hymn time

I just want to say thank you to Mr. Lowery. He was our music pastor when I was in elementary school. He taught me how to ring those handbells and directed us in the kids choir. He loved hymns and gave us great background on the ones we sang. We had "hymn of the month" in college at Houghton, and we also had it at Worthington Christian where I taught before moving here.

Kevin mentioned in his blog post that we are working on 1 Timothy together. As soon as I heard 1 Timothy 1:17, I immediately recalled the hymn "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise." I looked it up because I didn't know if there was another passage of Scripture that was similar where that hymn might have come from, but nope, it's from 1 Timothy.

So I want to thank Mr. Lowery for taking the time to teach us important hymns. So often as a kid I did not like them, but now as I listen to the words and really reflect on what these hymns say, I realize how powerful they are. I have been humming hymns all day now.

My favorite hymn of all time is "Be Thou My Vision." We sang it at our wedding. Still get choked up when I think about the words.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.