M7. Reflections: Jan.17

30 January 2017

We Speak of the Realms of the Blest

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Words: Elizabeth King Mills (b. _____, 1805; d. Apr. 21, 1829)
Music: Green Fields (or Edson) by Johann Sebastian Bach (b. Mar. 21, 1685; d. July 28, 1750)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Johann Sebastian Bach)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: As you can see, Mills only lived to the age of twenty-four. She wrote several hymns, including We’ll Work Till Jesus Comes. The Cyber Hymnal has four eight-line stanzas of the present hymn. These can be split, as some versions have done, into eight four-line stanzas.

Hymnary.org shows several different tunes used with the hymn. I don’t particularly like Green Fields–unless it’s adapted. The dotted quarter notes at the beginning of each phrase of the text sometimes put the em-PHA-sis where it doesn’t belong, on words such as “that,” “and,” and “but.” It can be smoothed out, and works better that way, in my view.

Change is a word with shades of meaning, and a variety of applications to life. It can mean: to make different, or transform, or it could refer to a substitution or exchange of one thing for another.

Some changes are more permanent. When we have our tonsils out, they’re out. Other changes may happen several times, such as attending a different school, or getting a different job. Still other changes, such as changing our clothes, take place more frequently.

There can be pleasant changes, like going on a picnic. There can be exciting ones, too–like winning a prize. But we all know there are changes that are disappointing, because the result isn’t what we expected.

Also there are the changes associated with the stages of life. Most describe five of these; others identify a dozen or more. You can see how it gets complicated by considering childhood as a stage in life. Early on, each year brings noticeable alterations.

From a Christian perspective, we can add a couple more stages to the commonly cited five. First, God treats babies as living individuals, even before they’re born. This is seen in many passages, and because of the secular notion that life doesn’t begin at conception, let me list a few examples of God’s attention to babes in the womb:

¤ Jacob and Esau (Gen. 25:21-23)
¤ David (Ps. 22:9; 139:13)
¤ Jeremiah (Jer. 1:5)
¤ Christ (Isa. 49:1, 5)
¤ John the Baptist (Lk. 1:41)
¤ Paul (Gal. 1:15-16)

Thus, based on Scripture, we begin with: 1) Life in the womb. Then, 2) Infancy; 3) childhood; 4) adolescence; 5) adulthood; 6) old age. And finally, there is, 7) our eternal destiny to be included. And for our purposes here, let’s think of the difference between this mortal life, and what comes afterward, particularly for the Christian. There are big differences between the two.

The Bible lists four changes contrasting believers mortal bodies and our bodies after the resurrection (I Cor. 15:42-44). 1) The first (our present body) is subject to “corruption” (disease and death), the second is not. 2) The first is prone to dishonour by sinfulness, the second is not. 3) The first is weak, the second will have new powers.

4) Finally, calling the resurrection body “spiritual” does not mean we’ll all be ghosts, but that our physical bodies will be so transformed as to be suited for heaven. Christ’s resurrection body wasn’t ghostly. He was able to eat with his disciples (Lk. 24:38-43), and our bodies will be like His (Phil. 3:20-21).

Of the changes to come in that heavenly kingdom God promises: “There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4). What a wonderful prospect!

It thrilled English hymn writer Elizabeth Mills. The young bride of a member of Parliament, she was reading in a Bible commentary about Psalm 119. The author quoted verse 44, “So shall I keep Your law continually, forever and ever.” From that he envisioned his obedience to God’s Word going on into eternity, even though there would be many changes between this life and the next. “We speak of heaven,” he wrote, “but oh! to be there!”

That last phrase captivated Mills’s imagination and she wrote a hymn about it.

CH-1) We speak of the realms of the blest,
That country so bright and so fair,
And oft are its glories confessed–
But what must it be to be there!
We speak of its pathway of gold,
Its walls decked with jewels so rare,
Its wonders and pleasures untold–
But what must it be to be there!”

CH-2) We speak of its freedom from sin,
From sorrow, temptation and care,
From trials without and within–
But what must it be to be there!
We speak of its service of love,
Of the robes which the glorified wear,
Of the church of the firstborn above–
But what must it be to be there!”

In the final stanza Elizabeth Mills adds, “And shortly I also shall know / And feel what it is to be there.” A few weeks later she died and was taken to her heavenly home.

Shortly before his death in 1895, gospel musician Philip Phillips referred to her hymn and said:

“You see that I am still in the land of the dying. Why I linger so long is to me a problem. The precious Saviour is more to me than I ever expected when I was well. The lines that come so often to me are these: “We speak of the land of the blest….But what must it be to be there!” Blessed be God! I shall soon know. What a singing time we will have when we get there!”

Questions:
1) “What must it be to be there”–what do you think it will be like?

2) What will the biggest or most noticeable change be when we reach heaven, by God’s grace”

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Johann Sebastian Bach)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

27 January 2017

Tell It Out

Robert Cottrill M7. Reflections: Jan.17

Words: Frances Ridley Havergal (b. Dec. 14, 1836; d. June 3, 1879)
Music: Epenetus, by Frances Ridley Havergal; arranged by Ira David Sankey (b. Aug. 28, 1840; d. Aug. 13, 1908)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Frances Havergal)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: The daughter of clergyman William Henry Havergal, Frances was reading by the age of four, and writing poetry by the time she was seven. She learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew, and memorized the Psalms, the book of Isaiah, and most of the New Testament. Though she only lived into her early forties, she left us some wonderful hymns, including: Like a River Glorious, Take My Life and Let It Be, and Who Is on the Lord’s Side?

Secrets can be great fun. When we buy Christmas or birthday presents, we try to keep them a secret until the big day. The anticipation adds to the excitement of what’s to come.

Back in the early days of television there was a popular American game show called I’ve Got a Secret. Guests came on with some secret, perhaps about their occupation, or something that happened to them. Four panelists tried to guess the secret. One guest was Colonel Sanders, the famous fried chicken entrepreneur. His secret was that he was almost broke, ten years before, when he received his first government pension cheque. He used that cheque to start “KFC,” which made him millions.

That’s entertaining. But revealing some secrets can also be dangerous, or they can uncover harmful activities. In a family, a secret affair by one partner can awaken suspicion in the other, and growing resentment. As facts about clandestine meetings come to light, the relationship of the couple may be damaged beyond repair. In Canada, the Official Secrets Act provides for the protection of state secrets and official information, mainly related to national security.

In the Bible, Samson lost his great strength, after revealing things to Delilah he should not have done (Jud. 16:15-21). And King David was troubled for months by terrible sins he had committed and concealed–until he finally confessed them to God and found grace and forgiveness (Ps. 32:1-5). Judas plotted secretly to betray Christ, but his actions were used by a sovereign God to fulfil salvation’s plan (Acts 3:13-15, 18).

God’s Word uses the word “secret” nearly a hundred times, and forms of the word “hidden” many times more. There we read of: secret temptations to idol worship (Deut. 13:6; II Kgs. 17:9); secret attacks by wicked and violent individuals (Deut. 27:24; Ps. 10:4, 9); secret spying of the Promised Land by the Israelites (Josh. 2:1); secret places of protection (Ps. 27:5-6); and God’s final judgment of secret sins (Ecc. 14:14; Jer. 23:24).

But there are some things in Scripture that should not be kept secret. Things about God and His works in the world, about Christ and what He has done for us, about the gospel of grace. Such truths should be broadcast far and wide. It’s not surprising that Acts and the epistles use words such as preach, proclaim, teach, witness, and testify over two hundred times. We’re to “shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light” (Lk. 11:33).

On Sunday, April 19th, 1872, with the ground covered by a late snowfall, the church bells rang out an invitation to the house of God. English hymn writer Frances Havergal heard their joyous summons from her bed that morning, as she was sick and unable to attend.

She asked for her Prayer Book, and read the Psalm scheduled for that day, and was struck by the words:

“Say [tell it] among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns [is King]; the world also is firmly established, it shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously’” (Ps. 96:10).

She thought, “What a splendid first line for a hymn–Tell it out among the nations that the Lord is King!” It may have been the bells that strengthened the thought of sounding the truth forth, but it wasn’t long before she’d written three stanzas and composed a lively tune for it. She called her tune Epenetus (also spelled Epenaetus) the name of a beloved convert of the Apostle Paul’s (Rom. 16:6).

CH-1) Tell it out among the nations that the Lord is King;
Tell it out! Tell it out!
Tell it out among the nations, bid them shout and sing;
Tell it out! Tell it out!
Tell it out with adoration that He shall increase,
That the mighty King of Glory is the King of Peace;
Tell it out with jubilation, let the song ne’er cease;
Tell it out! Tell it out!

CH-2) Tell it out among the heathen that the Saviour reigns;
Tell it out! Tell it out!
Tell it out among the nations, bid them break their chains;
Tell it out! Tell it out!
Tell it out among the weeping ones that Jesus lives,
Tell it out among the weary ones what rest He gives,
Tell it out among the sinners that He still receives;
Tell it out! Tell it out!

Questions:
1) What can you be doing to “tell out” the Bibles message, and support others who are doing so?

2) The New Testament uses the word “gospel” many times–a word meaning good news. What’s good about it?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Frances Havergal)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

25 January 2017

Take Me as I Am

Robert Cottrill M7. Reflections: Jan.17

Words: Eliza H. Hamilton (no information available)
Music: Ira David Sankey (b. Aug. 28, 1840; d. Aug. 13, 1908)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Ira Sankey)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: The earliest publication of the hymn found in Hymnary.org dates from 1878. This gives us a rough idea of the timing of incident upon which it’s based, and also places Eliza Hamilton’ life somewhere in the late nineteenth century. As to the tune, early on one was provided by John Hart Stockton (1813-1877).

There are some folks you can drop in on virtually any time, and get a warm reception. We knew a couple like that years ago. Sometimes, when I was a boy, my dad would say to mom, “Let’s go have a visit with George and Dorothy,” and off we’d go. No phone call necessary. They were easy-going, friendly people, and you knew there was a standing invitation to come by. Their door was always opened with smiles of welcome.

Not everyone is like that. Can you imagine the protocol complications of being invited to tea with the Queen at Buckingham Palace? What to do, what not to do. What to say, what you shouldn’t say. What to wear. Everything would have to fit the rules.

And even for some ordinary mortals, you may sense the need to phone ahead, to make sure it’s convenient to drop by. Nothing will likely be said, but you might get the feeling they’re doing you a favour by interrupting their busy lives to allow you to call. Better be on your best behaviour. Take off your shoes, and mind you don’t get crumbs on the carpet, or spill your coffee.

In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees could be like that (cf. Lk. 7:44-46). They were Jewish scholars, steeped in the Old Testament Law. Fine, in itself. But over the years they’d added more and more rules of their own. For example, the Law said no work was to be done on the Sabbath (Exod. 20:8-9). So what about spitting? Could you spit on the Sabbath? Yes, they said, if you spit on rock. No, if you spit on dirt, because that’s like ploughing a field. There were rules for everything. Perversely, some were actually devised, in the name of religion, to avoid obeying God’s inspired Word (Mk. 7:9, 13).

All this produced a number of bad consequences. The Pharisees, by emphasizing externals, tended to neglect inward matters of the spirit. They could be arrogant, and proud of how meticulous they were with their rule keeping, looking down their noses at those who weren’t keeping them to their satisfaction. They found fault with the Lord because He associated with “tax collectors and sinners” (Matt. 9:10-11).

But some explanation is needed there. The Jewish tax collectors were scorned simply because they helped the hated Romans. Some were also dishonest, but surely not all. The “sinners” were something else. Sometimes their actual sins were being criticized, but not always. The Pharisees classed as sinners any who did not follow all their invented rules–and they included the sinless Son of God in that (Jn. 9:24).

Christ welcomed opportunities to minister to the social outcasts the Pharisees avoided. He punctured the shallow hypocrisy of the latter, saying, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Mk. 2:17). And, unlike many of the Pharisees, the tax collectors and sinners listened to His teaching (Lk. 15:1), and many became His followers (Mk. 2:15).

Needy sinners will still receive a warm welcome from the Saviour, though some doubt it. Hymn writer Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871) thought so. She was sure she’d have to reform and live a good life before the Lord would accept her. When she learned the truth, she wrote a hymn about it, “Just as I am….O Lamb of God, I come.”

Then, late in the nineteenth century, there was a young girl who became anxious about her spiritual condition after attending one of Dwight Moody’s evangelistic meetings in Scotland. She went to her own pastor to find out how to become a Christian. He told her all she needed to do was read her Bible and pray, and she’d be fine. Both are good things to do, but that’s not how to get saved (Eph. 2:8-9).

The girl was heartbroken. “Oh, preacher,” she cried, “I canna read, I canna write. I canna pray!” On the latter point, she may have meant that she didn’t know how to pray in elegant phrases like her pastor. But she knew more than she thought. Lifting her eyes heavenward, she said simply, “Lord Jesus, take me as I am.” And she trusted in Christ as her Saviour.

Hearing of that incident, later, Eliza Hamilton wrote a hymn about it.

1) Jesus, my Lord, to Thee I cry;
Unless Thou help me I must die;
Oh, bring Thy free salvation nigh,
And take me as I am.

And take me as I am,
And take me as I am,
My only plea–Christ died for me!
Oh, take me as I am.

2) Helpless I am, and full of guilt;
But yet for me Thy blood was spilt,
And Thou canst make me what Thou wilt,
And take me as I am.

Questions:
1) What do you think the basic spiritual problem of the Pharisees was?

2) Why is it so many feel they can earn their salvation, or their acceptance with God by doing good works?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Ira Sankey)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

23 January 2017

Jesus Took My Burden

Robert Cottrill M7. Reflections: Jan.17

Words: Johnson Oatman, Jr. (b. Apr. 21, 1856; d. Sept. 25, 1922)
Music: Bertha Mae Wilson Lillenas (b. _____, 1889; d. _____, 1945)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Johnson Oatman)
The Cyber Hymnal (Johnson Oatman)
Hymnary.org

Note: Johnson Oatman Jr. served as a visiting preacher in many area churches. He also worked in the mercantile trade, and then the insurance business. He was married, and the Oatman’s raised three children. But the man is remembered today mainly for the many gospel songs he wrote–about five thousand of them, including No Not One, Under His Wings, Higher Ground, and Count Your Blessings.

Bertha Lillenas was the wife of hymn writer Haldor Lillenas, and a hymn writer in her own right.

There’s a traditional proverb more than five centuries old that says: fair exchange is no robbery. Meaning it’s not dishonest or foolish to make an exchange of money, goods, or services that’s fair to each party. Whether buying a horse or a hand gun, a cabbage or a computer, we have a right to expect fair and honest treatment. Yet we know there are cheats and schemers around, ready to get the better of us.

Have you ever heard the saying, “If you believe that, I can sell you the Brooklyn Bridge”? That has its roots in the career of a crafty con man named George Parker (1860-1938). Parker made a crooked living “selling” property he didn’t own, especially to uninformed, newly arrived immigrants. Several times, he sold the rights to the control of the Brooklyn Bridge, and later police would arrest duped buyers as they tried to build a toll booth on the bridge to make money.

What had sounded like fair exchange, wasn’t. Buyers had been taken in by a swindle. And it didn’t turn out to be a profitable exercise for Mr. Parker either. He was finally arrested, and spent that last years of his life behind bars.

The Bible records many examples of bad or dishonest dealing. In Genesis we have conniving Jacob buying the birthright of his brother Esau for a bowl of stew (Gen. 25:27-34). The birthright assigned special privileges, and a double portion of his father’s estate, to the firstborn But Esau carelessly gave it away. The Bible says he “despised his birthright” (vs. 34).

In the Gospels, we see the Lord Jesus driving profiteering traders out of the temple. This is what was going on. The leaders demanded that the fee the Law required of men who came to worship be paid in the Jewish half shekel, not in foreign currency. So, money-changers did a brisk business providing the proper coinage at ridiculously high fees.

And any who came from a long distance to celebrate a holy day, and had been unable to bring an animal needed for sacrifice, could buy one, at an exorbitant price. The Lord’s scornful condemnation was, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves’” (Matt. 21:13).

Another outrageous and deadly exchange is made by a person who turns his back on the true and living God, and begins worshiping an impotent idol. They have “exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever” (Rom. 1:25). And the Word of God indicates that an idol need not be an object of wood or stone. “Covetousness…is idolatry” (Col. 3:5), because it exalts to a place of controlling influence over one’s life what is coveted–the supreme place in the heart where God alone belongs.

“What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26).

What a poor exchange that is! The worst, since it involves eternal loss. If one could, theoretically, amass all the wealth in all the world, giving up one’s soul for it is not a fair exchange in the end. It’s utter folly.

Johnson Oatman gave us a lesser known gospel song called Jesus Took My Burden. In it, he speaks of bringing his sins, in faith, to the Saviour, and not only being forgiven, but going on his way with a joyful song in his heart. Trading our sins for a song, by the grace of God, that’s a wonderful exchange! As David testified:

“He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth–praise to our God” (Ps. 40:2-3).

1) When I, a poor lost sinner, before the Lord did fall,
And in the name of Jesus for pardon loud did call;
He heard my supplication, and soon the weak was strong,
For Jesus took my burden, and left me with a song.

Yes, Jesus took the burden I could no longer bear,
Yes, Jesus took my burden in answer to my prayer;
My anxious fears subsided, my spirit was made strong,
For Jesus took my burden, and left me with a song.

4) I’ll trust Him for the future, He knoweth all the way,
For with His eye He’ll guide me along life’s pilgrim way;
And I will tell in heaven, while ages roll along,
How Jesus took my burden, and left me with a song.

Questions:
1) Can you think of an example of a bad exchange you made at one time?

2) Why is giving our sins to Christ and accepting His free gift of salvation a great exchange?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Johnson Oatman)
The Cyber Hymnal (Johnson Oatman)
Hymnary.org

20 January 2017

Nailed to the Cross

Robert Cottrill M7. Reflections: Jan.17

Words: Carrie Elizabeth Ellis Breck (b. Jan. 22, 1855; d. Mar. 27, 1934)
Music: Kampala, by Grant Colfax Tullar (b. Aug. 5, 1869; d. May 20, 1950)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Carrie Breck)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Carrie Breck was a busy wife and mother, with six daughters. She wrote hundreds of hymns but, having no sense of pitch, she passed the words on to others to provide the tunes. Grant Tullar was a pastor, evangelist, and gospel song writer. He also founded a music publishing company.

The family laughs about it now, but it was an embarrassing disaster back then. We buy a healthier brand of peanut butter, containing no added sugar. But, as purchased, the oil is separated from the peanuts, and has to be mixed in before use–a one-time job that takes a few minutes. “Maybe there’s a quicker way,” thought the man of the house. He clicked one blade into the mixer, pushed it down into the jar, plugged in the cord, and turned the appliance on.

Instantly, several bad things happened. The jar was wrenched out of his hand, and began spinning violently. That wound the cord around the jar and, mercifully, pulled the plug out of the wall. But in its brief giddy spin, the jar flung peanut butter and oil all over the stove, the fridge, the toaster and the wall, and the foolish operator! Two hours of clean-up followed. A lesson learned.

Who has never used a butter knife for a screw driver, or a shoe for a hammer? They don’t usually do the job as well as the thing designed for it. But not all substitutes are misfits. Some are quite clever. Whole books have been written describing how to use familiar household products, toothpaste, mayonnaise, and more, in creative and useful ways.

Did you know a common shoe organizer can make an attractive hanging garden? Or that the Frisbie Pie Company sold thousands of pies on sturdy metal plates. Then, one day, some Yale University students discovered the plates could be thrown and caught, and a new toy was born. And what about bubble wrap? Did you know it was originally designed to be textured wallpaper? But someone realized it made wonderful packing material, which is now its main use.

In the Bible there are examples of objects being used in unusual and effective ways. In Judges chapter 7, we learn how the Lord worked through Gideon and a band of three hundred courageous men carrying pitchers, torches, and trumpets, to defeat an army of 135,000 Midianites (cf. Jud. 8:10). Later we see Samson slaying a thousand Philistines, by wielding the jawbone of a donkey (Jud. 15:15).

There is one example in the Scriptures infinitely more wonderful than any other. God used a Roman gibbet to deliver untold millions of people from eternal judgment. The Romans employed the dreadful cruelty of crucifixion intentionally. It made a public execution a terrifying object lesson warning others not to disobey Roman law.

Yet the crucified Christ was innocent of any wrong. Reading the Gospels we see that many declared it to be so, including Judas, who betrayed Him (Matt. 27:3-4), and Roman procurator Pilate, who ordered His execution (Jn. 19:4). In fact, the Bible states repeatedly that the holy Son of God was utterly sinless (Heb. 4:15; 7:26; I Pet. 2:22). Instead, according to the Father’s plan, He died as our Substitute, under the wrath of God, to pay our debt of sin (Jn. 3:16; II Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:7; I Jn. 3:5).

This brings us to a hymn about the cross by gospel song writer Carrie Breck, and evangelist and composer Grant Tullar. Twice that we know of, tunes written by Tullar were put to another use by words provided by Breck. In 1898, Grant Tullar wrote a tune and provided words for it beginning:

All for me the Saviour suffered,
All for me He bled and died.

But some verses arrived by mail the next day from Mrs. Breck that fit the tune exactly. Tullar set aside his words, putting his tune to another use, and gave us:

Face to face with Christ my Saviour,
Face to face–what will it be:

About a year later, Tullar wrote a tune for a secular ballad called By the Murmuring Brook. But Carrie Breck provided a text that led him to put the melody to another–and far better–use. The resulting hymn echoes the truth of Colossians 2:13-14:

“Having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

CH-1) There was One who was willing to die in my stead,
That a soul so unworthy might live;
And the path to the cross He was willing to tread,
All the sins of my life to forgive.

They are nailed to the cross,
They are nailed to the cross,
O how much He was willing to bear!
With what anguish and loss Jesus went to the cross!
But He carried my sins with Him there.

Questions:
1) What gifts has God given you that you have learned to put to a better use and higher purpose, since you trusted Christ as Saviour?

2) How would you explain the gospel simply, to someone who asks you about it?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Carrie Breck)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

18 January 2017

Holy, Holy, Is What the Angels Sing

Robert Cottrill M7. Reflections: Jan.17

Words: Johnson Oatman Jr. (b. Apr. 21, 1856; d. Sept. 25, 1922)
Music: John Robson Sweney (b. Dec. 31, 1837; d. Apr. 10, 1899)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Johnson Oatman)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Sometimes this gospel song is called “The Angel Song,” which is a little strange, since its main premise is that the angel’s can’t sing the song of redemption. One day the author and composer were reading from the book of Revelation together, and discussing the singing in heaven. As they parted that day, Oatman said he hoped to put into words that wonderful scene. He was back the next day with some lines of verse, and Sweney wrote the melody immediately.

Music in one form or another seems universal. In every nation, in every culture, there is music of some kind. The style and purpose may differ greatly, for various reasons. But it’s there. Even in nature there are songs. The birds sing, and the whales too, after their fashion.

Music is a kind of language. It can convey joy or sorrow, love, anger, tension, and more. It can relax or energize. It can celebrate or entertain. It can be an aid to memory, or a distraction that helps listeners to forget. It can accompany marching or dancing. In spiritual life, it can be a vehicle for praise or prayer to God, or frame a testimony to one’s beliefs, or teaching to others (Col. 3:16).

The Bible tells us, “By Him [the Lord] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible” (Col. 1:16). Only God is eternal and uncreated. All else was brought into being by Him, which would seem to include music. And several Bible passages indicate that the Lord Himself sings (e.g. Zeph. 3:17; Heb. 2:12).

But the question we must address here is: Do angels sing? Many know the Christmas carol that begins, “Hark, the herald angels sing.” So, do they? There are a couple of difficulties with that. First, it’s not how the hymn began when the author, Charles Wesley wrote it. Originally, it was, “Hark, how all the welkin rings,” with welkin being a word for sky. Wesley didn’t claim the angels sang.

Nor does the Bible seem to do so at the time of Christ’s birth. When they came to some shepherds to announce the birth, we’re told, first one angel appeared “and said [some things] to them” (Lk. 2:10). Then he was joined by “a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest’” (vs. 13-14). Saying usually means talking, not singing. However, that word “praising” can mean either to praise, or to sing praises, leaving the possibility that they did indeed sing.

In the book of Job, God asks him about creation: “Where were you [Job] when I laid the foundations of the earth?…When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4,7). This is Hebrew poetry, which uses parallelism. We know that “the sons of God” elsewhere in the book are angels, so “the morning stars” refers to them too, poetically describing their heavenly glory–a glory which the shepherds also saw (Lk. 2:9). The angels, therefore, sang at creation.

In heaven, there are “four living creatures” around God’s throne which other passages identify as angelic beings called cherubim (Ezek. 1:4-5, 26; cf. 10:18-22). They are said to sing a new song (Rev. 5:8-10). Later in the book, all the servants of God are called upon to “praise” Him (Rev. 19:5), using the same word for praise as in Luke 2:13. In the passage an angel describes himself to the Apostle John as a “fellow servant” with John, implying he was called to sing too (Rev. 19:10).

This relates to the song written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. Describing the scene around God’s throne, it’s called, Holy, Holy Is What the Angels Sing. And “Holy, holy, holy” does indeed resound from the cherubim there (Rev. 4:8), but there’s no indication they sing the words. Perhaps it’s a minor point. But there’s another questionable issue in the song.

Oatman’s purpose was to indicate that those redeemed through faith in Christ have a reason to sing which the angels do not. True enough. Christ did not shed His blood for the angels, only for sinful human beings. However, they do seem to be singing along with the “twenty-four elders,” which many Bible commentators believe represent the church (Rev. 5:8-9). The angels can surely praise God for what He did for us. But even if they accompany us with singing, we will have a unique perspective on “redemption’s story” that they cannot share (Rev. 5:9).

CH-1) There is singing up in heaven
Such as we have never known,
Where the angels sing the praises
Of the Lamb upon the throne,
Their sweet harps are ever tuneful,
And their voices always clear,
O that we might be more like them
While we serve the Master here!

Holy, holy, is what the angels sing,
And I expect to help them make
The courts of heaven ring;
But when I sing redemption’s story,
They will fold their wings,
For angels never felt the joys
That our salvation brings.

CH-3) Then the angels stand and listen,
For they cannot join the song,
Like the sound of many waters,
By that happy, blood washed throng,
For they sing about great trials,
Battles fought and victories won,
And they praise their great Redeemer,
Who hath said to them, “Well done.”

Questions:
1) If we will actually use some of the hymns we sang on earth, what hymns would you love to sing in heaven?

2) What will our heavenly songs be about?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Johnson Oatman)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

16 January 2017

His Name Is Wonderful

Robert Cottrill M7. Reflections: Jan.17

Words: Audrey Mae Mieir (b. May 12, 1916; d. Nov. 5, 1996)
Music: Audrey Mae Mieir

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Audrey Meyer)
Hymnary.org

Note: This blog is mainly about our traditional hymns and gospel songs, but I’ve included choruses here and there, and this is a fine one. As for the creator, Meyer was a singer-songwriter and choral conductor, writing her first song when she was only sixteen.

Many births are highly anticipated. If it’s the couple’s first child, their excitement is likely shared by family and friends. But unless someone in the family is famous, it’s unlikely the birth will make headline news.

It was different for actress Grace Kelly. When the Hollywood star married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, that got the attention of the press around the world. The birth of baby Caroline, nine months and four days later, was proclaimed, rather extravagantly, as “the most famous birth in history.”

But let’s go back a little further. Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip in 1947. Their first child, Charles, was born a year later. Then, in 1952, with the death of her father, King George VI, Elizabeth became queen, and her son became the heir apparent to the throne–a position he has now held for over sixty years, the longest serving heir apparent in British history.

But a birth truly worthy of being called “the most famous birth in history” happened long before these–to a baby born, not to a movie star or earthly princess, but to a peasant girl in Nazareth. An angel appeared to a virgin named Mary, announcing that she, by a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, would give birth to the incarnate Son of God. Even His earthly name, “Jesus,” was divinely ordained, and His work as “a Saviour who is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 1:30-38; 2:1-7, 11).

His coming was prophesied through the Old Testament. There was even a hint of what He would do right after Adam and Eve fell into sin. “I will put enmity between you [Satan] and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Gen. 3:15). This is how Isaiah spoke of Christ’s sacrifice to pay our debt:

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6).

But there’s more coming, the glorious reign of the Messiah-King of Israel. “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” (Lk. 24:25-26). Isaiah viewing the future with a prophet’s eye, says:

“Unto us a Child is born [in Bethlehem, Lk. 2:7], unto us a Son is given [from the Father in heaven, Jn. 3:16]. [Then, as the Old Testament prophets sometimes do, Isaiah skips over the time between Christ’s two advents to His coming reign.] And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever” (Isa. 9:6-7).

In that future day, the One who came to earth humbly as a Baby laid in a manger, will return in glory, exalted by God the Father, and adored by saints and angels. Though some Bible versions place a comma after “Wonderful” in Isaiah, it’s probable there are four double titles in the verse.

He will be revealed as a Wonderful (Supernatural) Counselor and Mighty God. The title “Everlasting Father” likely means He’s the Father of Eternity, or, in practical terms, the Source of Eternal Life. Prince of Peace identifies Him as the One who’ll finally bring lasting peace on earth.

Christmas fell on a Sunday in 1955, and that seemed to bring a special excitement in the small church attended by gospel musician Audrey Mae Mieir. After the familiar manger scene was reenacted, and a choir sang, Pastor Luther Mieir, Audrey’s brother-in-law, raised his hands heavenward, and proclaimed, as Isaiah did long ago, “His name is Wonderful!”

That Scripture made a deep impression on the musician. She took her Bible, and wrote in it the words of a little chorus. Later, she lengthened it, by researching other names and titles of the Lord Jesus found in Scripture. It has since become maybe the most famous worship chorus in the English language. Audrey heard it sung in many different languages, all over the world.

His name is Wonderful, His name is Wonderful,
His name is Wonderful, Jesus my Lord.
He is the mighty King, Master of everything,
His name is Wonderful, Jesus, my Lord.
He’s the great Shepherd,
The Rock of all ages,
Almighty God is He.
Bow down before Him, love and adore Him,
His name is Wonderful! Jesus my Lord.

Questions:
1) What other names and titles for Christ can you think of that are not included in the chorus?

2) Why do you think it is that Christ is given so many different names and titles in God’s Word?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Audrey Meyer)
Hymnary.org

13 January 2017

Heartaches

Robert Cottrill M7. Reflections: Jan.17

Words: Alfred Henry Ackley (b. Jan. 21, 1887; d. July 3, 1960)
Music: Alfred Henry Ackley

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Alfred Ackley)
The Cyber Hymnal (Alfred Ackley)
Hymnary.org

Note: Alfred Ackley was not only a Presbyterian pastor in the United States, but a skilled musician, master of the cello, and a hymn writer with hundreds of songs to his credit. His brother, Bentley DeForest Ackley, was also gospel musician.

Have you noticed that some big malls, or big stores, are getting bigger? Or at least it can seem like it. For those who have difficulty walking, shopping there becomes a painful chore. But benches placed strategically can provide welcome relief, a place to rest.

There’s a parallel on our major highways: rest stops, sometimes called service centres. They often provide gas pumps, washrooms, drinking water, snacks, and perhaps picnic tables. They’re a place to pull out of the traffic and take a break during a long trip, so we can return to the road refreshed and somewhat rested.

Another kind of help along the way is provided by what are called halfway houses, or safe houses. People with disabilities, or ones having come through abusive relationships, or recently released from prison, can go to a place that offers security and encouragement, as well as teaching new tools to deal with the challenges of life.

Those who supply such services should be lauded and supported. But safe houses may not be completely helpful or safe. That bench in the store may be hard to find, or not located where we need it. The rest stop on the highway may not have the particular service we require. A recent movie depicts a couple’s stop at one that proves to be a place of horror, death and spiritual darkness. It’s overwrought fiction, and not recommended, but it makes a point. The world is an imperfect place, filled with imperfect people, and no place of rest will be perfect.

Is there, then, anywhere we can go that will be, infallibly, a place to rest. Yes. It is found at the feet of Jesus, the One who said:

“Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28-29).

On the other hand, what if we reject God’s provision? What if we refuse and reject Him? This is exactly what many in backslidden Israel did.

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.’ But they said, ‘We will not walk in it’” (Jer. 6:16).

Those two responses were illustrated by a father and son in the early 1930’s. To the continual grief of his parents, the son lived a wild and wicked life. Crimes he committed eventually landed him in prison for many years, and the heartache he caused possibly led to the early death of his mother. Unfortunately, I know of no happy ending for him. No repentance and rest in the Lord.

But what about his dad? “Kick him into the street!” advised a neighbour, when the young man was still living at home. “I can’t,” said his father. “He’s my son, and I love him.” Instead, he went to Pastor Alfred Ackley and poured out his heart. Perhaps his lament echoed that of King David’s wailing words at the death of his rebellious son. “The king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, ‘O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!’” (II Sam. 19:4).

Together, the two men prayed earnestly for the salvation of the prodigal. They also claimed the comfort and help the Lord promised when we bring life’s burdens to him (I Pet. 5:7). The evening after the sorrowing father left him, Ackley wrote a song called simply Heartaches.

The song is comforting and reassuring, regarding the grace and love of the Lord. However, I do think Ackley overstated the case in the last line of the refrain. It’s simply not true that “He will take your heartaches all away.” (He might have made a more modest promise such as, “He will ease your burdened heart today.”)

This life has its heartaches, and not all of them will be removed (cf. Paul’s grief for his Jewish brethren, Rom. 9:1-3). Nor is it necessarily productive for all our burdens to be instantly wiped out in this life. Our heartaches can keep us clinging to the Lord, and sometimes nurture deep compassion for others in their trials. Nevertheless, there is relief and sustaining grace available through Christ.

1) When your heart is aching, turn to Jesus;
He’s the dearest Friend that you can know.
You will find Him standing close beside you,
Waiting peace and comfort to bestow.

Heartaches, take them all to Jesus;
Go to Him today, do it now without delay;
Heartaches, take them all to Jesus;
He will take your heartaches all away.

Questions:
1) Is there a recent heartache for which you have found comfort and relief in the Lord?

2) Is there someone you know who has an aching heart, whom you can encourage and pray for (or with)?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Alfred Ackley)
The Cyber Hymnal (Alfred Ackley)
Hymnary.org

11 January 2017

Father, by Thy Love and Power

Robert Cottrill M7. Reflections: Jan.17

Words: Joseph Anstice (b. Dec. 21, 1808; d. Feb. 29, 1836)
Music: Evening Hour, by Samuel Prowse Warren (b. Feb. 18, 1841; d. Oct. 7, 1915)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Joseph Anstice was a remarkable man. A brilliant scholar, he graduated from Oxford with double first-class honours. At the young age of twenty-two he became Professor of Classical Literature at King’s College, London, a position he held for four years, until ill health forced his retirement. (Notice that he died in a Leap Year, on February 29th.)

Samuel Warren was an outstanding Canadian organist who first served a Presbyterian church in Montreal. He wrote a number of hymn tunes.

The continental divide of North America is a kind of geographical backbone running along the continent from north to south. Chief among the mountains that form this ridge is the Rocky Mountain range. And it is a significant watershed. Snow and ice that melt on the mountain peaks, flow either westward to the Pacific Ocean, or eastward across the continent, in the form of rivers and streams.

This will serve us as a picture of midnight, which poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow describes in one of his poems as “the watershed of Time.” And whether we retire to sleep precisely at midnight, or some earlier or later hour, the imagery is the same. We look back on what we have experienced that day, and forward with certain expectations for tomorrow.

It is God who made this great temporal divide of day and night at the beginning of creation (Gen. 1:3-5). And the Lord remains sovereign over both. As the Bible says, “The day is Yours, the night also is Yours” (Ps. 74:16).

Not only that; He is omniscient, knowing all that takes place in both. “The darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You” (Ps. 139:12). That should be a sobering concept to those who think darkness will hide their evil deeds (Jn. 3:19-20). But it is also a comfort to those who trust in the Lord. Dr. James Dobson has written:

“One of the most breathtaking concepts in all of Scripture is the revelation that God knows each of us personally, and that we are in His mind both day and night.”

As the psalmist puts it, “Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps. 121:4).

To return to the thought that the night hours are a kind of watershed between yesterday and tomorrow, those moments before we go to bed can be a time for looking back, evaluating what is past, and looking forward to what we could face tomorrow. For the Christian, that means these are also an occasion to reflect on God’s faithfulness through the day, and entrust Him with what is to come.

One who did that was Joseph Anstice. As you can see from the dates given above, he lived only to the age of twenty-eight, and the last two years involved intense suffering. But in this “valley of the shadow of death” he wrote a number of beautiful and deeply thoughtful hymns. Mrs. Anstice later explained: “The hymns were all dictated to his wife, during the last few weeks of his life.” It is then he composed the following hymn, published posthumously. (You can read the stanza on the Holy Spirit on the Cyber Hymnal link.)

CH-1) Father, by Thy love and power
Comes again the evening hour;
Light has vanished, labours cease,
Weary creatures rest in peace;
Thou, whose genial dews distill
On the lowliest weed that grows
Father, guard our couch from ill,
Lull Thy children to repose,
We to Thee ourselves resign;
Let our latest thoughts be Thine.

CH-2) Saviour, to Thy Father bear
This our feeble evening prayer;
Thou hast seen how oft today
We, like sheep, have gone astray;
Worldly thoughts, and thoughts of pride,
Wishes to Thy cross untrue,
Secret faults and undescried,
Meet Thy spirit-piercing view;
Blessèd Saviour, yet, through Thee,
Grant that we may pardoned be.

CH-4) Blessèd Trinity, be near,
Through the hours of darkness drear;
Then, when shrinks the lonely heart,
Thou more clearly present art;
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Watch o’er our defenseless heads;
Let Thy angels’ guardian host
Keep all evil from our beds,
Till the flood of morning rays
Wake us to a song of praise.

Questions:
1) Is it your own practice to have a time of prayer at bedtime? (Or early in the morning, before the days activities begin?)

2) What topics does Mr. Anstice’s hymn suggest such prayers might cover?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

9 January 2017

Before the Throne of God Above

Robert Cottrill M7. Reflections: Jan.17

Words: Charitie de Cheney Lees Smith Bancroft (b. June 21, 1841; d. June 20, 1923)
Music: Sweet Hour, by William Batchelder Bradbury (b. Oct. 6, 1816; d. Jan. 7, 1868)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Charitie Bancroft was an Irish-American hymn writer. The daughter of an Irish clergyman, at some point she emigrated to the United States. In 1863 she published this hymn about Christ’s heavenly work, which she entitled “The Advocate.”

As to the tune (originally used with Sweet Hour of Prayer), the Cyber Hymnal offers Sagina as an alternative (used with Wesley’s And Can It Be?). I suggest you consider splitting each of the three 8-line stanzas in two. There are many more options with the 8.8.8.8 metre. To me, the truths need a tune a little more sturdy and stalwart than Bradbury’s meandering one. Try Duke Street (which is usually used with Jesus Shall Reign), or Germany (used with Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness).

It often amazes us, when we think about it. Our ancestors might simply gaze in awed disbelief at what we’re doing. We type the letters of words on a keyboard and they appear instantly on an illuminated screen. With ease, we correct any errors, we click “Print,” and our work appears on paper, almost soundlessly, in perfect, jet-black type.

Those who’ve been around long enough to have worked with the old typewriters appreciate the difference. The noisy clatter of keys that sometimes jammed, white-out or correction fluid, messy carbon copies, the repeated need to swipe a carriage return to move to a new line. Isn’t progress wonderful?

These changes have come about, in the last few decades, because of the ever more sophisticated computers we use, with their amazing array of programs and features. And they continue to shrink in size. A pocket-sized smart phone can do far more than the early computers that took up so much of our desk space. And the magic leading to the finished produce is hidden from view on a hard drive. We can’t see it happening.

There are other examples of that. The pipes and wires that bring water and electricity into our homes are normally out of sight. Hidden, but at work for us day and night. We turn a tap, or flip a switch, and almost always the water or electric power is there. The phenomenon is evident in nature too. We can’t see the wind, or the sun’s rays, but we see the handiwork of both, usually benign, but sometimes rising to an intensity that is harsh and hurtful.

In the spiritual realm, this invisible activity applies to Christ. The Son of God took on our humanity, and walked this earth for about thirty-five years. For the last three He undertook a public ministry, teaching people, and demonstrating His supernatural power. Both verbally and with miraculous signs He identified Himself as Israel’s Messiah-King.

But He was rejected, and cruelly crucified. For a brief time His fearful followers saw that as a devastating end of all their hopes. Then He rose from the dead, Conqueror over death and the grave. And believers learned that, far from being a defeat, His death was part of God’s plan. In it, the sinless Saviour paid our debt of sin, so that all who believe on Him might be forgiven, and receive the gift of eternal life (Jn. 3:16).

Though His spiritual presence is with us still, the Lord Jesus is no longer walking the earth in physical form. He ascended back into heaven, where He is now seated at the right hand of God the Father (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 1:3). The work Christ engages in there is detailed in the New Testament. It’s too extensive to deal with adequately in a short article, but here are a few things.

¤ He is our heavenly Intercessor and Advocate (Heb. 7:25; I Jn. 2:1-2).

¤ He is our Mediator and means of access to our heavenly Father in prayer (I Tim. 2:5; Eph. 1:6; 2:18).

¤ He is our great High Priest, and a dispenser of heavenly grace to meet our needs (Phil. 4:13, 19; Heb. 4:15-16).

¤ He is Head of the church (Eph. 1:22-23), and a provider of gifted workers to the church (Eph. 4:11-12).

¤ He is preparing heaven to be the dwelling place of His own (Jn. 14:2-3).

And Oh! so much more! Suffice to say that Christ is hidden, but at work on behalf of every child of God. Bancroft’s hymn is loaded with biblical allusions to the heavenly work of Christ.

CH-1) Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great High Priest whose name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

CH-2) When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the Just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Questions:
1) Thinking of which heavenly ministry of Christ has been the most blessed to you?

2) Are there any other hymns you know that speak of Christ’s heavenly work? (If you’re stuck, Charles Wesley has a great one. See.)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org