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Saturday, May 28, 2011

The Songs We’re Singing Sunday


Songs for May 29, 2011:

O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing    
Words: Charles Wesley, 1734; Music: Carl G. Glaser
What amazing words. I love this hymn. I was reading a little about its history here. I want that heart of worship in me – the kind that says along with Peter Böhler, “Had I a thousand tongues I would praise Him with them all!” What a deep longing - an almost unutterable - unsingable longing to honor and bless our great God. 

How Deep the Father’s Love for Us  
Words and Music by Stuart Townend, 1995
I love songs that acknowledge who we are without God’s amazing grace. In this song we call ourselves wretches, that it was our sin that was on His shoulders, holding Him to the cross and that we too were calling out with those who scoffed and ridiculed Him. Amazing. O how I need to remember this daily, hourly... When I am ready to boast and feed my pride, what a blessing to return to the cross and hear my voice among the scoffers. Thank you God for Your rescuing love that saves us from the Your deserved wrath.

I Stand Amazed     
Written by: Charles H Gabriel, 1905
This song is an excellence response to the truths we acknowledged in the last song. “How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior’s love for me!.” I love how hymns so often have a last verse that talks about death and heaven. Here we sing, “When with the ransomed in glory His face I at last shall see, ’Twill be my joy through the ages to sing of His love for me." When we sing verses like that, I think how awesome it would be for God just to take us all to glory so we can continue singing in His presence.

All I Have is Christ     
by Jordan Kauflin, 2008
We sang this song together for the first time a month or so ago. LOVE it. Again, we are remembering where we’ve come from: running – not walking, tiptoeing or being pushed along with hesitant hearts – running a hell-bound race. But Christ looked upon our helpless state and bore the wrath and now all we know is grace. We have NOTHING but Him and HALLELUJAH for that! “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You.” Psalm 73:25  Watch here to see us singing along with Bob Kauflin and Enfield at Resolved, 2010.

It is Well With My Soul   
Words: Horatio Spafford, Music by Philip Bliss
Wade asked that we sing this song this week. It is wonderful. If you don’t know its history, read about it here. “Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul!”

As always, please let me know if you have any questions or comments. I look forward to signing with you Sunday!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Songs We're Singing Sunday


It is fitting that this would end up being my first blog post as it is the foremost reason I wanted to start writing in the first place. I of course want to post on other wonderful things like my little Eliora, what I'm sewing, glueing, painting, adoring, reading, cooking, and so on. But ever since I was asked to lead worship at First Baptist, I felt like God was leading me to write about the songs we are singing on Sundays. 



I love my church. I love that I go to the church in which I grew up, was baptized, and was married... a church that still uses hymnals and has pews and a steeple. It isn't because a body of believers needs to be housed in any particular fashion - a warehouse, beach pier or backyard will do just fine for the people of God. I guess it's because we aren't ashamed to be "churchy" or old. I happen to like old (except when it comes to old movies - they just aren't my thing). And even though it makes planning the songs a pain sometimes, I kinda like that you don't see a big screen with Power Point on it...kinda. 
Speaking of old, I heart hymns so so so very much. What depths of theological bliss can be found in them. In addition to hymns, I love, love modern hymns (especially from the Getty Family), vintage and new praise songs (Sovereign Grace rocks my world) and just about anything that combines accurate doctrine and beautiful music. I am passionate about expressing affection for God through our music while keeping His holiness and sovereignty in full view. There is a lot of worship music out there. Some should never EVER be sung... ever. And sometimes a new song is so killer-wonderful that I can't rest until we sing it together as a church family. I am extra-super-duper careful about the songs that I choose, so much so that I am thinking about what we are singing pretty much all week long. 

Anyway, with all this thought and time and wracking my brain about whether to sing that new song that no one knows yet, it feels right to tell someone besides my dear husband about the songs we are singing every week. (I have THE best husband by the way.) So, here we are. I'd love to show you this Sunday's songs.

This week's Songs:
Come Thou Fount    Words by Robert Robinson, 1757; Music: John Wyeth
All Creatures of Our God and King   Words: Francis of Assisi, 1225. Music: 17th Century German
Bless His Holy Name     By Andrae Crouch, 1973
I Will Glory in My Redeemer     By Steve and Vikki Cook © 2001 Sovereign Grace Worship 
And Can it Be That I Should Gain   Words: Charles Wesley, 1738  Music: Thomas Campbell, 1825. Listen to Enfield leading us at Resolved.

No new songs this week. We've sung I Will Glory in My Redeemer once before so it is on the newish side. Such a great song. Listen to it here. I love the words that say, "I will glory in my Redeemer whose priceless blood has ransomed me, Mine was the sin that drove the bitter nails, And hung Him on that judgment tree." I look forward to singing with you Sunday!