Join us over the next 21 days of worship devotion, where we focus on a different hymn story each day!
Day 1: It is Well with My Soul
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Horatio Spafford was a hard-working businessman with a beautiful family that he dearly loved. A much-needed vacation turned tragic and Horatio’s tremendous loss inspired this beloved hymn. Listen as Dr. Robert J. Morgan, author of the best-selling book collection, Then Sings My Soul, shares this tragic and compelling story.
REFLECTION
Horatio Spafford experienced great tragedy when his small children died at sea, but he had calm assurance that his children had found eternal safety in the arms of Christ. By looking ahead to Christ’s return, Spafford held fast to his commitment to live for Christ until that day. Jesus understands what challenges this life presents. Isaiah described him by saying, “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3a). So Jesus knows how to comfort those who experience grief and loss.
How about you? Do you need comfort and assurance about some tragedy, loss, grief, or illness? This great hymn points you to the One who can meet your need both today and tomorrow.
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
Pray that God would help you understand how deeply Jesus feels your pain and sorrow.
Ask God to help you focus on the blessings He has given and the hope that you have for the return of Jesus.
Seek God’s help through prayer for those you know who have suffered loss and suffer its pain.
Day 2: Blessed Assurance
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
The touching story of the gifted and humble Fanny Crosby. Although blinded and fatherless as a child, Fanny became one of the most prolific hymn-writers of all time. Assurance in the love of her Savior, Jesus Christ, kept Fanny confident and at peace even in the worst of times.
REFLECTION
Fanny Crosby has few peers as a hymn writer—maybe none. Because Fanny was blind, she had ample time to reflect on Jesus and what the Bible says about him. Would we not all do well to do the same? There in the Scriptures we find both Jesus and the assurance that only he can provide.
Because God uses our weaknesses to display his strength, Fanny expressed her faith in Jesus through her humility. Fanny had powerful female friends such as Phoebe Knapp, who is responsible for the music. But for Fanny there could be nothing better than perfect submission to Jesus, which she called “perfect delight.”
Though blind, Fanny spoke about her mental sight and how it showed her Jesus’ mercy and love. Have you found that mercy and love? Jesus promised to prepare a dwelling place in his Father’s house for all who gave him their allegiance (John 14:6). Make sure Jesus has prepared a place for you, and you can join all who daily enjoy blessed assurance.
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that you might often experience blessed assurance from knowing that Jesus has prepared a special place for you in the Father’s house.
• Ask God to defeat the doubts that assail us from the world and try to ruin our assurance about our relationship to Christ.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for all those who struggle with doubt about their salvation.
Day 3: Amazing Grace
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John Newton was one of the most powerful preachers of his time. But only through many dangers, toils and snares had he become what God called him to be. Listen to how this great man of God and this great hymn came to be.
REFLECTION
Not many men have served as both sea captains and literal slaves, but John Newton did. Dreadful life experiences led him to a deep appreciation for God’s grace, his mercy-gift through Jesus. This universally loved hymn never mentions Jesus’ name, although Newton knew him well.
The first two stanzas picture the profound transformation that salvation brings to “a wretch, like me.” Many Christians might balk at the label “wretch” until they learn more about how deeply lost and deluded they were before trusting in Jesus. Paul describes that state before trusting Jesus by saying, “You were dead in your transgressions and sins” (Ephesians, 2:1).
The last two stanzas describe the present and future that believers in Jesus can rely on: God’s promises brought to life. Do you rely on God’s gift, his amazing grace, to see us through life’s trials? Do you see a wonderful future through the promises God has made about days yet to come? This wonderful hymn from a powerful minister can take you there.
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that God will put his mercy-gift, his grace through Jesus Christ at the center of your life.
• Ask God to open your eyes to see the kindness he has shown you through Jesus.
• Seek God’s help through prayer as you read about his amazing grace in the New Testament; try doing so while reading John, chapter 1.
Day 4: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Would it be strange if you were told that this beautiful hymn was written by someone blind? Well, it’s true. Helen H. Lemmel, totally blind, wrote nearly 500 hymns. God blessed her with 97 years and she kept busy using her gift to bless others. Although blind and in poverty she would always say, “I’m doing well in all the things that count”.
REFLECTION
Many today can identify with feeling weary and troubled, the condition the blind hymn writer evokes in her opening stanza. How poignant it is for her to speak about a darkness without light, except for the light to look at Jesus. While we must all face our troubles, only Jesus can get us through them.
Peter learned that lesson during a dark, stormy night on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:22–32). Jesus had sent his own to cross the wind-tossed lake by boat while he stayed ashore to pray. Seeing Jesus walking across the lake, Peter asked to join him out on the water. Jesus gave the command, and Peter stepped out onto the water’s surface. Peter walked well until he took his attention from Jesus and focused on the wind. When he looked to Jesus for help, Jesus saved him and safely returned him to the boat.
Peter quickly forgot that the One who called him out of the boat had also commanded him, “Don’t be afraid” (Matthew 14:27). How about you? Are the waves high and the wind blowing hard? Take this moment to turn your eyes back to Jesus. There is salvation in no other (Isaiah 45:22).
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that God will offer you a moment to give his Son your full attention, and then cry out to him.
• Ask God to deliver you through the troubles you are facing.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for others you know are facing a storm in their lives, especially the poor and the oppressed.
Day 5: I Will Sing of My Redeemer
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Philip Bliss was 10 years old when he first heard a piano. The music so captured his heart that it became his passion to sing and play for God’s glory. His hymns became popular in churches all across the country. His last hymn was found after his tragic death at just 38 years old.
REFLECTION
We can only wonder what Philip Bliss might have done had he not died at age thirty-eight with his wife Lucy. Before his death, Bliss had written a large number of hymns that provided royalties he used to fund his ministry. At that time (1876), he was frequently traveling to appear at the huge evangelistic meetings held by Dwight L. Moody. Bliss died on such a journey.
To look at the text of this his last hymn is to understand that Philip Bliss had one focus: Jesus Christ and his saving death on the cross. When Bliss speaks in the chorus about Christ’s blood, that is a reference to his death on the cross that redeems us from slavery to sin. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In him we have redemption through his blood.”
Jesus did not give his life to redeem us so that we would keep on living as we had before. Paul reminds us: “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). How are you living as one of the redeemed and not as one of the world? What could you do today to honor the one who bought you?
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that God will remind you daily about the price paid so that you could have that wonderful hope which is life with Jesus in heaven.
• Ask God to help you find those who need the same redemption that you found.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for all those who are living in darkness just as you once were.
Day 6: Be Thou My Vision
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Did you know that only one Christian missionary has ever been honored with a global holiday? The fruits of this famous ambassador inspired believers for many centuries after his passing. Almost 400 years from the time of his ministry an unknown poet penned the words that were the basis of this much-loved hymn.
REFLECTION
Every mature Christian would love to have a rich legacy consisting of those devoted to Christ with a whole heart. Saint Patrick of Scotland had such an influence in Ireland. So much so that we acknowledge the sincere faith expressed in an eighth-century Irish poem as deriving from Saint Patrick’s teaching about Christ in earlier times.
This hymn stresses Christ’s constant presence with us to lead, guide, comfort, and encourage. In a world filled with much that deceives and misleads, the poet fixes his mind on the “High King of heaven,” who is “ruler of all.” Neither the world’s fleeting riches nor “man’s empty praise” will survive this life to give us value in the next; only Christ’s presence and love can fill us with hope for what is coming.
You should think long and hard—download the full lyrics—about how the poet’s final two stanzas compare to your own walk with Christ:
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that Christ will bring you a fresh appreciation for his continuing presence and care in your daily life.
• Ask God to lead you toward repentance about anything that stands in your way of gaining the type of closeness with Christ that this hymn describes.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for those you love and those in your church to discover the richness that only Christ can offer in this life and beyond.
Day 7: Just as I am
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Once vibrant and lively Charlotte Elliott fell ill with what we today call “chronic fatigue syndrome”. She became bitter, blaming God for her misfortune. Her doctor challenged her with a remedy for her bitterness, to give her heart to Jesus. She asked if God would take her “just as she was”. Charlotte came to Christ and wrote over 150 hymns before her death at 82. A section of one of her poems became the most popular invitational hymns of all time, Just As I Am.
REFLECTION
This great hymn uses repetition in a powerful way to deliver a gripping message: “Just as I am, . . . O Lamb of God, I come, I come.” The infirm author, Charlotte Elliott, had continual reminders about her condition, and many people can identify with that. She focused on Jesus’ promise in John 6:37b, which she read in the King James Version: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Jesus, who she repeatedly calls “Lamb of God,” would take her just as she was. That was what Charlotte needed to hear.
Through the friendship extended to her by a Christian minister, Charlotte had a clear idea about what would and would not save her. She came “without one plea” because nothing but Jesus’ blood—symbolic of his death on the cross—would work. She did not wait to clean up her life—“waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot”—because Jesus said “whoever comes to me” without asking for more than that.
Charlotte did not let her circumstances, doubts, or mental reservations keep her from coming just as she was “because thy promise I believe.” She trusted Jesus to receive her, welcome her, pardon her, cleanse her, and relieve her. And he did!
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that Christ will keep his offer open so that many more will come to him.
• Ask God to help you keep coming just as you are even after you have trusted in him alone.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for all those who still need to hear the good news about Jesus Christ, the One still holding the great door open.
Day 8: He Lives
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Alfred Ackley was little known in the world of hymn-writing until his righteous anger at a heretical radio preacher spurred him to compose one of the most loved hymns of the Easter season. His love of Jesus Christ and the truth of the miraculous Resurrection compelled Alfred to proclaim loudly and proudly, “HE LIVES!”.
REFLECTION
We each feel the pressure to go through the motions required by our life-situations. People have always done so through the ages. Even when death strikes within a family, there are routine steps to take. That’s what the women who loved Jesus were doing on that sad morning when they walked to his tomb to anoint his body with aromatic spices (Luke 24:1–3).
But this was no routine morning. First, they found Jesus’ tomb empty. The women had only a moment feeling perplexed before two men in dazzling clothes confronted their routine behavior by asking, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5). Further, the two dazzling figures reminded them that Jesus had already told them he would rise on the third day. “Then they remembered his words” (Luke 24:8).
How about you? Are you plodding along through your routines as if Jesus were still dead? No, he lives! Hundreds, perhaps thousands, saw Jesus after he rose to life. The Bible explains all this, so how can we let our routines lull us back into forgetfulness?
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that Christ will remind you daily that he lives, and that you must live for him in all your routines.
• Ask God to lead you toward a deeper appreciation for Christ’s resurrection and what it means.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for believers you know who are still plodding along as if Jesus had not risen.
Day 9: What a Friend We Have in Jesus
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Tragedy was an unwelcome companion to Joseph Scriven. His first love drown just days before their marriage. Many years later, he was engaged again to Eliza Roche. She fell ill with tuberculosis and he lost her before the ceremony. He dedicated his life to serve others, often going without basic needs to provide for the less fortunate. Only after his death was an encouraging poem that he had written to his mother discovered. That poem was basis to the treasured hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus.
REFLECTION
When you need a special friend, nothing else will do. Mary, the sister to Lazarus of Bethany, felt that way when her brother got seriously sick, so she sent a message to summon their dear friend Jesus (John 11:3). There was just one problem: certain Jews in Judea where Bethany was situated wanted to kill Jesus and had recently tried.
When Jesus got the message, he took actions that few would consider reasonable. First, he stayed in place for two days (until Lazarus had died), and then he told his disciples that he was returning to Judea to wake Lazarus, no matter the risk (John 11:5–15). After Jesus had arrived and comforted the sisters—for both Mary and her sister Martha had put all their faith in him—Jesus called their brother back to life (John 11:43–44). As a result, the Jewish leaders doubled down on their plans to kill Jesus (John 11:47–53).
Some see Jesus only as a friend-of-last-resort. They cry out his name when the tornado draws near, or their car begins to roll after a collision. But those who have not previously become Jesus’ friend may hear him say: “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:23). May that not be you!
While time remains, make friends with Jesus by surrendering your life to him. He will be your friend at all times, even beyond death.
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that Jesus will become a closer friend, one you talk to daily.
• Ask God to help you develop a closer relationship to Jesus.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for all who need Jesus to become their friend.
Day 10: There is a Fountain Filled with Blood
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
William Cowper is proof that a Christian can be used by God even when plagued by doubts and anxiety. When very young, he lost his mother and often struggled with depression. God worked through him as he teamed up with William Wilberforce and John Newton to abolish slavery in Britain. He was also gifted as a poet and songwriter. His hymn, There is a Fountain Filled with Blood, reminds us of the great sacrifice paid by our Savior, and the forgiveness He offers.
REFLECTION
Before America became a nation, this great hymn found its way into print as a poem. Over the centuries some Christians have found the first stanza grotesque, but Cowper—writing in a romantic age—was vividly picturing God’s boundless mercy toward us through Christ’s death. Scripture also uses such images: “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity” (Zech. 13:1). The Apostle John writes about Jesus when he says, “to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (Rev. 1:5).
In the second stanza Cowper depicts two sinners who entered that saving fountain. The first is a person beloved by so many: the thief on a cross near Jesus who defended Jesus during his crucifixion and, as a result of his faith, joined Jesus in paradise that same day (Luke 23:32–43). Cowper says that he himself, with equal sins, has also gone to the fountain for forgiveness.
What about you? Jesus bled for you too, and his death made possible full forgiveness for your sins, but there is nothing automatic about it. God gives his abundant mercy to those who seek him, and that is what Cowper declared. Have you sought that mercy or offered it to others?
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that Christ will help you accept that Jesus has fully paid for your sins by spilling his blood on the cross.
• Ask God to lead you toward a greater appreciation for God’s abundant mercy through Christ.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for reaching others who need to seek that fountain.
Day 11: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Isaac Watts, often recognized as the “Father of English Hymnody”, was a gifted song-writer. Many of his most well-known hymns were penned before he reached the age of 30. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross was released in his first book of hymns in 1707 and has endured for over 300 years as one of favorites of the Christian faith.
REFLECTION
When Isaac Watts wrote the lyrics for this hymn, he did so in an age when deep reflection on serious subjects held a high value. When Watts set himself such a goal, he chose the one thing most worthy for his reflection: the wondrous cross on which Jesus Christ died for all. Watts chose this subject because the Apostle Paul wrote, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14a).
Before the end of the first stanza, boasting in Christ’s cross has led Watts to cast aside material gain and personal pride. In the second stanza, Watts renounces the empty things that charm him most because they must yield to the blood shed by Christ—always a metaphor for Christ’s death. The third stanza reveals that Watts sees the flowing blood as an unparalleled combination of love and sorrow.
The final two stanzas move toward personal applications that emerge from the last half of Galatians 6:14: “The world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Christ’s death on the cross means you cannot go on living as you did before: “Love so amazing, so divine,/ Demands my Soul, my Life, my All.” Do you agree with Isaac Watts? What do your commitments say?
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that Christ will enable you to clearly see those actions and commitments in your life that cannot stay.
• Ask God to lead you toward a greater focus on Jesus and what he did for you in particular.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for those around you who need to see Jesus standing at the center of all Christian faith, knowledge, and action.
Day 12: Holy, Holy, Holy
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
A tragic death, an old traveling trunk, and a determined wife brought this great Trinitarian hymn to light. Reginald Heber felt compassion for the people of India. Poverty and hopelessness had a grip on the people and God called him to go. It cost him his life but he left behind a legacy of praise and worship that we treasure still today.
REFLECTION
Many of us grew up singing this great hymn, but few of us understood it. Only in the twentieth century did biblical research discover—contrary to previous definitions—that the original word translated “holy” actually means “dedicated” or “consecrated.” If the old (mistaken) view made God feel far away and even coldly uncaring about our sinful world, the new definition sent a bolt of lightning!
To what is the Lord God Almighty dedicated? To reveal himself fully to humanity through the coming of Jesus Christ. To rescue any among lost humanity who would accept the amnesty offered only through Jesus. To overthrow the evil and unjust world system that oppresses all people. To judge the living and the dead through his risen Son, Jesus Christ, the righteous one. To dwell with his own in lasting peace.
Though the learned author did not know all this, his powerful appreciation for God both “merciful and mighty” leads us to fresh worship. To learn that the dedicated One who sits on the throne in heaven is the same One who died to save us must surely cause us to feel a strong wind from heaven that propels us to honor him.
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that Christ will open our eyes to see that he has dedicated himself not only to our salvation but to our flourishing as well.
• Ask God to lead you toward a greater knowledge about his commitments so that you can make them your own.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for all who think God has abandoned them to live and die alone.
Day 13: The Doxology
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Thomas Ken is often referred to the “England’s first hymnist. Before he began writing at the Winchester College for young men, only the Psalms were sung in worship services. Thomas had a faith that did not waver even when he was imprisoned for his Protestant beliefs. The simple lyrics of this tune are the most widely sung words of any hymn ever written.
REFLECTION
The first line from “The Doxology” puts our focus right where it belongs—on God. But it does so in a fascinating way: the verbs “praise” and “bless” are strongly related in that they are two alternate meanings for the same Greek verb, eulogeo. Ephesians 1:3 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” The Greek verb means to say something to commend, so, we praise God for blessing us with special powers in Christ. God’s commendation comes with power!
The second line, “Praise him all creatures here below,” uses the nuance from a former age in which “creatures” refers to humankind in a way that emphasizes God’s role as our Creator, who stands over and apart from his creation. Yet he made us in his image so that we might seek him, know him, and worship him.
The third line reminds us that our praise on earth matches that given in heaven by the heavenly host. At minimum, the heavenly host would refer to the myriad of angels who both know God’s splendor and serve him by ministering to us. Although we give little thought to their role among us, we accept it because the Bible reveals that role.
The final line in “The Doxology” reminds us to honor all three members of the Trinity. Perhaps this line reminds us that God created us, Jesus redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit empowers us. In every possible way, God the Almighty deserves our praise!
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that Christ will fill your life with blessings that lead to praise.
• Ask God to help you praise him as a constant practice during your life.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for all who keep looking down at this world rather than up at our God.
Day 14: How Great Thou Art
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
70 years, 4 languages, and the Billy Graham Crusade is what it took to get this worship hymn to the American audience. Dr. Robert J. Morgan shares the journey of this once forgotten hymn.
REFLECTION
In the original Hebrew, the last four words of Isaiah 45:18 say something profound: “I am the Lord, and there is no other.” God stands beyond any comparison because he is unique. To see his greatness, we need look no farther than the heavens and the earth, which he created.
Isaiah’s words call other Scripture to our attention: “The Lord is our God, the Lord is unique” (Deuteronomy 6:4). So, our God asks us, “To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal?” (Isaiah 40:25). There is no other!
For many of us, a trip to the mountains, the seashore, or a beautiful park allows us to better appreciate God’s power and his creativity. If such a trip is not practical, try to find some professional photographs that give you a window to see his great creation. Try the nature collection at www.gettyimages.com or www.flickr.com.
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that you would gain an increasing appreciation for how great God is.
• Pray that people might see God’s greatness by watching how Christians care for one another and for their neighbors.
• Pray that your church might fearlessly proclaim God’s greatness!
Day 15: Jesus Loves Me
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Anna and Susan Warner wrote poems and stories and sold them to help supplement the family income after a tragic financial setback. One of the books they co-authored “Say and Seal” held a tender poem that sparked the interest of a popular musician. He put a simple tune to Anna’s words and it has become the most well-known children’s hymn ever written. Listen as Dr. Morgan shares this touching story.
REFLECTION
Many of us have sung this hymn to our children, a purpose that fits its origins. However, I have noticed something: when worship leaders have adults sing this song in church, initial reluctance gives way to a slow but steady increase in our feeling the comfort that only Jesus can give. The steady repetition with “Yes, Jesus loves me” gets more powerful as time goes on. By the end of the hymn, people and singing with fresh enthusiasm about how Jesus loves them.
Perhaps this effect is not so strange. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). When he said “such as these,” did he mean literal children, or is this a metaphor about all of us? Jesus answered that question on another occasion when he told the crowd, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
Are you ready to lay aside worldly wisdom and whatever status you have gained? Are you willing to humble yourself before Jesus Christ? According to these verses, your answers will determine a lot. How much better it is to say, “Yes, Jesus loves me!”
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that God will help you realize how empty your ideas and actions are compared to his own revelation through Christ.
• Ask God to lead you toward a more childlike dependence on Jesus and the infallible Word of God, the Bible.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for a specific person who needs fresh humility before God the Almighty.
Day 16: Christ the Lord is Risen Today
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HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Charles Wesley is often overlooked since his more well-known brother, John, is remembered as the founder of the Methodist church. But Charles was a powerful evangelist himself and also a gifted musician. The Wesley’s preached salvation in Jesus in some very unfavorable circumstances but were blessed as many thousands came to faith in Christ. Charles used his ability to author many popular hymns but one of most celebratory is the great Easter hymn, Christ the Lord is Risen Today. Dr. Morgan shares the story of this man of God and how his preaching and music have touched the lives of millions.
REFLECTION
Charles Wesley, a cofounder of Methodism, wrote this triumphant hymn to celebrate his resurrected Savior on Easter. That explains why every line ends with “Alleluia!” We get that word from biblical Hebrew, and it means “Praise the Lord!” As well we should since the Father raised the Son to judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31).
A tablet on Wesley’s church describes him as “learned without pride, and pious without ostentation.” When you think about the character of great leaders, that is high praise! Such a man could give us powerful rhymes: “Love’s redeeming work is done . . ./ Fought the fight, the battle won . . ./ Death in vain forbids him rise . . ./ Christ has opened paradise.”
What is the case with you? Do you even think about what you are singing when you follow along at church? The first four verses from this great hymn borrow freely from God’s Word. But, in other cases, we should take care what we sing to honor God the Almighty and his risen Son.
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that Christ will help you think before you sing or speak to God.
• Ask God to lead you toward a deeper appreciation for the significance of Christ’s resurrection and its far-reaching consequences.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for achieving (with others) a higher level of Christian maturity than you currently have.
Day 17: Rock of Ages
Watch the video here.
HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Augustus Toplady was born to a widowed mother that spoiled him. He was disliked by his relatives, but his heart was tender to God and he turned his heart to preaching and hymn-writing at a young age. A long-running dispute, with contemporary John Wesley, led him to write an article that ended with a poem. That poem became one of the most popular gospel hymns of all time. Listen as Dr. Morgan shares this story.
REFLECTION
The many who love this great hymn have long connected its opening lines (“Rock of ages, cleft for me / Let me hide myself in Thee!”) with Psalm 94:22, which says, “The Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.” But the very next lines in the hymn show the author’s thoughts turning to the cross of Christ and particularly to his blood shed to save us from our sins.
This turn in Toplady’s thoughts makes sense when you realize that he came to Christ after hearing a sermon about Ephesians 2:13, which says, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” The lines in the hymn’s second stanza develop the truths from Ephesians 2:8–9 that declare any person’s works to be useless in accomplishing their redemption. “It is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
Have you found that rock of ages, the cross where Christ shed his blood for you? Do you yet realize that human works, even godly ones, cannot do for you what Christ alone has already done? If you have not done so, accept the gift from God by giving your allegiance to Jesus Christ.
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that Christ will give you clarity about where you stand in relation to Christ and his death on the cross.
• Ask God to lead you toward a deeper understanding of his Word and a greater heart to read it.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for strengthening your ties to a local church and urging others to do the same. The call is as strong today as it ever was, “Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together”.
Day 18: Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus
HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Dudley Tyng was an ardent abolitionist and passionate speaker at men’s conferences. At one meeting nearly 1,000 men gave their lives to Christ. Little did he know that an inspired comment he made during that message would soon become a tragic reality in his own life. Listen as Dr. Morgan shares the story of this anointed men’s leader.
REFLECTION
Many Christians who have sung this song with zeal have failed to realize its underlying inspiration. The hymn’s historical context infuses it with a focus that transcends its correct theological cadences. What is that underlying focus? In short, stand up for Jesus when doing so goes against the prevailing opinion held by others. Stand up for Jesus when doing so may come at a great cost, but failing to do so allows great injustice to go unchallenged.
George Duffield Jr. wrote this hymn after being inspired by the example of a colleague, Dudley Tyng, who (in 1856) had preached against the continuation and expansion of slavery even when that cost him a comfortable ministry in Philadelphia. Proclaiming the good news about salvation through Jesus can be offense enough when the godless hear it. To go beyond that and stand up like Jesus for liberation of the oppressed (Luke 4:18) takes the Christian courage described by this hymn.
What about you? Have you renounced the racism and favoritism that God opposes within the church (Galatians 3:28 and 2:6)? When Proverbs 16:19 says, “It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud,” how do you respond? Some of us have a long way to go in our journey toward standing up for Jesus.
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that Christ will sensitize you to stand up for unity within our churches and communities.
• Pray that God will help us discern falsehood from truth and not be swayed by the lies of mainstream media.
• Ask God to lead you toward a role in achieving the unity that he desires.
• Seek God’s help through prayer to help us not turn a blind eye toward societal problems that God has plainly addressed in his Word.
Day 19: A Mighty Fortress is Our God
Watch the video here.
HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Martin Luther was a fiery reformer, and that is how he is most remembered, but he was also a talented musician and hymn writer. He often set his lyrics to popular secular tunes of the day, but was criticized because of their association with drinking establishments. His passion for music was undeterred, although some in that day did not share his enthusiasm. This hymn, taken from Psalm 46, is Luther’s best-known and most loved.
REFLECTION
Few hymns can claim a world-famous author, but this one can. To appreciate the hymn, we must consider Martin Luther and his times. Luther, an ordained cleric, opposed certain abuses in the Roman Catholic Church, essentially the state religion for the Holy Roman Empire in which Luther lived. Luther had given his allegiance to Christ—in preference to the Church—and he saw the Bible as both God’s Word and his highest authority. All this brought the bold Luther great renown and great conflict; he lived his life in danger.
Luther translated the Bible into German so that his people could read it for themselves, not just get a secondhand report from their priest. He used his considerable musical skill to write many hymns that would move the hearts of his fellow Germans toward Christ. All of this did great good, but some of those in power pushed back hard.
Luther saw in this the apocalyptic conflict between God and Satan, who the third stanza calls “the prince of darkness grim.” From what has been said above, you will understand the air of battle that infuses the hymn. But the winner is never in question; Christ will triumph and fell his ancient foe with “one little word.” Through skillful translation by Frederick Hedge, we have strong rhyming that adds power to an already-powerful tune. “His kingdom is forever”!
However, each of us must face a similar fight. We must either give our allegiance to Christ, whatever the cost, or fall under the seductive sway exerted by Satan through the ample temptations the world offers: power, fame, sex, and money. An increasing number of people today seem to think they can stay out of the fight, and they consider themselves religiously uncommitted. But that only shows them to be spiritually “dead in [their] transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) because they have “followed the ways of this world” (Ephesians 2:2). If this describes you, seek Jesus while his offer of amnesty is still on the table.
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
• Pray that Christ will use this hymn to move you closer to him and to God’s Word, the Bible.
• Ask God to lead you toward repentance if you have fallen asleep by drifting along with this present world because that will end in profound grief.
• Seek God’s help through prayer for all those who still cannot see the spiritual conflict in which they stand.
Day 20: And Can it Be
Watch the video here.
HYMN STORY PREVIEW
Charles Wesley had many ups and downs in his early life. He wavered from a frivolous lifestyle to one of strict legalism. But in his early thirties he was truly converted and God turned his heart to music. Songs of praise and testimony flowed from his pen. Over 6,000 hymns were authored by Charles. And Can it Be is one of his most loved.
REFLECTION
Charles Wesley wrote this hymn during the year after he trusted in Jesus Christ to save him from his sins. The series of questions in Wesley’s first stanza expresses his astonishment that Christ had died out of love for him, whose personal sin caused the need for such sacrifice. The refrain, sung after every verse, draws fresh attention to that amazing love.
In the second stanza Wesley explores the paradox that immortal God could die and finds at the core a mystery that even the greatest angels cannot penetrate. He sees in this search the unsearchable depth filled with divine love and mercy, and he calls to an end the exploration that could never uncover it all.
Wesley next considers God’s grace expressed in Christ and finds that grace to consist of love and mercy, “immense and free.” He sees that the divine Son set aside his throne and emptied himself (Philippians 2:6–7) to share our humanity and to bleed for us all (Philippians 2:8). But this tidal wave of love and mercy did not surge in theory but in fact because it even swept up Charles Wesley.
We should be amazed that a man who had known Christ for just one year could show such theological mastery over the terrible plight of lost humanity (Ephesians 2:1–3), the rescue brought about by our resurrection with Christ (Ephesians 2:5–6), and our bold access to God’s throne (Ephesians 3:11–12) through Christ. All this lies in stanzas four and five.
We who live in this age with smartphones and nuclear fusion may think ourselves superior to those who found Christ centuries before. We would be wrong! To study this great hymn is to see a man whose intellect applied to God’s Word would outshine most Christians alive today. Why? Because he took the time to study what God has revealed about the love and mercy we have in Christ. What about you?
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
Pray that Christ will help you see what a distracted life you live today.
Ask God to help you focus on his matchless revelation and what it tells about Jesus.
Seek God’s help through prayer for others to join you in this journey to understand and appreciate all that Christ has done for you.
Day 21: The Old Rugged Cross
Watch the video here.
HYMN STORY PREVIEW
George Bennard’s father was a coal miner and died when George was just 16. The young man put aside theological school to care for his mother and sisters. Eventually George was able to complete his ministry training. During a particularly difficult time God revealed to him a deeper understanding of the cross of Christ. That revelation later became the words of this much-loved hymn, The Old Rugged Cross. Listen in as Dr. Robert Morgan shares this touching story.
REFLECTION
This great hymn captures an idea that many Christians would (wrongly) like to soften: Jesus died by capital punishment at the hands of Roman executioners. That explains how the old rugged cross fits the words “the emblem of suffering and shame” (first stanza). Of course, those of us who worship Jesus as our Savior and the Son of God want to honor him to the utmost, but we cannot do that by spinning what happened at “dark Calvary” (second stanza). Calvary comes from the Latin calvaria, meaning “skull.” Jesus hung on the cross at “the place of the skull” (Matthew 27:33) in gloom lasting three hours.
No, we cannot turn the rough, hard cross to which Jesus was nailed into some abstraction suitable for a hymn or a polite conversation. Indeed, proper Romans did not mention the cross, nor could they be executed in that vile manner. Yet we love, cherish, and cling to that cross because Jesus—whom the hymn finally names in the third stanza—gave his life there to pardon all who would give him their allegiance. The lost world still does not want to hear about the cross, so we must sing about it all the more!
What about you? Do you turn your eyes away from Jesus’ death on the cross, or do you celebrate his gift at the Lord’s supper by drinking his symbolic blood and eating his symbolic flesh? The day will come when we sit at his great table and celebrate with him (Matthew 26:29). Will you be there to share in honoring him?
SUGGESTED PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
Pray that Christ will help you face the hard reality that Jesus—with broken body and bleeding wounds—died on the cross for your sins.
Ask God to help you accept the gift Jesus offered by giving himself in your place.
Seek God’s help through prayer for all those still drifting along in “the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors” (1 Peter 1:18).