Because we aren’t able to meet physically for choir practice and worship services during this time of social distancing, our music and worship director from our church sent a devotional video to us this week to keep in touch and encourage us. In it, he asked us to answer two questions in the comments on the Facebook post: 1.) What songs bring you joy in times of sorrow? and 2.) What songs draw you closest to God? I got to thinking that there are so very many songs that fit these roles in my life - too many to answer in a comment, and I decided to ponder it in a blog post. Even here, it’s impossible to list every song that speaks in these ways to me, but I’m going to share a few, and only a few, not even close to all of them, and some memories or comforts and why they're special to me.
I’ve mentioned before on this blog how much comfort I’ve gained from my old Baptist Hymnal. Since I was young, I remember pulling it out and going through it and finding myself drawn near to God through the melodies and words of so many of the hymns. They are rich with solid truths about God, and because they’ve been such a part of my life forever, they’re full of precious memories and emotions, too.
One hymn that has been an anchor hymn for me is, “There is a Fountain,” by William Cowper. I remember many, many, many nights rocking my crying babies and singing and crying with them as a new mom, and for some reason, this one came often to mind. I just love how much comfort I’ve always drawn from this song, all my guilty stains, all my sin, washed away by Jesus’ blood, and how it goes on to think of our blessed hope - saved to sin no more, redeeming love has been my theme and shall be til I die; when this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave, then in a nobler, sweeter song I'll sing thy power to save - glory! Sometimes this was the only song that would come fully to mind, and I sang it often in those early, exhausted, baby-blues nights. Sometime many years later we were singing this hymn at church and my oldest boy, who was in high school by then, told me he just loved that hymn. I told him that’s probably partly because he’s heard it many times since he was teeny tiny as I sang it to him often, often through my own tears.
There’s a song that New Song used to sing and every time I hear it, first I’m drawn to worship our “Forever King,” but it also makes me a little teary because I cannot hear it without hearing Simeon Nix, our former music pastor from our church when we lived in Florida, who I’m sure sang it at some point and who is in Heaven now. That makes me think about how one day all of our voices will get to join the great Hallelujah Chorus of Heaven when we see Jesus, and that draws me to worship my Savior.
A song that touched me deeply around the time that we experienced our miscarriages was, “Blessed Be Your Name,” by Matt Redman. I first heard it around that time as a congregational song at the church we were attending at that time, and I remember holding onto it as I wept with grief and held onto the peace of Christ that passes all understanding, even in the midst of grief.
There were four songs that I have played over and over from Casting Crowns which I love: "Lifesong," "Voice of Truth," "Praise You in This Storm," and "And Now My Lifesong Sings."
When we lived in Cleveland, we came to love the Gettys’ music, and I have to say pretty much anything they’ve written brings me comfort and draws me close to God. That year was such a very lonely year, but our church was the one truly bright spot for me, and it was there that we learned to love this music. A couple songs of theirs that I come back to again and again are some that I learned later while we lived in Texas, “Living Waters,” and “The Lord is My Salvation,” are two of my favorites.
Another memory I have from that lonely year in Cleveland was from an evening service when our pastor had just preached a sermon on Heaven and our hope in Christ. The closing hymn was, “It is Well With My Soul,” and I remember getting chills with tears coming down my cheeks. There is something holy about standing in a room full of people who love Jesus with abandon, and totally believe what they are singing, with thoughts of Christ and Heaven fresh on their minds. You could feel the people in that room reaching out to our Savior and loving Him and drawing near to Him in the simplicity of the acoustic instruments and the triumphant voices. That was a glimpse, and only a glimpse, of what our worship in Heaven will be like when we see Him and know Him face to face.
Another hymn that came to have special meaning to me is one that I think I’ve only ever heard but one time in church, but that one time was incredibly significant: “Nearer, Still Nearer.” We had just moved to Texas that summer, and it was about a week before school was to start. My oldest son had spent the last month attending band camp for his high school and had already made some close friends. One Sunday afternoon, the Sunday before classes were to start the next day, we got the message that something tragic had happened and there was a meeting that afternoon in the band room. Josh’s friend, one of the first people he had met after moving there, had lost his life suddenly and the whole band was left grieving. That was a hard, hard thing. The next Sunday, while singing hymns that were just incredibly uplifting, we sang, “In Christ Alone,” and then, “Nearer, Still Nearer.” I looked over at my son who suddenly sat down with his head in his hands, sobbing. Afterward, he said, “What was that hymn? It was so good.” That was another time God used music to comfort us in our sorrow.
In this time when so many around us are spiraling in anxiety, I found "Sovereign Over Us," to be comforting and it lifts our attention away from us to our merciful and all-powerful God.
As to songs that draw me close to God, again, there are just so very many. I love songs that remind me of the attributes and character of God, and of His love and overwhelming mercy to us. Just a few songs that always lift my attention to Jesus are, “Behold Our God,” “His Mercy is More,” “All I Have is Christ,” “In Christ Alone,” “I Can Only Imagine,” “Come Praise and Glorify,” "Is He Worthy?" and there are so very many more I could list.
Here are a few more of my favorite hymns (again, just a few) which have often brought comfort in sorrow and drawn me close to God:
“All Glory, Laud and Honor”
“All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”
“All the Way My Savior Leads Me”
“Amazing Grace”
“Be Thou My Vision”
“Come, Ye Disconsolate”
“Crown Him With Many Crowns”
“Fairest Lord Jesus”
“Holy, Holy, Holy”
“How Firm a Foundation”
“I Know Whom I Have Believed”
“I Need Thee Every Hour”
“Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”
“Jesus Paid it All”
“More Love to Thee, O Christ”
“My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”
“My Faith Has Found a Resting Place”
“Nearer, My God to Thee”
“O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus”
“Rock of Ages”
“Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us”
“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”
These are only the tip of the iceberg. As soon as I hit publish I’ll remember many more, old and new, that really should be mentioned here. I’m very thankful for music.
And in these days of social distancing and coronavirus concern, I've been enjoying very much singing the Doxology when I wash my hands to get that 20 seconds of cleanliness. What a unique way to turn my attention to my Creator and Savior. When the world is living in anxiety, we can have confidence in the one who is Sovereign over all things - even these days, and who is working all things, all things, together for good for those who love Him and for His glory. Glory.
God gave us such a gift when He gave us music. I’m thankful for old hymns, and I’m thankful that even though a lot of modern worship music can be shallow and won’t stand the test of time, God is still raising up good song writers who are writing modern hymns and songs that will stand the test of time and are rich with deep theological truths we can hang onto in dark and uncertain times - songs that help us find joy in sorrow and draw near to God. Look for those songs and sing them well.
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