In the She Reads Truth reading today in 2 Peter, the passage talks about how many will come to not believe in the word of God. Anything God speaks is always true! We can stand firm in it when everything around us is changing!
This little hymn popped in my head – an oldie but a goodie:
I took a little break in Little Rock, unplugged except for my phone, and didn’t have time to pre-write all the hymn blogs before I left – we had a lot of celebrating going on!
One of the reasons I love this hymn is because of the movie Little Women. You know the scene where they are all dancing around the canopy at the wedding – singing this song. Then my Mister includes it on his cd and I love that version too.
So, the reason I include it in this month is because I love FALL (really, who doesn’t?). I love the crisp weather, all the fun stuff you can do in the kitchen, and football, birthdays, our anniversary, and the colors!
When I read one of the stanzas, I’m also reminded of how much we live by our calendars and our phones – instead of just putting everything down and running through leaves. Most of us don’t tend to be “lazy” we tend to be too busy. But then we are too busy with the least important things. I’m guilty of this too.
But, if we can just take more minutes of our days to play in the earth that God gave us!
I feel like I’ve come to one of the most popular hymns in any given hymnbook. Since this song doesn’t explicitly mention the Gospel through Jesus Christ and His Work on the Cross – any “believing” person could sing this song – even if they weren’t necessarily a Gospel-believing Christian.
What I love about this hymn is that is marvels at the Creator God, infinite, wise beyond all measure – perfect in everything – yet, one who wills us and bids us and welcomes us to worship him. Worship him in a way that the created angels don’t. Worship him in front of other people. Worship him in front of non-believers.
And if we get a glimpse of this God – this all-consuming God who desires us to know Him – than we will also be introduced to His amazing Song. Or even vice-versa! The Father and the Son are one!
I love reflecting on our wedding day! We just celebrated 3 years last week so it is always good to think about the actual wedding ceremony.
One of my husband’s groomsmen is an exceptional guitarist. I asked him if he would play my bridal march because I wanted something simple and acoustic. I told him I wanted Fairest Lord Jesus played as I walked down the aisle. He arranged an amazing version and I love the song even more now.
We sang this hymn yesterday in church. As my husband and I were talking about it, he pointed out verse 2 and the abrupt change in the lyrics. The hymnwriter begins focusing on creation – but then does an about face to talk about Jesus.
The Agent of Creation!
When I was walking down the aisle, a dream every woman has…I knew every eye would be on me. But, no matter how my hair or dress or boots looked that day – my Bridegroom is much fairer.
Thanks Craig for helping others see that!
I do believe this modern hymn is one of the clearest pictures of the Gospel, EVER.
But how often to do we want to think about the suffering that the line afforded: here in the death of Christ I live.
Paul says in Philippians 3 that he wants to share in his sufferings – grow in them, pursue them, be like Christ so that he does suffer.
We don’t like suffering. But, without suffering we have no life.
I’m so thankful for modern hymnwriters. I’m also thankful for those who can take an old hymn and set it to new melody – or just take the old melody and make it to where you want to sing it today. Usually that means different set of instruments or more emotion in the voice.
This song is fairly new to me, since we’ve been going to our new church here in the ATL area. It was written in the 1600s. That’s old. Well, old compared to most hymns. Most modern churches won’t sing it. But, I love it. This version is my husbands favorite of the song. While I love Fernando’s version with the incredible harmonies. The lyrics are so rich and have so much depth of the gospel in them.
And keeping with the personal pronoun theme, I love how the song ends – speaking of our time in Heaven:
This is my Friend, in Whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.
