Jesus said, and in Matthew 20:28 we read, “The son of man came not to be served, but to serve.” Service should therefore be the highest desire of every Christian. Kelly Willard, in his hymn “Make Me a Servant”, gives us the words we need to petition the Lord for a humble heart of service […]
The Christian’s journey toward holiness can be seen as a cycle of revelation and response. For example, when the true extent of God’s love is revealed to us, we, in turn, desire to love more deeply. The fourth and final verse of the hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” written by the prolific and […]
In the third verse of the classic hymn, “Rock of Ages,” written by Augustus Toplady, the eternal expectation of the Christian is wonderfully described. This verse expresses a heart of hope that overcomes the fear of death and looks singly to the glory that awaits us. While I draw this fleeting breath, When my eyes […]
Of all the hymns of Charles Wesley, none speak to my own motivations and desires as does “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing.” Like David, who regularly spoke of praising God “in the great assembly”, this hymn reminds me of the inadequacy of my single voice to worship our Lord as he deserves. We […]
Teacher and writer Eliza Edmunds Hewitt (1851-1920) became handicapped by a serious spinal injury early on in her life. Rather than becoming bitter at her condition, Eliza turned to the study of English literature and hymn-writing. In 1887 she composed these encouraging lyrics to the hymn “More About Jesus.” These words encourage us to be […]
The Great Commission is a command for all believers, one we often find difficult to put into action. Leon Tucker wrote the helpful words to this little hymn sometime during the nineteenth-century. Though “short and sweet,” as they say, these lyrics, from “Lord, Lay Some Soul upon My Heart”, simply ask for God’s help and […]
The hymn, “Take Time To Be Holy”, written by William Longstaff, is a call to holiness, yet not in any vague way. The words of this song are full of wisdom and practical advice for the believer. This one verse by itself encourages us to be holy, to pray, to abide in Him, to read […]
Horatio Spafford wrote the hymn, “It Is Well with My Soul,” after suffering a number of extreme personal trials including the death of all four of his daughters in a collision at sea. Despite this terrible tragedy and while visiting the site of this unbearable loss, he was still able to pen the lyrics to […]
Adelaide Pollard, a saintly woman and Christian mystic, deeply desired to minister in Africa. Frustrated by an inability to raise the required funds, her own plans failed to materialize. However, inspired by the selfless prayer of an elderly woman she had met, Adelaide gave up her own will in submission to God’s and wrote the […]
It is little wonder that “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus” became one of the theme songs for The Salvation Army. The lyrics of this hymn, written by George Duffield in 1858, along with its driving melody composed by Adam Geibel almost 40 years later, encourages us to “Be alert, stand firm in the faith, […]