I GAVE MY LIFE FOR THEE

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself the question, what have I done with my life? That was a question that Frances R. Havergal (1836 - 1879), much like us, often asked herself. When she was 22 she was visiting relatives in Germany. She was weary from visiting sites there and as she sat to rest in an art museum in Dusseldorf she saw a painting of Christ, wearing a crown of thorns, standing before Pilate and the mob. Under the painting by Sternberg were the words, "This have I done for thee; what hast thou done for Me?" She was deeply moved and with tears in her eyes she found a piece of scrap paper and scribbled down what would become the words of this great hymn. Returning home from her trip, she decided that the poetry really was poor so she threw it into a stove. Somehow the paper was scorched but not burnt and it floated out of the flames and landed on the floor. Later it was found there by her father, the Rev. Eilliam Havergal, an Anglican minister who himself was a poet and musician. He encouraged her to preserve the poem by composing the first melody for it. Later the tune for this test was composed by the noted American gospel songwriter, Philip P. Bliss, and was first published in 1873. Since then the hymn has been sung by thousands around the world. And this week the hymn should remind us that Christ gave His life for us. He left all the glories of heaven to pay a terrible price so that we could be ransomed. His precious blood has made our salvation possible. And the question remains, what have we done for Him?

1. I gave My life for thee,

My precious blood I shed,

That thou might'st ransomed be,

And quickened from the dead;

I gave, I gave My life for thee,

What hast thou given for Me?

I gave, I gave My life for thee,

What hast thou given for Me?

2. My Father's house of light,

My glory circled throne,

I left, for earthly night,

For wanderings sad and lone;

I left, I left it all for thee,

Hast thou left aught for Me?

I left, I left it all for thee,

Hast thou left aught for Me?

3. I suffered much for thee,

More than the tongue can tell,

Of bitterest agony,

To rescue thee from hell;

I've borne, I've borne it all for thee,

What hast thou borne for Me?

I've borne, I've borne it all for thee,

What hast thou borne for Me?

4. And I have brought to thee,

Down from My home above,

Salvation full and free,

My pardon and My love;

I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee,

What hast thou brought to Me?

I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee,

What hast thou brought to Me?

It was hard to find a music video for this hymn because so many are sung to a different melody than the one that I remember and find in current hymn books. And the few that do use this melody are rather poorly done. But here is one that you can watch and listen to that is close. LISTEN

I AM HIS AND HE IS MINE

There are numerous hymns that I really miss singing and hearing. This week's is one of those. I have always loved this hymn because of the rich words and the beautiful harmony. Years ago my wife and I sang this as part of a mixed quartete and it was a blessing to sing it. It is also known to some as "Loved with Everlasting Love." The words were written by George W. Robinson (1838 - 1877) but little is known about him. Born in Ireland, Robinson was educated at Dublin's Trinity College, and later at New College in London. Later he became a pastor in Dudley. It is said that he became ill and resigned as pastor. Little is known about the cause of his illness and death. but this great hymn was written one year before his death which came at the young age of 39. The words do communicate that Robinson knew the Lord and knew where he was going after his death. He talks about this full and perfect peace which he obviously received from the Lord. I especially love the poetic words of the second verse which share what a believer can see that Christless eyes can never experience. And what a beautiful picture shared in verse three where the child of God is sheltered in the everlasting arms of the Father while the wild alarms of life are all around. The words of the fourth verse are even more powerful when one realizes that the author was ill and just a year away from death but realizing that nothing could part him from the Lord. What precious, powerful words. And what a joy to know that "I am His and He is mine!"

(1) Loved with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know;

Gracious Spirit from above, Thou hast taught me it is so!

O this full and perfect peace! O this transport all divine!

In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.

In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.

(2) Heav'n above is softer blue, Earth around is sweeter green!

Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen;

Birds with gladder songs o'erflow, flowers with deeper beauties shine,

Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine.

Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine.

(3) Things that once were wild alarms cannot now disturb my rest;

Closed in everlasting arms, pillowed on the loving breast.

O to lie forever here, doubt and care and self resign,

While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.

While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.

(4) His forever, only His; Who the Lord and me shall part?

Ah, with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart!

Heav'n and earth may fade and flee, firstborn light in gloom decline;

But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.

But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.

Listen to this great hymn here. LISTEN

THE LOVE OF GOD

This week much attention will be given to the subject of love. Many will celebrate Valentine's Day in a variety of ways. Huge amounts will be spent on cards, flowers, dining out, jewelry, and other gifts. And experiencing true human love is something special, especially when it is love between a husband and wife. But we all can experience true sacrificial love through our relationship with God, through Jesus Christ. God showed his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). And that love is far beyond any that can be shown or known on this earth. O love of God, so rich and pure, so measureless and strong. It shall forever more endure. And that is the stirring message of this week's hymn choice. The words were penned in 1917 by Frederick M. Lehman and were based on the Jewish poem written in Aramaic in 1050 by Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai, a cantor in Worms, Germany. Ironically, verse three was penciled on the wall of a narrow room in an insane asylum by a man said to have been demented. The profound lines were discovered when they laid him in his coffin. The general opinion was that this inmate had written the words in rare moments of sanity. I think one of my best memories of this hymn is hearing it sung by George Beverly Shea in many Billy Graham crusades. Shea recently celebrated his 103rd birthday. His solos have ministered to many millions over the decades. At the close of this blog you can hear a classic edition of Shea sharing this message of God's love.

(1) The love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star,

And reaches to the lowest hell;

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled,

And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints' and angels' song.

(2) When years of time shall pass away,

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,

When men, who here refuse to pray,

On rocks and hills and mountains call,

God's love so sure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam's race—

The saints' and angels' song.

Refrain

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints' and angels' song.

(3) Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above,

Would drain the ocean dry.

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

Refrain

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints' and angels' song.

Listen to it being sung by George Beverly Shea.

LISTEN

WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE

Last Sunday I received the news that my best friend had suddenly and unexpectedly died. I still have a difficult time believing this has happened. (See my blog for Feb. 3) I will miss him. In addition to my father, father-in-law and dear aunt, this is the fifth of my dear friends (Norm, Gary, Ralph, my brother Terry, and now Jim) who have died in the last six years. In fact I am now the only male in our wedding party that is still alive. But the good news is that all of these folks are in heaven. And that fact is what brought me to this week's choice. What a day that will be when we see Jesus and our dear friends once again. What a thrill it is to have that assurance as we face the loss of their friendship and companionship here on earth. This week's choice was written by Jim Hill. He relates that his mother-in-law became very sick. He was a very new Christian at the time and one day when he was coming home from work, he was asking God why this was happening to his mother-in-law. Then he said, words just starting filling his mind, but he did not have anything to write the words down. So when he got home he got out of the car, looked down and there was a old piece of cardboard. So he picked it up and wrote down the words to "What A Day That Will Be." The first person that Jim Hill sung the song for, was his sick mother-in-law. Since then the song has been an anthem of encouragement many times for many people. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4

(1) There is coming a day

When no heartache shall come

No more clouds in the sky

No more tears to dim the eye

All is peace forever more

On that happy golden shore

What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus:

What a day that will be

When my Jesus I shall see

And I look upon His face

The One who saved my by His grace

When He takes me by the hand

And leads me through the Promised Land

What a day, glorious day that will be

(2) There'll be no sorrow there

No more burdens to bear

No more sickness, no pain

No more parting over there

And forever I will be

With the One who died for me

What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus:

What a day that will be

When my Jesus I shall see

And I look upon His face

The One who saved my by His grace

When He takes me by the hand

And leads me through the Promised Land

What a day, glorious day that will be

Listen to it here. LISTEN