What
difference can a hymn make? Have you ever considered that question?
Can
a hymn save your soul? Can God communicate to you through your own
pen?
These
are interesting questions, I think. If you examine
the questions and ponder that examination you
will find that they are linked. In fact, you should find that
they are loaded because they are linked.
Yesterday
I ventured forth to take a walk through the neighborhood, and
I had my little Kodak with me for the adventure. It was roughly a
two-mile hike, so I bought some fast food along the way.
As
I was walking I was taking photographs in juxtaposition between the
works of man and of nature. In this issue you can see the artwork
that proceeded from one of those images, and that it includes
a statement, “The artistry of man only works as it
accurately reflects the majesty of nature, which it rarely ever does.
They simply do not compare, but stand in arrogant simplicity against
the masterworks of God.”
That
statement came into my mind as I was about midway through the first
leg of my journey and I kept it
in mind for the whole journey, seeking an
image that would fit the sentiment of those words. It was
after buying the meal I purchased that I found the image to fulfill
my quest. Many will question both the grammar and logic of the
statement and the image chosen, but the details of
the image reflect the sentiment of the statement.
Mankind,
in his best efforts utterly fails to out shine the simplest works of
God, his best efforts being able merely to reflect what God has
already done—and even then the accuracy utterly fails. As you can
see in the image here presented, even the finest of mancraft still
distorts its reflection of the masterworks of our Creator, for each
glass pane offers only a distorted reflection of that which strikes
it.
Man,
in his arrogance, tries to predict the future, but experience
tells us that his experience is such that
when a document does tell the future accurately, man
tries to explain it away as having been written after the
events about which its author wrote. One of the hallmarks, then, of
God-writing is that, when dealing with events yet future, it is never
wrong in its intent.
There
is a particular identifying factor that the man of God can detect
when his Maker seeks communion with him. Be it through whatever
medium, the man of God can detect it, and will likely—at the very
least—pause in wonderment at the communication granted him. He will
also likely spend time in silent
communion with the Lord at such a time, if he is wise.
It
is because of such truth that I noticed when it seemed as if my hymn
(included here) seemed to be talking directly to me as I wrote its
words. This, to me, is not an unknown experience. I have had it since
the first time He ever spoke to me (not audibly but in my spirit). At
that time He placed a poem in my mind, and that should have been
a sign to me regarding the nature of my primary contribution
to the Church; that it would be poetic in nature.
Hear
me rightly, though: that is not all that I do. After long
years of struggle, my whole life is in the service of the King, and
though there is still sin in my flesh there are no compartments in my
life. He has saved me, and my
life belongs to Him.
For
the man of God, no other joy could be had but that which fulfills the
life of Christ, for wherever else he may roam, there is grief within
his soul, for God is in his soul.
It
is God who rules, and not the man. It is God who is the Great I AM.
It is God who rests within the heart of him who has seen the
Savior’s art. No other thing can then compare or
stir within the Spirit’s lair. He cannot conquer any heart
if he forsakes the Savior’s art.
Certainly
there will be those who, arrogantly, will assert contrarily.
When you really think about it, though, their every argument will
fall apart for lack of art within their heart.
What
difference can a hymn make? A hymn can change a life. Of
course, one might ask how this could be done.
Let’s
use my own hymn as an example. The previous night to writing it found
me in the darkness of despair, and I did cry out.
Though
I cannot accurately recall my words, nor could I ever fairly
interpret the cries of my spirit
unto God, the weeping of
my soul was genuine and real, and what followed on in the
writing of my hymn the next
morning indeed changed my attitude and my outlook and lifted
me to His side:
Why
such sadness of thee, face,
And
why despaired, my soul?
Why
so sad upon the dawn
And
waking of thy soul?
Why
despaired when Jesus reigns
Over
every man’s soul?
He
has come to seek thy good,
So,
praise Him, oh, my soul!
What
most struck me about the lines above was the
question, “Why so sad upon the dawn and waking of thy soul?”
That line, taken by itself, at face value makes no sense at all—if
you assume that I was the
source. I have been saved many long years, now. But what if He
doth speak to me? Think on that.
Can
a hymn save a soul? Since a hymn teaches theology and the precepts of
the Word of God, I most certainly state, “Yes, it can!” You
see, when one embarks on the reading and singing of hymns, one
embarks upon the path of God—and God most certainly does save
souls. Who are we, then, to say that a hymn cannot be so used?
Can
God communicate to you through your own
pen? If God can communicate through a donkey1,
can He not direct a hand to
write? If, then, you recall from the Book of Daniel, the story
of Belshazzar and the writing on the wall2,
who is to say that He cannot direct your hand as well? Of course He
can!
Oh,
beloved, listen to the writings of the words! Listen for the voice of
the Lord and heed His cry! Some will say He is interested in your
holiness, not your happiness. But, listen, it was for the joy lain
out before Him that Christ went to the cross3.
Let
not your heart despair! He went for joy!
1Numbers
22:21-35
2Daniel
5
3Hebrews
12:1-2
