SINGING THE WONDERFUL STORY

SINGING THE WONDERFUL STORY

It is wonderful to know that in the midst of trials and the struggles we all go through, God gives a song.  It seems like music just comes out of the depths of my heart at times.  I grew up with hymns, and they are always with me.  They encourage me in times of discouragement and in times of joy. 

Hymns tell the story of the love of Jesus, His Mighty Power and His salvation at the cross. We sing hymns of His birth at Christmas and hymns of His mighty resurrection at Easter.  Songs of Heaven make us want to shout for joy and long for His soon return and our eternal home. Some magnify our Mighty King and call us to worship.   I could go on and on, as hymns have blessed the church for hundreds of years.  And hymns become personal to each one in given situations.

 A hymn may bring back a memory of an event that happened long ago, or it may bring comfort in time of sorrow.  I remember in times of pain or distress when the Lord has brought a hymn to my mind.  Sometimes I have not heard that song for many years nor have heard it sung in recent years. Here is one we sang in our church when I was a child, and I found it in an old hymnbook.  Many of you will remember the tune to this precious hymn that I have included here.  And truly our Salvation causes us to sing of Jesus, our Wonderful Lord and His great love for us!

I WILL SING THE WONDROUS STORY

“I will sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me – how He left His home in glory for the cross of Calvary.

Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me, sing it with the saints in glory, gathered by the crystal sea.

I was lost but Jesus found me – found the sheep that went astray, threw His loving arms around me, drew me back into His way.

Days of darkness still come o’er me, sorrow’s paths I often tread; but the Savior still is with me – by His hand I’m safely led.

He will keep me till the river rolls its waters at my feet’ then He’ll bear me safely over where the loved ones I shall meet.”

Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me, sing it with the saints in glory, gathered by the crystal sea. (Francis Harold Rowley (1854-1943)

Yes, how wonderful it is to sing about our Jesus, who came to this earth, God in the flesh, as a little baby, with one goal in mind, to die on that cross for you and for me, to bring us forgiveness of sins by His shed blood.  And we sing of His glorious resurrection from the tomb and the wonderful promise of eternal life with Him!

“What man of you having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? “And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” Luke 15:4-7.

Think of that, my friends.  Are you one of His lost sheep?  I too was a lost sheep, but my Jesus found me when I was but a child and drew me into His loving arms.  And He wants to draw you back into His arms if you have wondered away from Him.  He is the Good Shepherd who goes after His precious sheep.  And think of the rejoicing in Heaven when one of His lost sheep is found!  I try to imagine what the angel chorus must be like when another sinner enters the fold!  The angels must have a “party” continuously!

We all have our dark days and we all experience sorrow.  We stumble and fall as we walk this path with Jesus.  Some days we don’t see the “Son.”  But He is there behind those dark clouds of fear and tears.  The day may be foggy and the storm howling around us, but Jesus is there and leading us by the hand through that storm.  Oh, Praise the Lord!  I have been through some stormy times lately and know of others who are going through some storms right now.  But we know that He promises to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).  Here is a simple chorus we used to sing and it speaks of those clouds that come into our lives and Jesus is the only one we can look to in those times.

“Jesus is the one, yes, He’s the only one.  Let Him have His way until the day is done.  When He speaks you know the clouds will have to go, just because He loves you so.”

And He promises to keep us until that day, when we cross the last mile of the way, when all those storms come no more, we can enter Heaven’s glory with a song in our heart forever singing with the angel chorus of the love that that He has shown us along the way as we walked with Him.  Forever we will sing the wonderful story of His love. 

Think of that, my friends, being with wonderful Savior forever and ever.  And I trust you can claim Him as your Savior and look forward to an eternity of joy everlasting, singing around the throne with all the saints gathered there.  What a reunion we look forward to, loved ones, friends and those gone on ahead of us!  Let us keep a song in our heart, as we remember our Precious Lord this day and the victories that have been won.  Praise His Holy Name!

Pastor Sharon