Songs

I love hymns! I'm so thankful that I grew up in a church where hymns were sung regularly. I remember when I was in college--Liberty was "loose enough" to have praise and worship choruses as the main form of "worship", save for a few rousing Baptist classics if Dr. Falwell was feeling the spirit ("Are You Washed in the Blood?", "I'll Fly Away", and my personal favorite, "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder").

One Sunday morning the Chamber Singers group I sang with was singing in a Methodist church near town. We lined up to process in and our director gave us the hymn number of the song we were processing to. The strains of "Come Christians, Join to Sing" began and I started balwing as we processed in=one of my favorite hymns (we sang it at my wedding!) and it made me homesick and happy to be singing something familiar.

I have a devotional I like to use sometimes called "Then Sings My Soul" which tells the history of classics sacred tunes. "Come Chirstians, Join to Sing" was originally written for children, which got me thinking...I thought about the neat little ditties I learned in Sunday School (The B-I-B-L-E, Jesus Loves the Little Children), the post-70's church camp era songs (Seek Ye First, I Am the Resurrection, Don't You Wonder Why), then favorites from youth ministry and college...and, not being a parent, it made me wonder what songs children are learning today? Especially if most newer, contemporary churches are NOT singing hymns? I like modern praise and worship, yes...but give me a hearty "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" any day!

Whenever I have to travel west or north of where we live I tune into Family Radio (NOT FOR THE CONTENT!), specifically for the songs because they sing hymns and sacred songs...I wonder what we'll be singing in heaven? In Jesus's time, they chanted and in fact, if I recall this correctly, the Orthodox Church (which is what most closely resembles the church in Christ's time) only uses the same 8 notes for all it's music (sung, no instruments). Whatever it will be will be beautiful and perfect I'm sure. I'm just thankful that as a child and beyond, worship music has been hidden in my mind and heart, so that when I run across a verse like Psalm 28:7 (like I did this morning):

"The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him."

I have plenty of songs with which to praise Him...