"Lift up your voice and sing eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King."

 

Hymn: “He Lives” – Words & Music by Alfred H. Ackley (1887-1960)
Tune: ACKLEY

I spent the first half of this week at Kempke’s Music Texas event in Dallas. [Did you miss me?] It’s one of those listen-to/sing-along-with music reading endurance courses! When we finished, one guy said he was in a “choral coma!” I saw a few friends from my former life in the local-church music ministry and got to spend those hours with MY minister of music… beaming when we read through something I liked and grimacing at things I couldn’t endure, hoping he noticed my reactions! :)

I came away from those seventeen packets even more convinced that praising God with music is a definite mandate for the body of Christ… even in the 21st Century. Admittedly, I am more prone to identify with the more sturdy, well-crafted choral styles – you know that already! However, as has always been my nature, I am drawn to the texts… the words… more than I am put-off by the musical style. And I love it when the composers actually pair the words and music in a way that they seem happily married. My favorite was Pepper Choplin’s “Bring It All.” Fortunately, my minister of music purchased it. The beaming worked!

I’ve visited “He Lives” twice already in these Hymnlines posts, and according to my notes, I will be back once more. These gospel songs I cut my teeth on have settled more deeply into my spiritual make-up than I might have realized. My guess is that is true for you as well. Who’d have ever thought that I’d find four phrases from this rollicking toe-tapper that still resonate with me when I sing them.

I am reminded here that whatever music we happen to sing in worship at our church, we need to be sure that it has lasting significance and that it draws attention to King Jesus… and not to itself or its presenter/performer.

This coming Sunday morning when given the opportunity, lift up your voice and sing. No mumbling into your chest allowed. (Those of you who watch THE MIDDLE will get that!)

Listen to Joel Raney’s arrangement of this hymn
(with a little of “Because He Lives” thrown in!)