As far as connection to corporate worship at my church goes, this week would have been a week beyond compare to write about lyrics to traditional hymns. Each week, we sing a minimum of two songs, and it's rare for more than two of those two be older than about 1980. But this week, we have a full slate of songs your grandmother probably sang (depending on her denomination).
Many of these are very moving to me, and are songs I have wanted to include on this blog. "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty," for instance, has been a favorite since at least junior high school. It is one of the hymns of the month in our homeschool, and I remember thinking last fall when it came back in the rotation that the lyrics to that one song could provide enough fodder for reflection for several entries. There is such great writing in so many of these songs, and great writing speaks for itself. What could I possibly add?
And thus I will just repeat lines from one that was not part of my own heritage and thus has become new to me since I've been at this church: "Who like me Thy Praise should sing, O Almighty King? Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord!
God of hosts on high adored, Holy, Holy, Holy!"
And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” Isaiah 6:3
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.” Revelation 4:8
A few years back, when my youngest child was kindergarten or first grade age, my children and I memorized Romans 12. Verse 9 of that chapters says, "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." He wasn't entirely sure what cling meant, so I explained it was to hold on really tight to something or someone. He grabbed hold of me and asked if I that was what I meant. I agreed that he was indeed clinging to me. Thus, whenever we reviewed that chapter, when it got to that verse, he would hop up from his chair and come and grab on to me while saying, "Cling to what is good."
That image, being dear to me, is one of the things I thought of when I heard the lyrics to a song called "Cling to You." This song is by a no-doubt up-and-coming songwriter named Allen Brantley, a former member of Acappella and member of my church. Out of respect to the copyright of his yet-unpublished work, I won't include all the lyrics here. But read this short portion:
Take away my pain; Blot out this guilty stain, Lord, to You I cling. I, amidst the darkness, still cling to You.
That memory of my little one grabbing tight around my neck while saying, "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good," remains vivid in my mind. And though I'm so easily beset by sin, though I may be feeling lost in the darkness, I can choose to demonstrate love. I can hate what is evil, and I can cling to the only Good for the protection and grace and mercy that I need.
I tend to be pretty attached to the hymn lyrics I grew up with. And why wouldn't I be? They are, of course, the right ones. So when there's a change, I tend to need some persuasion. If I'm involved in worship leading, then I will certainly always sing what is required of me, but if I'm with the congregation, I'm usually stubborn enough to sing my own textus receptus rather than what is on the screen when there is a variance.
But we've got one coming up that I am ready to concede. I grew up with "Savior, like a shepherd lead us. Much we need Thy tender care." And a quick survey suggests that this does seem to be the dominant reading. However, the hymnal used as the primary hymn reference at our church renders it "…much we need Thy tend'rest care."
The first couple of times I noticed the variance, I didn't pay any special attention. But then that change hit me hard right in the heart. I realized that I have recently received His tenderest care. In the wake of a personal crisis, my husband, who is always a nice guy, cared for me in an unprecedented way. I received acts of kindness from dear sisters, and many words of care and kindness from the few people who knew about my need.
I feel like I have been buoyed up by that tenderest care, and once again, through tears, I remember that it is His kindness that leads us to repentance and I see the ways I fail to offer tender care, and try to bring about repentance through wrath or shame rather than through kindness. Lord, have mercy, and guide me in the paths of righteousness.
Over and over again for the last several months, two themes keep presenting themselves any time I seek to encounter God. I spent at least one blog entry mulling over the first of these themes: faith and trust versus fear. It feels like I keep seeing lyrics around this theme coming up over and over again in our corporate worship, and it shows up again full force in the songs our church will be singing this coming Sunday.
A few weeks ago, an unexpected situation cropped up in my life, and it scared me. I think that had it continued, the focus on trust and on releasing your life to Christ, on our lives not being our own would have practically overwhelmed me, because those were exactly the issues I had to look squarely in the face while that situation continued. But that particular situation came to an end, and while I doubt I am any more full of faith than I was three weeks ago, I think I can at least make it through the song service on Sunday.
But one of our other songs this week isn't necessarily so focused on trust, though it certainly is focused on submission of our wills and our lives.
The song "Inside Out" by Sheryl Thomas and Randy Gill, which has been around a bit over a year, will be receiving its congregational premier at our church Sunday. This video includes this song. If you forward to about 1:40 into it, that will land you at the beginning of "Inside Out."
The first few times we practiced this song, I suppose I was pretty focused on the music, because the lyrics weren't necessarily sinking in. But early this week, I listened to it at home and was able to be a little more focused. It turns out the the second verse, which addresses the second of the themes that constantly show up as I seek Jesus, pretty much stopped me in my tracks.
What my pride conceals, Lord, Your truth reveals,
And Your grace is seen somehow
There is mercy when, in spite of who I've been,
Your glory dwells within me now.
When ever I focus long enough to think about such things, it seems to me like doubt and pride are truly the two basic sins, and I think that even doubt can be traced back to pride. Over and over I'm confronted with my pridefulness. I fight pretty hard to keep those things concealed and am generally not interested in having them revealed. That's why that verse stopped me. Your grace is seen somehow. You are glorified in spite of who I've been.
That, to me, is pretty powerful stuff. Being turned inside out is not likely to be pleasant. I believe I need stretched and bent out of shape a bit before I can withstand the total inside out process. But certainly that's what it takes for Jesus to be seen. I suppose I still harbor some sort of idea that I can be good enough to reflect Jesus. Pridefully idiotic, isn't it?
Oh, Lord, please continue to reveal what I conceal from even myself in my pride. I know You are still chipping away. Give me strength to stand still and take it. All the good in me is Jesus, and how much more of that Good I need.
