I've Anchored in Jesus

1) Upon life's boundless ocean where might billows roll,
I've fixed my hope in Jesus, blest anchor of my soul;
When trials fierce assail me as storms are gathering o'er,
I rest upon His mercy and trust Him more.

Refrain: I've anchored in Jesus, the storms of life I'll brave,
I've anchored in Jesus, I fear no wind or wave.
I've anchored in Jesus, for He hath power to saver,
I've anchored to the Rock of Ages.

2) He keeps my soul from evil and gives me blessed peace,
His voice hath stilled the waters and bid their tumult cease;
My Pilot and Deliverer, to Him I all confide,
For always when I need Him, He's at my side.

Refrain

3) He is my Friend and Savior, in Him my anchor's cast,
He drives away my sorrows and shields me from the blast;
By faith I'm looking upward beyond life's troubled sea,
There I behold a haven prepared for me.

Refrain.

I don't usually listen to Gospel music.  To be fair, I rarely listen to Christian music in general on a casual basis.  Some may find it troubling that when I listen to music such as this, my first thought is of this excellent Blues Brothers' scene.. This hymn was not written by either James Brown or the Blues Brothers.  It was written from Lewis Edgar Jones (1865-1936).  Jones was a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute and spent his life working with/for the YMCA.  He wrote a few hymns, the most famous being "There is Power in the Blood." He also wrote with the pseudonyms Lewis Edgar, Edgar Lewis, and Mary Slater.

I've enjoyed listening to "I've Anchored in Jesus."  I like the pep in contrast to what is usually sung in a Presbyterian church.  My grandfather is a big fan of Gospel music, especially the Gospel quartet.  My great-grandfather would form one with his children to sing.  I don't think I received the Wray singing gene, but it's warming to think of my family worshiping the same Lord generations back.  I have been blessed to grow up in a family that is anchored in Jesus.  The Lord is amazingly faithful to my family and I'm incredibly thankful for that love.

 

Jesus Loves Me

1) Jesus loves me! This I know, 
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.

Refrain: Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

2) Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will was away my sin,
Let His little child come in.

3) Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for Thee.

Swiss theologian Karl Barth was asked to summarize the essential truth of the Christian faith.  He responded, "Jesus loves me, this I know / For the Bible tells me so."  Anna Warner (1820-1915) did an excellent job in summarizing the Christian faith in a simple song for children.  The original intention of the poem which was written in 1860 was a novel written by her sister, Susan Warner.  In the story, the poem is to comfort a dying child.  Anna and Susan both lead Sunday school services for West Point Military Academy and began writing when their father died.  In doing so, Anna wrote one of the most endearing and enduring hymns.

I'm probably going to make one of the least profound statements of all time ... the things we learn as children are important.  They stick with us throughout our entire lives.  I'm not saying we don't change as we grow older, but the way we grow is certainly shaped by our childhood, much like a tree is shaped by the soil in which it grows.  It's why wonderful songs like these are important.  From it a child learns two things: Jesus loves them and the Bible is authoritative.  That's two out of the five Solas in one song! Really though, this song just reinforces that Jesus loves His children.  What greater feeling is there than to know that you are loved?

Beneath The Cross

1) Beneath the Cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand --
The shadow of a mighty Rock
Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
A rest upon the way, From the burning of the noon tide heat,
And the burden of the day.

2) Upon that cross of Jesus
Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One
Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart with tears
Two wonders I confess --
The wonders of redeeming love
And my unworthiness

3) I take, O cross, thy shadow
For my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
The sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by,
To know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame,
My glory all the cross.

This hymn was written by the "Sunbeam of Melrose" Elizabeth Clephane.  This Scottish born daughter of a sheriff only lived to 39 due to poor health.  During her short life she gave generously to the poor.  She even sold a horse and carriage just so she could more to those in need. Elizabeth only wrote eight hymns, but they are rich in imagery.  In "Beneath the Cross of Jesus," she is drawing from Isa. 32:1-2, which states, "Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice. Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great in a weary land."  I think she does an excellent job of capturing the respite we gain with Christ's redeeming love.

I remember trying to sing this song at RUF at Penn State.  This was the contemporary version that we were trying to sing.  We did it often at App State, but the worship team couldn't quite get the split part at PSU. Unfortunately, they asked me for help.  I'm not a musician, not even close.  I played trombone until junior year of high school, then broke my instrument ripping a hole in the slide.  That was pretty much game over for me.  I couldn't help my students one bit even though I was familiar with the tune. Doesn't mean I don't like the song though.  I absolutely love the line, "Content to let the world go by, / To know no gain nor loss, / My sinful self my only shame, / My glory all the cross."  Our identity as Christians is Jesus.  We look to Him in everything.  I'm a student, I'm a South Carolinian, I'm App State grad, I'm a Thomas, etc ... but none of that is who I really am.  None of that is my identity.  They are more like character traits of my identity.  My identity lies in Jesus.  I am a Christian.  It is the cross that defines me.

Valley Lilies

1) Valley lilies, meek and lowly,

Let me hear your message sweet,

Tell of Christ the pure and holy,

Bending as to touch His feet.

2) Snowy lilies of the valley,

Speak again your message rare;

Testify to me of Jesus,

Heaven's Lily, wondrous fair!

3) Valley lilies, golden hearted,

Love's sweet mission you fulfill,

For you tell in perfumed language,

how He wrought His Father's will.

4) Valley lilies, cups inverted,

Still the Master you proclaim:

Empty of all pomp and glory,

To redeem the world He came.

I don't have any music today.  I have no idea how these words sound in song, but Flora Kirkland lyrics do remind me of Jonathan Edwards.  I remember reading that Edwards argued for exegeting creation.  So, as I recall Andy Stager saying during my roommate's reading group, Edwards would not only look at the way a butterfly would flap its wings in order to understand the butterfly, but he would also want to know what the butterfly flapping it's wings says about God.  Here, Kirkland is looking at the lilies to see what they say about Jesus.

Assuming Kirkland was inspired from a lily passage outside of Song of Solomon (though I could be wrong looking at the third stanza), I would guess Kirkland was either drawing from Luke or  Matthew which give an account of Jesus trying to calm anxieties. Luke 12:27 says, "Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."  In Matthew  6:28, Jesus states, "And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." It's helpful in exegeting creation when Jesus does it for us.  Lilies are beautiful flowers (I had to look them up).  Yet they don't labor as we do to maintain beauty.  They just are beautiful.  Solomon, who had more money than anyone, could not dress himself in a more beautiful fashion than this simple flower.  God takes care of His creation, and in doing so, He takes care of us.  We should give our anxieties to Him.  It is something I have trouble doing.  But as you look at this flower, you see that God's hands are far more capable than mine. 

All My Hope

1) All my hope on God is founded;
He doth still my trust renew,
Me through change and chance He guideth,
Only good and only true,
God unknown, He alone
Calls my heart to be His own.

2) Mortal pride and earthly glory, 
Sword and crown betray our trust;
Though with care and toil we build them,
Tower and temple fall to dust.
But God's power, hour by hour,
Is my temple and my tower.

3) God's great goodness e'er endureth
Deep His wisdom passing thought:
Splendor, light, and life attend Him,
Beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore from His store
Newborn worlds rise and adore.

4) Daily doth the almighty Giver
Bounteous gifts on us bestow;
His desire our soul delighteth,
Pleasure leads us where we go.
Love dothe stand at His Hand;
Joy doth wait on His command.

5) Still from earth to God eternal
Sacrifice of praise be done,
High above all praises praising
For the gift of Christ, His Son.
Christ doth call one and all:
Ye who follow shall not fall.

This hymn was written by Joachim Neander (1650-1680).  Neander was not a believer until he was twenty, but once he believed, he caught fire.  For the latter ten years of his life, this high school teacher wrote hymns deep with meaning, bringing a high level of worship to the Church.  This hymn wasn't translated to English until the 1800's when Great Britain's poet laureate decided he didn't enjoy the hymns sung at church.  Robert Bridges found them insulting to his intelligence so he looked to the German hymn writers and translated their words into English.

I think a lot can be learned from these two men.  Both were moved by their faith to bring good things to the Church.  I know I can take a consumerist heart with me to church and am angered when I don't receive what I am looking for.  I often heard complaints of a similar nature while working with RUF. Usually some variation of "Church isn't feeding me."  But looking at these two guys, we see what approach we should take should we find something wrong with our worship.  First, we have Neander.  Now, there is no indication he was unsatisfied with his place of worship.  There is every indication that he wanted to contribute to worship however.  The teacher sat down and wrote hymns.  Not just hymns, but hymns pregnant with meaning and rich in their proclamations of the Lord.  This hymn isn't just a repetition of saying we have hope in the Lord; instead, Neander tells why we place our hope in God.  This is a good thing.  It makes for solid, rational worship.  The story is slightly different with Bridges, who did not like what he was singing.  In essence, he found it dull and void of substance. To fix that, he began working with weighty hymns and bringing them into the English language.  By doing so, he served the Church in a way that was needed. This should be our first instinct instead of grousing.  We make a much more lasting change by pursuing this avenue.  

Take my Life

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee. 

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.


This hymn was written by France R. Havergal. Havergal was born into an Anglican family in which everyone served the church.  Her father was a clergyman who wrote and composed hymns and her brother was a priest and an organist. Unfortunately, Francis Havergal passed away at an early age of 42 in Wales.  Most of her hymns were published posthumously.  Cyberhymnal has an excellent quote concerning the origin of this hymn.  If you're not feeling up to clicking the link, here is was Havergal herself writes:
I went for a little visit of five days (To Areley house).  There were ten persons in the house, some unconverted and long prayed for, some converted, but not rejoicing Christians.  He gave me the prayer, "Lord, give me all in this house!" And He just did.  Before I left the house every one had got a blessing.  The last night of my visit after I had retired, the governess asked me to go to the two daughters.  They were crying, &c. (converted?): then and there bother of them trusted and rejoiced; it was nearly midnight.  I was too happy to sleep, and passed most of the night in praise and renewal of my own consecration;and these little couplets formed them-selves, and chimed in my heart one after another till they finished with "Ever, Only, ALL for Thee!"

Surrendering ourselves to Christ is a hard thing.  It can be a bit confusing when Christ says, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it" (Mark 8:34-35).  Truly, we can gain all the comforts of this world, but it will not cover the corruption of the soul.  Giving all to Jesus makes worldly things trivial.  For in Him we have a greater joy than what the world can offer.  Thus, we not only surrender our stuff, but our bodies and our will to God.  I imagine that from an outside perspective it seems like a scary thought.  It isn't necessarily easy from a believer's perspective either.  But we don't have a spirit of fear, it's of power, love, and self-control (2 Tim. 1:7).  We have trust and faith in the Shepherd.  He is our Lord and to Him we surrender all.

Three versions to watch:
Here is British version that I couldn't embed. 

Here is the classic version with which you're more likely familiar.

Whoops

I missed yesterday. Didn't even make it a month.  Early in the morning, some friends called me and all of a sudden I had my whole day planned for me.  I suppose I could have done it late in the evening, but I did not.  So today I will post two hymns in order to make up for lost time.  I have been entertaining an idea to do a double post on Saturdays to cover the weekend anyway.  This is like that, but on Sunday.

To start, I'm listening to this Greek Orthodox Chant.

I'm not sure what the chant is, but it is beautiful to listen to. The Greek Orthodox Church traditionally used Koine Greek, the language in which the New Testament is written in.   We've already listen to a chant by the Russian Orthodox Church, which is very similar to the Greek Orthodox. In fact, they more or less see themselves as different branches of the the same Church.  The Orthodox church is distinguished by their iconography.  I cannot claim to fully understand iconography.  My experience with it is pretty much limited to one visit to the Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte for class.  The priest did make clear that the icons were not worshiped, but used as an aide in to worship.  The images were meant to raise the thoughts and hearts of the congregation to the God.  That explanation wouldn't fly in the PCA. Everything about the church was designed for worship. They had incense which symbolized prayer going up to heaven.  Even the design of the building was meant to put the congregant in the right mindset of worship.  The sanctuary was shaped like a cross and the center point was domed, raising the view upwards.  The church in Charlotte had two services, Greek and English.  50% of the English service was done in Greek. It really was a neat visit, and if you ever find the opportunity to visit, you should take it.