Webster as the following:  “ to lose or lose the right to especially by some error, offense, or crime.“

In the half stanza we are examining here, it says,  “Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear.“  It follows logically that this peace being forfeited was, by right, ours.  We had it, or had access to it, but gave it up.  We gave up the right to it.

Hymn-Theology: Kiss a Guilty World In Love

“Grace and love, like mighty rivers

Poured incessant from above

Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice

Kissed a guilty world in love.”

Willilam Rees & Robert Lowry – “Here is Love”

Have you considered the stanza from the hymn “Here is Love” that contains the line “kissed a guilty world in love?”

Often we sings songs–especially ones we know well–as an automatic or rote function of our brains without considering the lyrics.  When I first heard this hymn sung by Fernando Ortega from the CD “Night of Your Return,” I was amazed by the lyrics. That stanza continually ran through to my mind.

That was 1995.  Yesterday, I was made aware of a new version by Re:SOUND.org through their pre-launch free download. As soon as I saw the chord chart, the track from Fernando ran in my mind.  I wanted to get my guitar and learn it–and QUICK!

My original thoughts were gladness to find a hymn that I know with chords I can actually play on guitar, but as the day progressed, that stanza came back to me:  kissed a guilty world in love.

Here are my thoughts about the imagery from this line:

A kiss is intimate.  A kiss is passionate.  To kiss a guilty world is would be like kissing a dirty, smelly bum.  It’s an act of love.  We, as the world, are the recipient of that action:  kiss.  Also it is past tense:  kissed; meaning, it was already done.

Have you ever gotten in an argument with your spouse and five minutes later they want a kiss?  What’s your response?  Mine is (I hate to admit) is to withdraw affection, to withdraw myself, to withdraw from intimacy.

But Christ didn’t do that.  No.  In our guilt, in our sin, in a state of condemnation (John 3:17-18) He came and demonstrated His love toward us.

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 4:19

We love Him because He first loved us.

For Thought & Discussion:

• Why Did I Write this?
• What are your thoughts about this stanza?
• Are there any other verses that back up this hymn theologically?
• Have you used this song lately?  Have you explained it?

Hymn-Theology: A New Series

Lyrics have always been intriguing for me and poetry as well as word pictures are powerful communicators.

As a worship leader and Bible teacher/student/enthusiast, I think it is of vital importance to properly vet the songs we choose.

Think about how powerful music is just from the perspective of a mnemonic device and the weight of our responsibility to choose theologically-accurate songs becomes clear.

At the same time, I have a passion to celebrate well-written lyrics. Look for my next post on the a stanza from the hymn “Here Is Love.“