Charles Wesley could not have been more on point when he wrote about the “long expected Jesus.” Adam and Eve looked forward to His coming when they first heard the promise. Every son that was born brought hope to parents that this could be the Messiah. From the days of Enoch, patriarch and prophets recalled…
Category: OPEN YOUR HYMNALS TO
My first introduction to this hymn was in the Philippines. The music coordinators of the Adventist university church where I regularly attended chose it as the regular hymn of response to close the service, right before the postlude. It seemed like an appropriate choice for a hymn for it outlines what Seventh-day Adventists and other…
It was the belief about the second coming of Christ that the Seventh-day Advent movement was formed. Hence, it is not a surprise that this is one of the main themes in our worship and theology. This particular hymn was sung during those early formative years of Adventism. For the Adventist to sing this after…
One of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s most popular sonnets is “How Do I Love Thee” where she lists the depth of her love for her husband through hyperbole, or exaggeration. Joachim Neander wrote “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” in the same vein by listing the reasons why we should praise God. However, instead of using…
Somehow I cannot relate to a filthy rag until I had to change a toddler’s diaper. Smelly, yucky and nasty. Ironically, that’s exactly how my righteousness look like.Maybe even worse. But what I cannot come to grasp with is God. Why in His High, Almighty, All-Powerful state would send His son –equally preeminent as He…
Four things Charles Tindley enumerated when he examined his relationship with Christ. Could it be that I have the same four things coming in between my relationship with Him? This world’s delusive dreams Promises of security. A well-paying job. A prettier look. A fully-upgraded life. People cheer me on. A thousand likes on an edited…
Jewels are pretty to look at. Not only that, but they are extremely valuable too. To have in possession a single authentic jewel is to be considered of inestimable worth. Why? Many jewelers say it is because of its rarity, beauty, and the type of polishing they go through, which is alot. Christians are like jewels too.…
I’m one of those guilty people who used to sing mindlessly in church. In fact, most times, I would lip sync my way through the motion. Especially if the song is one of those plain, old boring (too many stanzas) hymn that’s been sung too many times. “There is a Fountain” written by William Cowper…
George Beverly Shea could have had an easily popular music career. After all, he had 500 vocal solos recorded on more than seventy albums. He was nominated for ten Grammy Awards, and actually won one in 1966. But fame and popularity aside, Shea chose to serve God instead. You would probably be more familiar with…