Any old fashioned church still sings the versed, classic hymns. To some, it may seem ridiculous. But to others, it means everything to sing the same hymns they sang as kids in church. It brings back memories of grandparents in rocking chairs singing to their grandchildren on cool September evenings. Or singing "Amazing Grace" with their siblings as a special in church when they were young. These hymns have memories.
Not only does the sweet melody of these ancient hymns bring back memories, but they each have a story. A story of who wrote them, why they did, and at what point in their life they did. Many of the authors of our Hymns were going through trials when they were penning the words.
For 2016, I have started the new devotional book called "Amazing Grace" by Kenneth Osbeck. It is full of inspiring hymn stories for 366 days of devotions. As a piano player, singer, and church music director, you can imagine my excitement when I found this beauty.
I'd like to share with you a bit of the preface recorded in this book. It is as follows:
"Two basic resource books are available to help us in [our] spiritual well-being: the Bible and the church hymnal. Regular study of the Bible, God's infallible rule of faith and practice, is an absolute essential for Christian living. Nothing ever replaces our daily need for His trustworthy Word. Through the ages, however, devout believers from every Christian community have responded to God and His inspired revelation with their own expressions. The church hymnal, a most important heritage of the Christian church, is one of the finest collections of man's thoughts and feelings about God. When these choice responses are further enhanced with appropriate melodies, harmonies, and rhythms, there exists a reservoir of unusual spiritual strength and encouragement."
Have you ever thought of a hymn like that before? A resource for your Christian walk? As I write this, it is January 2nd. I have only read one devotion so far from this book and I am already in love. Music is so much more important than we realize, and hymnals are vital to our Christian life.
Often in the trials of my own life, I find myself finding a hymn to comfort my spirit. It's amazing how perfectly the words fit my current situation. It always makes me wonder what the author was going through when they penned those beautiful, perfect words. Knowing the author's story puts new meaning behind the hymns we sing every Sunday in church. It's not just monotonous singing anymore; it's a story.
I want to encourage you today to look back over the old-fashioned hymnals every once in a while, and listen to your heart sing the sweet melody to our Lord.
"Hymns breathe the praise of the saints, the vision of the prophets, the prayers of the penitent, and the spirit of the martyrs. They bring solace to the sad, assurance to the perplexed, faith to the doubter and comfort to the oppressed. They span the centuries of history and bridge the barriers of denominations. Study them to be pure in heart; Sing them to be joyful in spirit, Store them in the mind to possess a treasury of worship."
- Unknown