“My name is written on his hands.”

“My name is written on his hands.”

Hymn: “Arise, My Soul, Arise” – Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Common Tune: LENOX

As the closing line of the first stanza, this brief statement is the one that stands out and stays with us as we sing this hymn or read its text.

Stuart Townend in his recent hymn text “The Power of the Cross” puts it this way: “O to see my name written in his wounds.” Both Townend and Wesley are drawing our attention away from ourselves and into the nail-scarred hands of the One who makes his way toward Jerusalem… toward Calvary.

Those of us whose faith experience includes personal piety will resonate with these two expressions which include the pronoun “my,” making the cross not just a universal event for all who will believe – but one in which I share stock… for which I share responsibility.

At the same time, we share the glory of the cross because indeed our name is written on his pierced hands and feet, his thorn-imbedded brow, his sutured side… all his self-accepted wounds.

Our being able to rejoice in such a horrible event is one of the mysteries of the faith… of Christian thought. That’s why when we come past either of these hymnlines in worship, we are taken aback by the image of a dying, cross-bound Savior; at the same time, we are lifted in gratefulness for the sacrifice of the Redeemer on OUR behalf.

Carry this image. Keep it before your spiritual eyes. The next time you see an art-work of Christ on the cross, recall today’s hymnline… and look closely at his hands to find your name written there.

Twyla Paris’ Contemporary Setting of This Text

https://youtu.be/QFBCWLRy4jA

“Naught be all else to me save that thou art.”

Hymn: “Be Thou My Vision” – Ancient Irish
Music: SLANE

This is one of those prayer hymns; today I’m zeroing in on the second line of the first stanza. Immediately after we begin the prayer, asking that Christ the Lord of our hearts might be our true vision, this hymnline comes into play.

In reality, when we are involved in the privileged activity of prayer – communication with the Almighty – we need to focus our attention on him and him only. "Naught be all else to me." We’re all familiar with those mind-wandering prayers in which we suddenly realize we are no longer praying but planning our day or solving our problems.

The most effective prayer times – those which affect our lives most deeply and probably please God most – are the ones where we are determinedly centered on the One to whom our prayers arise. This hymnline/prayerline sets us in that direction. It is as if we are saying/singing, “For the next few minutes I am going to forget that there is anything or anyone else of any importance except you, Lord. The only thing that matters is that you exist and that you have the role of Master of the Universe. I am going to spend this time focused only on you.” ["... save (other than) that Thou art."]

If you haven’t taken time recently for an intense period of undistracted prayer, give it another try. If we construct our prayer times in that way, we are more likely to strengthen our relationship with God and to build our lives around Christ-centeredness. Stepping out of that intense prayer time, our lifestyle - like our prayer times - will not be diverted or detoured off course.

                                                  One of Those Six-Part Solos (!)

“There is never a grief or loss but that Jesus in love will lighten.”

“There is never a grief or loss but that Jesus in love will lighten.”

Hymn: “Wonderful, Wonderful Jesus” – Anna B. Russell (1862-1954)

Tune: NEW ORLEANS

I remember the day in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee when they buried my last uncle… the final sibling on both sides of my parents’ families. It is a strange feeling to know that all those people have moved from this life into the next. My Uncle Everett (known to us as Zeke), joined the previously-deceased Smelcer clan who awaited his arrival with great joy; his sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren are, on the other end of the emotional spectrum, caught up in grief and loss.

Today’s hymn-line comes from another one of those lilting 6/8-metered tunes so familiar to the congregations in my part of the country. Throughout its stanzas, this hymn repeats the phrase “there is never…” applied to many ‘downer’ occurrences, all of which are tended to by the wonderful, wonderful Jesus.

Extreme grief and overwhelming loss may weigh us down more than we realize. In fact, the admission of these is often denied by people going through such emotions. Beneath such a great burden, this hymn-line reminds us that Jesus is available to lighten the load if we but give him the opportunity – yea, even the privilege!

Implants are routinely done nowadays: devices that help send electronic impulses to the brain when certain body parts can’t respond naturally on their own. I have the most common of these: a pacemaker for my heart.  In this hymn’s refrain, Anna B. Russell reminds us that in the heart he implanteth a song… because songs tend to turn our attention away from our difficulties, at least for a time. According to the refrain’s text, the implanted song is one of deliverance, of courage, of strength. In times of grief and loss, that’s the kind of song we need to hear… and to sing!

Whatever bothersome cargo you carry today, may this hymn or another great song of faith lift your spirit as he lightens your load. With a 6/8 lilt, let’s go skipping through the day!

I couldn’t find a professionally-produced example,

but this one is simple and straight-forward.

(I especially like the 2-measure bridges between stanzas!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BDe0XWldgT4

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“He saw me plunged in deep distress and flew to my relief.”

“He saw me plunged in deep distress and flew to my relief.”

Hymn: “Majestic Sweetness Sits Enthroned” – Samuel Stennett (1727-1795)

Typical Tune: ORTONVILLE

This hymn-line may remind you of “I was sinking deep in sin… love lifted me,” but when I sing this line, it has a deeper message to me.

“Deep distress” is a powerful phrase. It’s more than sinking deep in sin; it is sinking deep in all the stuff that so easily besets us – even depression, possibly the deepest level of distress. Admitting that I am sometimes… maybe even often… in some form of deep distress is difficult for me, but who among us who congregate is not stressed out to some extent. Singing this hymn line alongside others who are making the same corporate admission relieves some of that anxiety – or distress!

The good news here is that Jesus – the One who sits enthroned – jumps up and runs to my relief. We sometimes say that someone just “flew across the room” to help; that’s exactly the way I picture what Christ does whenever he sees that I need a lift-me-up from my downward-spiraling anguish.

According to the dictionary, the antonym of distress is comfort. How appropriate is that to this discussion? Back to the gospel song quoted earlier, “When nothing else could help, love lifted me.” Truly when no one else could help, my comfort comes down from the Father of Lights administered through the Spirit of his Son. Another gospel song asks, “Where could I go but to the Lord?”

We also use the word “relief” to refer to someone who comes in to give us a break from our work… to relieve us. It is applied frequently to those who rush in to aid in a disaster – as in disaster relief. Those applications work for what Christ does.

So, how do you spell relief?

“There was nowhere else to turn and nowhere else to go.

My body knew all the pain a body could know

When I quietly turned to you,

And you turned to me.”

And you flew to relieve me!

[Thank you, Ragan Courtney.]

Listen to This Hymn Played at the Organ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=SWjvf_YyxpU

Hear This Hymn Sung in Korean, Yet Meaningful and Beautifully Presented

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAuMfyV_xEw