"Refresh thy people on their toilsome way."

Hymn: “God of Our Fathers” – Daniel C. Roberts (1841-1907)
Tune: NATIONAL HYMN

Although considered a patriotic hymn and usually included in that section of most hymnals, except for one line (“in this free land by thee our lot is cast”), the remainder of the hymn is about the Almighty God of our forefathers… having bless-ed little to do with patriotism. It is in every way a prayer-hymn with a few allusions to our being people of freedom secured from war by the strong arm of our Protector.

It's use on Sundays related to patriotic holidays strengthens its impact as a Christian hymn in appreciation for the blessings of living “in this free land.” Some of those national-holiday-related three-day weekends afford us the opportunity to be refreshed… to step away from the toilsome way that provides our monetary income. So the fact that the final stanza begins with that request makes perfectly good sense, don’t you think?

There are other worthwhile entreaties made in this prayer-hymn:
- Be our Ruler, our Guardian, our Guide.
- May your true religion increase in our hearts.
- Let your Word be our law.
- May we choose your paths, making our way in your direction.
- Grant that we might be nourished by your bountiful goodness.
- Fill our lives with godly love and divine grace.
- Eventually lead us from overwhelming darkness to daylight that never ends.

All these petitions lead us back to the hymnline for today: give us refreshment so we can take up the everyday work to which we have committed ourselves.

By his almighty hand, may God make these kinds of provisions in our lives – and may we ever express the glory, laud and praise that alone are due him.

This Hymn Sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
(with patriotic imagery in the video, of course!)
 

“Let music swell the breeze. And ring from all the trees sweet freedom’s song.”

Hymn: “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” – Samuel F. Smith (1808-1895)
Tune: AMERICA

Long before the term “surround sound” was coined, this hymn-line captured the essence of music coming at you from all directions. We musicians can picture this happening: we can see thousands of staves filled with quavers and semi-quavers swirling through the air, engulfing us with the richness of a great choral or symphonic sound. I personally think Eric Whitacre might be the composer of the sound I audiolize – that’s like visualize, but for sound!

It’s almost like a scene from Walt Disney’s FANTASIA… one of the pleasant, exuberant sections, not one of the scary ones! With a grand flourish, Mickey’s baton pulls sound from every direction: it is a cacophony of pitches, but they all make sense – they “make music.”

In this case, the song is one of freedom. “Do you hear the people sing, singing the song of angry men? It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again.”* People all around the world from every nation have had their freedom songs… their rallying cry set to music… at various times in their history. Their singing added to their resolve to do something about their incarcerated condition – their confinement to a situation from which there seems to be no escape.

This is a week to cherish our freedom as Americans: that’s why I chose a patriotic hymn. But it’s a time to be concerned for freedom of all God’s people who find themselves enslaved… traded, abused, neglected. Christian people cannot stand by and enjoy their freedom while others have none. Our concern must move us to action.

“Freedom! O Freedom! Freedom is coming, O yes I know.” (Traditional South African Song)

Listen to This Song

* - from the Broadway show LES MISERABLES (listen)

[Disclaimer: I realize this is not really a hymn as such; it is a patriotic song. There is a danger on weeks like this to hoist the flag in front of the cross and to miss the opportunity to worship and be grateful to the One who gave us life and liberty at the same time. So, I'm approaching it from the angle of "God... the Author of liberty" in the final stanza.]

“In the glad song of ages I shall mingle with delight.”

Billy Graham Crusade Choir

Hymn: “My Savior First of All” – Fanny J. Crosby (1820-1915)

Tune: I SHALL KNOW HIM

Mingling… fitting in… not standing out. That’s how I intend to be when I have opportunity to join the congregational singing in the hereafter.

Our true understanding of heaven’s details is extremely limited. Over the years, many have “put a spin” on what we might expect. Books have been written, songs have been published, art masterpieces have been produced, extensive studies have been compiled. Someone in Texas even created a show called “Heaven’s Front Porch.”

Though we lack for too many specifics, it seems we can count on music being involved. In the Bible’s ultimate book, there is too much evidence to deny. “Music plays a larger role in the book of Revelation than in any other book of the New Testament, and few books in all of Scripture have spawned more hymns sung in Christian worship today.” ¹   Along with the singing of the saints, the only mention of instrumental music in the New Testament appears in Revelation.

I may not audition for the heavenly choir because great singing has never been my gift. However, I have from my earliest memories delighted to sing the congregational songs. So when they crank up those great melodies of the ages, my delight will continue as I add my not-so-wonderful singing voice to the greatest congregation ever assembled, joining the grandest hymn ever sung: the song of the redeemed.

As I have said thousands of times: “Please stand together as we sing.”

A Congregational Singing of This Hymn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMFM-lpzCC0

From Gary Chapman’s A Hymn a Week

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kI6lv2NLck

¹ Craig Koester – “The Distant Triumph Song: Music and the Book of Revelation”: Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

 

“Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise. Thou mine inheritance.”

Hymn: “Be Thou My Vision” – Ancient Irish

Tune: SLANE

I've never been fond of applause in worship... especially when it is directed at me! I got a standing ovation at a church where I had served eight months as their interim director of music. It made me very uncomfortable; I just nodded and smiled. In my time with them I had tried to direct the attention off myself and toward the One to whom our music was offered -- and it is a rarely-applauding congregation! I know they were simply showing their appreciation; I was flattered, but I was uncomfortable. It was an interim, so we don't need to discuss the "man’s empty praise I heed not" aspect of the hymn-line!

A few summers ago, we took the guided VIP tour of Cowboy's stadium. Christine (our tour guide) did a marvelous job of pointing out various aspects of the grand structure -- JerryWorld. At every stop, she pointed out something that was the largest in the world (it is Texas, after all) and how Jerry had seen to it that only the finest of everything had been employed in the construction - including steel from Europe because he didn't want anything in this palace that came from Pittsburgh!

It was a grand and glorious tour -- worth every penny of the inflated price. I was as oohed and awed by it as anyone else; you don't have to be a Cowboys fan to be blown away by the place. However, I kept thinking that the billion-dollar price tag represented the construction of the world's largest altar upon which to celebrate football... and to display the wealth of one of the sport's proponents.

I admit that I would love to win the lottery, but I'm told you have to buy one of those tickets in order to qualify. I have auditioned for “Wheel of Fortune” and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"; as a semi-retired minister, we could use the cash! We try to make wise investments of our resources. But rich? It will never happen; I just hope to always be able to pay the bills at the end of the month! And the empty praise and applause is short-lived and can become a dangerous feeder of the ego.

No, my inheritance is held for me in the Kingdom of God. Thankfully, he doles out that inheritance daily, hourly, regularly. Most inheritances truly become the possession of the recipient when the donor dies. Well, that's not going to happen because we're talking about an everlasting God! And in our case, we don't have to wait until WE die to enjoy the wealth of riches he wants to send us - not monetary necessarily!

"For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever."  And as children of God, we are in line to inherit all of who he is!

Meanwhile, I'm guess I’ll be off to audition for another game show if they come to town! :)

Listen to This Hymn (Alison Krauss)

“The hope of all who seek him, the help of all who find.”

Hymn: “He Lives” 

Words & Music: Alfred H. Ackley (1887-1960)

Tune: ACKLEY

We sang this one a lot when I was growing up in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. When it is sung nowadays, it’s usually around Easter; but it is truly an all-year hymn. In spite of its toe-tapping tune, there are lots of pithy little statements in this hymn from the 1930’s. Let’s explore one of those today!

Those who seek Christ find him. It’s a biblical promise: “If with all your heart you truly seek me, you shall ever surely find me.” (Deuteronomy 4:29) Our very finding of him gives us a great hope – a sense of security.

It is important that we seek him regularly, not just once in order to enter the Kingdom – to have our hand stamped for eternity! With every return trip, our seeking produces more hope: hope upon hope.

Once we have sought him out and found him, we realize the help he wants to provide. There is an abundance of assistance available to those who have come seeking – and finding. It’s hard for most of us – especially men – to ask for directions, much less assistance. For some reason we have decided that we can all make it on our own.

Each of us knows how much we love it when someone dear to us asks us for help. There is something heart-warming about being asked to step in and assist in a time of struggle. I think God is like that with his loved-ones – those mutually found by him. Not only is he able to help, he is willing… and eager!

The Living Savior after whose likeness we seek, is also a Giving Savior – giving aid and assistance to those in need… and that would be all of us!

He is our hope and our help. Let us not give up hope or turn away from his help. They make for a very good balance, don’t you think?

Hear Allan Jackson Sing This Hymn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=mRi3l_pIKOA