Tuesday Tea – September 18 – “Count Your Blessings”

When dealing with the subject of receiving blessings from the Lord but not being thankful for what you have we often make reference to the nation of Israel as they traveled through the wilderness.  More than once this group of people received great gifts from the Lord that not only provided needs but a level of comfort and joy.  However, within days of the receiving of those blessings they were grumbling and mumbling yet again.

On this topic, Martin Luther once wrote in his book, Table Talk, “The greater God’s gifts and works, the less they are regarded.”  How often is this statement so true.  How often when a person is being blessed beyond all measure do we here them complaining about what is lacking in their life.  We are all guilty of taking this approach at times as well.  However, we have also been around that person that has very little and struggles from day to day and heard them speak of the mighty grace of the Lord.  These often exhibit a true understanding of how dependent they are upon the Lord.

When Johnson Oatman composed our hymn of study, “Count Your Blessings” some time in the mid 1890’s he had a desire to teach young people to remember to be aware of the amount of blessings in their lives.  Johnson was born in New Jersey just before the Civil War and grew up going to churches with his father.  Johnson would join the Methodist Episcopal Church at the age of 19 and be ordained to the ministry.  He never joined the ranks of the full time pastorate though as he had a desire to retain the finacial stability of the business world so that he would be free to do his work with God’s people.

In 1892 Johnson began writing hymns.  He averaged 200 hymns and gospel songs a year totaling over 5,000 in his lifetime.  In 1897 “Count Your Blessings” was published for the first time in a song book for young people.  It ultimately reflected Johnson’s optimistic faith and desire to be aware of the blessings of the Lord.

“And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”

This one line so beautifully summarizes the message of this hymn.  So often even when we think we are aware of what the Lord has done for us, if we would stop and actually try to count the blessings bestowed upon us individually in the course of one day we would certainly be surprised what the Lord has done.  There is simply no way that we can count or even understand all that the Lord has done for us.  All we can do is to thank him for his mercy in our lives.

Blessings to you All!

(Source: Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories by Robert J. Morgan)

Tuesday Tea – September 11 – “America the Beautiful”

Though the song, “America the Beautiful” is not a hymn that we sing in our worship services nor should it ever be, I feel it is worthy of consideration in this forum.  Let us take this day, the anniversary of a fateful event in our history, to consider this hymn that expresses the necessity of God in the health of this nation.

In 1892 and 1893 Chicago hosted a World’s Fair in conjunction with other events to celebrate the 400 year anniversary of Columbus sailing on his voyage that would begin the exploration and colonization of what we now call America.  While the Word’s Fair was up and going in 1893 a group of school teachers stopped and visited the exhibits on their way to Colorado to teach a summer school session.  Among this group was a teacher and poet by the name of Katherine Lee Bates.

After leaving the World’s Fair the group of teachers traveled on to Colorado and taught their summer school session.  As part of the compensation for their work the teachers were promised a trip to the top of Pike’s Peak.  The beginning of the journey was taken in a prairie wagon and then when the wagons could go no further the teachers made the rest of the journey to the summit on the back of donkeys.  Upon reaching the summit Katherine Lee Bates is said to have considered the World’s Fair they had visited and the events of 400 years of history.  As she meditated upon the blessings of the past and the prospects for the future she began to rejoice in this great country.  As she combined those thoughts with the majestic landscape around her she came up with the lyrics for “America the Beautiful”.

The poem was originally published on its own in 1893 and again in 1904 before being published as a hymn with the melody in 1910 for the first time.  The words were revised one last time in 1914 by Bates.  The hymn received great accolades nation wide to the point that when a national anthem was considered for adoption it was a close race between “America the Beautiful” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the later was eventually chosen.

Today the hymn “God Bless America” has taken away much of the prestige and attention from “America the Beautiful”.  However, on this important day in the history of our nation let us consider these words:

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved 
In liberating strife. 
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life! 
America! America! 
May God thy gold refine 
Till all success be nobleness 
And every gain divine! 

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

May the Lord bless this nation and may we always seek his blessings upon us.  May we see the Lord as the guide for this nation and his hedge as the protector from the ill will of so many.  May we remember that the Lord has chosen this nation as the home for his church and may we ever be thankful to be a part of it.

May the Lord Bless you this day!

Tuesday Tea – September 4 – “Trust and Obey”

Often we are reminded in our walk here in time of the great truth of faith, that truth being that when we walk by faith we often cannot see what lies ahead in our path.  When we come to this realization we understand that what we are truly committing to do is to walk a life of trusting the Lord and obeying His commandments.  When we are able to do that then we know that we are truly walking by faith.  The hymn for our study today expresses the sentiments of a true faith walk set to a beautiful melody.

The composer of the melody for this hymn was a man by the name of Daniel B. Towner.  Towner inherited a love of music from his father, Professor J. G. Towner, who was a vocalist and music teacher.  Daniel had the opportunity because of his father’s connections to study with some of the greatest music minds while growing up and would eventually embark on a career as a worship leader in a Methodist church.  Daniel would serve in this capacity in churches in New York, Ohio, and Kentucky before eventually becoming a part of the staff for evangelist D.L. Moody.  For several years Daniel traveled with Moody to revivals where he would sing as part of the service.

It was at one of these revivals that the impetus for this hymn would land in Daniel’s lap.  While in Brockton, Massachusetts for a series of meetings one night a young man arose with his testimony.  The young man is quoted as saying, “I am not quite sure — but I am going to trust, and I am going to obey.”  Daniel quickly wrote those words down and sent them and the story off to Reverend J.H. Sammis a Presbyterian Minister.  Sammis wrote a poem based on those words and sent them back to Daniel.  Those words would become the lyrics for the hymn we know today.

After receiving the poem back for the lyrics Daniel set to composing the melody for the hymn.  Though he quickly composed a melody or at least a portion of one he was very unhappy with it.  After attempting to work through the frustration for some time he eventually gave up and threw the melody in the trash can.  However, we have the hymn today because his wife found the paper in the trash can, sang the hymn to herself, and encouraged Daniel to continue his work.  What a blessing it is to us today that she found that paper.

Daniel would go on to become Dr. Towner and would add many accomplishments to his name, but it does not seem likely that any could be greater than being the force behind the creation of a hymn that so beautifully expresses what it is to live by faith.

“For the favor He shows / And the joy He bestows / Are for them who will Trust and obey”

The Lord has promised us that if we would follow his commandments that he would abide with us.  The scriptures teach that this is both on a personal level and also on a church level.  What greater reward could we possibly imagine than to know that the Lord is not only with us, but that he is dwelling exactly where we are at?  Could there ever be a better guide, protector, and confidant than Jesus Christ himself?  When we truly walk by faith, though we may feel as though we are walking blindly, we can know that we have one with us who knows all and sees all.  In that case all we need to do is trust and obey the Lord and know that he will take care of us along the way.

Blessings to you All!

(Source: Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories by Robert J. Morgan. ppg 220-221)

Tuesday Tea – August 7 – “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”

“God, the eternal God, is our support at all times, especially when we are sinking into deep trouble.  there are seasons when we sink quite low . . . Dear child of God, even when you are at your lowest, underneath are the everlasting arms.” – Charles Spurgeon

I don’t know that there is a more amazing picture of comfort for the child of God than the picture of being supported by the arms of Jesus.  It is not uncommon for us to see on TV or in person a sports figure get injured in the course of play.  Often when this occurs the medical staff and coaching staff come out to check on the player.  If the player is able to leave the field with assistance you will often see them supported on either side by the arms of teammates or coaches.  Others providing the strength that is missing from the injured player.

In our lives we often find ourselves without the strength necessary to go from day-to-day.  The injuries suffered because of the tribulations of this life are immense and draining.  When we find ourselves in that place though, often we receive strength from elsewhere that allows us to continue to move.  Call it what you may, but in my mind it is the strength of our Savior placing his arms beneath us and supporting us as we journey on.

It is this picture that is the message of our hymn, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”, for this week.

The basis for this hymn came from Anthony Showalter.  Showalter was the principal of the Southern Normal Musical Institute in Dalton, Georgia.  He published over 130 music books with over 2 million in sales.  He would also become known for the singing schools that he hosted and taught at throughout the South.

Showalter made it a habit to keep up with his students after they had attended his schools.  One evening when Showalter returned to his temporary quarters he found letters from two former students.  Each of these students was mourning the loss of their wife and their roles as young widowers.  In response Showalter began writing them back and looking for words of comfort. He eventually would select these words from Deuteronomy.

“The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.” (Deuteronomy 33:27)

Showalter completed the letters of comfort and strength to his former students and then reached for paper to start another letter.  He wrote to his friend and hymn writer Elisha Hoffman.  He told him that he had a great idea for a hymn based on this verse but was struggling to come up with verses to complement the chorus.  Hoffman wrote three verses for the hymn and sent it back to Showalter.  Showalter set the song to music, and it is the encouraging hymn that we still sing today.

“Oh how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way”

As we study the scriptures and then compare the standards set forth against the ways of this world we are reminded more each day that we are not meant to be in this land permanently.  This is a foreign land that we are merely traveling through in order to reach our true homeland, heaven and immortal glory.  Often the things of this life can seem overwhelming and can burden the heart and soul tremendously.  The pilgrimage can begin to seem like it is too much.  In those moments how sweet it is to feel the arms of Jesus giving us strength.  There is such a peace and comfort that comes from knowing that our Savior is near even when this world pulls us so far away.  Let us always be thankful that even while walking in a foreign land our Lord does not stray from us.

Blessings to you all!

(Source: Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories by Robert J. Morgan)

Tuesday Tea – July 17 – “How Great Thou Art”

“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:18)

There is great value in taking time to consider the natural wonders of the world around us.  Visit the vastness of the Grand Canyon, marvel at the size of the majestic Redwoods, watch the waves crash on the seashore, or experience the never-ending horizon of the great plains.  In each of these we are reminded of the mighty work of God in creating this planet as a home for his elect here in time.  However, the true beauty is not just in the physical elements, but rather comes when we realize that if God could create all of the wonders of nature; what could possibly limit his ability to save his people?

Our hymn for this week, “How Great Thou Art”, expresses just this thought.  It begins by marveling at the physical beauty of the natural world and concludes with thoughts of the second coming of Christ Jesus.  The original foundation for this hymn was a poem written by a 26-year-old Swedish minister.  The poem written in 1885 was called “O Store Gud” – “O Mighty God”.  The words of the poem translated to English read:

“When I the world consider / Which Thou has made by Thine almighty Word

And how the webb of life Thou wisdom guideth / And all creation feedeth at Thy board.

Then doth my soul burst forth in song of praise / Oh, great God, Oh, great God!”

This poem was published and forgotten so much as Carl Boberg knew.  However, a few years later he was surprised to hear it being sung to the tune of an Old Swedish melody.  Despite this fact the poem nor the hymn gained popularity.  Some time later Stuart Hine, an English missionary, heard the hymn being sung while in Russia.  The words to the hymn touched him so that he expanded the words and created his own arrangement of the Swedish Melody.  The words he wrote to expand the hymn were inspired by the ruggedness of the Carpathian mountains of Russia.  Again though, despite its popularity among small groups it failed to gain notoriety and to spread among believers.

As the hymn continued to be sung among missionaries and small groups of people, Dr. J. Edwin Orr heard the hymn while in India.  He, like others, was moved by the hymn and decided to bring it back to America.  He introduced the hymn at a conference in California where it came to the attention of music producer Tim Spencer.  Spencer would go on to publish and record the hymn.

Finally, in 1954 an event would happen that would take the song from isolated favorite to household name.  At the Billy Graham Crusade in Harringay Arena, George Beverly Shea was given a leaflet containing the hymn.  He sang the hymn to himself and thought highly enough of it that he shared it with the rest of the Graham team.  When they returned from London they introduced the hymn the following year in Toronto.  In 1957, the year of the New York Crusade, Bev Shea sang the hymn 99 times.  After a long history, the world would finally come to fully know “How Great Thou Art.”

“When Christ shall come / With shout of acclamation / And take me home, / What joy shall fill my heart!”

What a beautiful thought this last verse presents.  When we consider all the things that the Lord created, and furthermore all the things that he sustains, what power we see.  Drive through the mountains and see boulders seemingly hanging on by a thread, drive through the driest of climates and see the cactuses in bloom, or make your way to the seashore and see the tiniest of crabs surviving the crashing waves.  All of these things seem to defy natural logic, and yet they prove over and over again the power of God to provide for his creation.  With this being the case, should we be surprised that God would have the power to open the graves and call forth the dead?  Let us not be doubtful of the power of God to work in the lives of his people.

Please enjoy this video as well!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By0iyTukDkQ

Blessing to You All!!

(Source: Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories by Robert J. Morgan)