Tuesday, October 6, 2009

A few hymns and some thoughts

Onward Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ the royal Master,
Leads against the foe.
Forward into battle,
See his banor go.
Onward Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
How many times have you stopped and thought what this was about? I've known this song almost all my life, I have fond memories of singing this song amongst others in the car on the way somewhere. We would always sing a hymn (usually more than one, lol) when we were in the car, it became like a habit. But I never really stopped to think about what the words meant. I would always get an mental picture of a whole army of warriors dressed in immaculate red tunics, chain mail with the metal helmets and swords marching along singing "Onward Christian Soldiers" then a (very clean) battle scene, that image changed along with my knowledge it became a parade of priests dressed in their long flowing white robes and the front man carrying a cross. But now I think its time to change, it should be a mental picture of someone kneeling down in prayer with their Bible not far away, unaware of anything else except their God.
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear,
What a privilege to carry
Every thing to God in prayer
Is there trials and temptation,
Is there trouble anywhere,
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Basically self explanatory :).

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 is another one of those first songs I ever learnt, singing them in the car.
Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount!
I'm fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.
Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I'm come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor daily
I'm constrained to be! Let thy goodness,
like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart,
O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.
This isn't one of the first hymns I ever heard or learnt but it is my favorite. But I do not like the story behind it. Apparently the man who wrote this fell away from the Lord and died in his sin. It saddens me that he could write this song and in it say "Oh to grace how great a debtor, daily I'm constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above." and not believe the words he wrote!
Amazing Grace,
how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.
When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.
And the grand old classic. I sometimes wonder if this is the first song people think of when they hear the word Christian... Just a thought.
Will try and put these songs on my playlist as soon as possible.

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