Mark Copeland posted this song on facebook this morning and I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share it with you. I have always love singing, but too many bygone years of smoking (40+ years ago) and two thyroid operations have pretty much wrecked my voice. Oh, I still can sing, but nowhere as loud (some might say that this is a blessing) and for a much shorter time before I lose my voice. I guess I just needed to hear something positive today, so this wonderful hymn hit the spot. I have been singing this particular hymn for many decades now, but for the vast majority of the time, it has been in a worship environment. Somehow, it always evokes something very reassuring in me. Something about the harmony and the message seem to click. This particular rendition is marvellous- so please listen to it!!! More than just pleasing, it tells of God's work; creation and redemption. When I think of Christ on the Cross, I tend to get a bit emotional, and faith based solely on emotions is a very dangerous thing. But that (mere emotion) is not what Christianity is about!!! It is about fact; fact that there is truly a God, he has worked with human beings throughout history and that his son, Jesus, was exactly who he said he was and lastly, that he was resurrected from the dead. FACT, NOT FICTION!!! Paul puts it this way...
1 Corinthians, Chapter 15
1 Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.
There is an old saying- don't confuse me with the facts; I have my mind made up. Well, don't confuse me- make the truth PLAIN. This is EXACTLY WHAT PAUL DOES!!!! I really hope you enjoy the hymn, its melodic harmony's are ascetically pleasing - but the message is one that I hope will stay with you through the hardest times. Who knows; you just might find yourself singing it when you need it the most- I have!!!!
May God bless you today!!!
Your Friend,
Gary