Ah... I heard this song again recently.. and I felt my soul rejoicing and in full agreement. Today, I will live for my Lord.. though life is often difficult there is more for us. We can rejoice in God's love and grace in the now.. but also for what is to come!! There will be a time when we see our Lord face to face! Rejoice!
I never hear this song without being stirred again. This song can cause me to fall to my knees.. or stand to my feet and raise my hands in prayer.. or lead me into quiet deep prayerful worship.. but it ALWAYS effects me if I listen.
I hope that it blesses you today as it brings you to the sapphire pavement, at base of the throne of our Lord and King!!
(Note: the videos have some graphic pictures of Christ's suffering.)
I could not pick just one... this first is a song that is so simple but gets me every time I hear it.
When I think of the sacrifice my Lord made for me... I agree with the song.. it does cause me to tremble.
And this one ... well ... I just love Keith Green. This video starts with scenes from the movie.. and tells the story of Easter before the song begins.
May God bless each of you, as you celebrate this season... May you be blessed as you remember all the Lord has done for you.
(Note: watch the video here.. there are many inappropriate statements in the comments section on YouTube. Also.. the crucifixion seen is quite graphic.)
This song has deep meaning to me. A friend played this song for me while I called myself a christian but had no personal relationship with Christ. It touched me so very deeply. My friend, seeing this, gave me his CD. I played it many many times in the months to come. About 2 years later, I gave my life to the Lord. This song so powerfully lays out what Christ has done. As Passover approaches.. and Resurrection Sunday also, this song came to mind. I pray you are blessed by it also.
I have always loved Michael Card. His music is inspired by God's Holy Word, and this piece is by the 23rd Psalm... one of my favorites. I love the images chosen here by the video's creator as they so perfectly reflect the quiet peace I feel as I listen.
This song is a balm to the weary and troubled soul. The music and the words. I hope you find peace and comfort as you listen and snuggle in close to the Good Shepherd.
Yesterday, my children utilized our right to freedom of speech and right to assemble to stand in protest at the National Tea Party yesterday in St Louis. Throughout the protest there was a trumpet player who led us in various traditional songs of patriotism... My Country Tis of Thee, America the Beautiful, God bless America, etc. And as each played the 1000 plus attendees sang out. My heart was moved deeply. One that was not played was this newer classic... one that I love so much it just so happens that I posted it on Tuesday, on my military salute post.
Today my heart is filled with love of freedom and our nation. I know it is not the traditional type of Then Sings My Soul Saturday song, but it stirs my heart... so here it is.
People are hurting all around us today. Feeling loss and pain. Living in times of economic hardship. But God is there for us... and He offers us hope. This song speaks of the great hope promised to us, that scripture reveals to us, and it calms my soul..and I hope that on this day it brings you God's peace and hope and joy.
Some days, this is all I can cling to. We have all been there. The world seems to be crumbling around us. We don't know where to turn. We lose a loved one. We are wracked with illness or pain. The things of this world are uncertain. But we do have hope.. and someone to cling to.. our Savior.
In this time of turmoil and uncertainty, it is so important to fix our eyes on the Lord. Our earthly riches may vanish but our Lord God is our Provider. The sands may shift beneath our feet but we stand on the Rock. We may walk through darkness, but we always have the Light. We may feel as though we have lost our way, but we can follow the Good Shepherd.
We have Enduring Hope... not in anything or anyone of this world... but in Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer.
Thank you, Lord, that I never need fear again. Thank you for your perfect love. I will praise you, for you are worthy. I will praise you, because it was what I was made to do. I will praise you because you are my shepherd, and I am your lamb, and I will follow you all the days of my life.
With the new year, came all sorts of commitments that I decided to make.. for my spiritual growth in reading the Word every day, praying with the my children more, and for my physical health, losing weight and exercise, and for my family, to be more present in my time with them. Somehow in the mix, I did not look outside my circle. It is not that we don't do anything... we give to charities and volunteer, but no where in my thought process did I think what else I could do outside my family.
Then I heard this song by Brandon Heath. And God turned on my ears. And I really heard this song. The song asked, "Why have I never cared?" How often do I walk through the world intent on my own life and business and so disconnected from those around me? And now my heart cries out to God, help me to see the world with your eyes. Give me your heart. Here are the lyrics of the chorus:
Give me your eyes for just one second Give me your eyes so I can see Everything that I keep missing Give me your love for humanity Give me your arms for the brokenhearted Ones that are far beyond my reach. Give me your heart for the ones forgotten Give me your eyes so I can see
Lord this is my desire... that my desperation for you would grow and grow so that the words of this praise song be completely true for me.
Lord, may my heart be truly desperate for you and you alone. For the song is correct, I am lost without you.
May Your Holy Presence living in me be my everything. May my daily bread be Your Holy Word spoken to me.
Lord I confess that I have made too much of all the stuff of the world. I have filled my time and my thoughts with the junk of this world, instead of feasting on Your Word and resting in Your presence.
Lord, I need more and more of You and less and less of me. I need to be dependent on you for every step I take, every breath I take, for all the world has and all I have is nothing compared to You. You have offered me everything. Paid the cost for me. You, the Holy God, dwell in me, in this earthly and imperfect temple. All because of love.
Christmas has come and gone ... and we remember that Jesus came into the world for us. He is the light of the world. In a world filled with darkness, light came into the world. John 8:12 "Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, 'I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.'"
And now we can shine that light and so we must. To shine our light before men that they might see the great light. Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
No Christmas carol stirs my heart more than this one. In part it is the music of Greensleeves, which truly is a lovely melody, but that is only part of this carol's deep appeal. The words are filled with such a deep sense of awe. They reveal the deepest of mysteries, the almost unbelievable truth that God would send His Son from Heaven to earth as a humble babe, in a humble manger, to man, to save us through His death on the cross and triumphant resurrection. The story of God's redemptive plan is stunning in its beauty and overwhelming as it reveals God's great love for us and His mercy towards us. The carol shares this remarkable story in a way that gives me shivers and drives me to worship my King.
This beautiful carol was written in 1865 by a man in a dark hour of his life. William Chatterton Dix was 29 years old when he was struck with a disabling and near fatal illness. As he spent months in bed, he slipped into deep depression and it seems he came face to face with God as he wrestled his way through this dark time. During this period he wrote several hymns, none more powerful or famous than What Child is This.
(Here are the original lyrics) What Child is this who, laid to rest, On Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing; Haste, haste, to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary!
Why lies He in such mean estate Where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christian, fear, for sinners here The silent Word is pleading. Nails, spear shall pierce him through, The Cross be borne for me, for you; Hail, hail the Word made flesh, The Babe, the Son of Mary!
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh; Come peasant, king to own Him. The King of kings salvation brings; Let loving hearts enthrone Him. Raise, raise, the song on high, The virgin sings her lullaby; Joy, joy, for Christ is born, The Babe, the Son of Mary!
May my heart enthrone Him, and my life sing His praise. Merry Christmas!
A Christmas song that never fails to stir my heart is O Holy Night. This rendition is sung beautifully by Josh Groban and when combined with clips from The Nativity Story, it makes me want to fall to my knees before my Savior, the Christ child. When I hear the song I am transported to a stable, in awe.
The song is enough, beautiful and inspired, but the hymn itself has a long and interesting history. Written in France it was later declared unfit for church services, and here in America it became a song embraced by the abolitionist movement. Even so, this hymn has become one of the most loved.
In 1847, Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure was commissioned to write a Christmas poem, and he did so. A poem written with the gospel of Luke as his inspiration, and one he soon felt must become a song.
He turned to the musician, Adolphe Charles Adams, to help set his "Cantique de Noel" to music. Although Adolphe was of Jewish heritage and did not celebrate Christmas he recognized the beauty in the poem and wrote the lovely score we know today.
It quickly grew to be very popular and was played in many a mass. Unfortunately, Cappeau left the church to become a Socialist, and the church declared it was devoid of religious depth having been written and composed by a Socialist and a Jew. Although the church no longer supported the piece, it remained part of Christmas celebrations in the homes throughout France.
And perhaps it would have faded away over time, except for a remarkable twist. An American writer, John Sullivan Dwight, discovered the piece in France. And he recognized not only a beautiful song but found the 3rd verse uniquely inspiring and applicable to the abolitionist movement. He published an English translation in a magazine in America and the North quickly came to love the song. Several versions have developed over time, but the song endures.
In France, legend tells that a 24 hour Christmas truce was declared during the Franco-Prussian War beginning with a Frenchman singing this song and a German man responding with the German song by Martin Luther, "From Heaven Above to Earth I Come." [Read about another Christmas truce here.]
Back in Canada. this song had an amazing moment also. On Christmas Eve 1906, Reginald Fessenden, former chemist for Thomas Edison, did something long thought impossible. Fessenden used a new type of generator and spoke into a microphone and, for the first time in history, a man's voice was broadcast over the airwaves. The first words spoken and heard across the radio waves was the Christmas account from Luke. For the first time a voice and music came across the radio waves, and listeners were shocked. It must have seemed almost a Christmas miracle to hear a voice where clicks had been, and on Christmas Eve, speaking the Holy Word of God. He followed this reading by playing the violin. He played O Holy Night. And so O Holy Night became the first song ever played on the radio. It is still played and loved today, around the world.
O Holy Night O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining. Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices! O night divine, the night when Christ was born; O night, O holy night, O night divine! O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming, Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land. The King of kings lay thus lowly manger; In all our trials born to be our friends. He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger, Behold your King! Before him lowly bend! Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother. And in his name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, With all our hearts we praise His holy name. Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we, His power and glory ever more proclaim! His power and glory ever more proclaim!
This week I am posting the carol Hark the Herald Angels Sing, a hymn of rejoicing, for it is my heart's desire to rejoice also. It came to mind when I found this painting by Gouguereau called The Song of the Angels. My heart was stirred as I thought of my Savior and He has done for me and I wanted to join in song and praise with all of Creation and all the Heavenly Hosts that the Savior is come!
This carol goes back a long way. It was originally written by Charles Wesley, the famous theologian, in the early 1700s. He wrote more than 6000 hymns but this is perhaps his most famous. The words we sing today are a slightly altered version put forth by friend and sometimes rival, George Whitefield. Later the song was put to the music of Mendelssohn creating the beautiful traditional hymn as we know it today.
Luke 2:10-15 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a (B)Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."
This is the first week I am participating in Then Sings My Soul Saturday. And it fits beautifully with something I have wanted to do for Christmas... research the history of some of my favorite Christmas carols and also post what they mean to me.
I have chosen for my first carol Mary Did You Know. This version on youtube has a beautiful video.
History- Mark Lowry, a well known christian comedian and singer was asked to write a Christmas play for advent. As he began the work he was reading through scripture and thought of many things he would love to ask Mary. Each question in the play opened a new scene. And out of this series of questions was born this song. It was later put to music by Buddy Greene and has quickly become a modern classic.
As a mother, who has wondered about the futures of my own children, I can relate to this song in a deep way. This brings Christ's humanity to full light. He was a child with a mother who loved and tended her child. Even with the angel's visit, which surely told how special this child was.... he was still a child in a village and the babe in her arms.
But our Savior was and is so much more. For Jesus is my Savior.... and the Savior of the World. Christmas is a time when we celebrate Christ's birth. This song does that in such a unique way. Tying a little human baby and His human mother... with the reality that this is no mere child, but the very child of God!
The song recalls the miracles of our Lord. We do not merely celebrate the birth of a child. We celebrate the coming Messiah. This birth is the promise of salvation and life. The promised one of Israel.
What an incredible thing to think about after Thanksgiving. For truly this is one gift God gave the world that I am beyond thankful for. Every good thing, every blessing, pales in the light of his gift. The gift of the Son. The gift of new life. The gift of a child in a manger who was and is so much more.
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