As I sit here trying to best convey things that came to mind at NQC, I naturally think of music. If you know me very well, you know that my taste in music is really pretty wide. I like everything from classical and opera to blue grass and country. I love beach music and oldies (from the 40's to the 60's). My favorite music through most of my life has been southern gospel, although I didn't realize it until the last 20 years or so. But, the music I am thinking about this morning are the hymns that I grew up with.
We weren't in church every time the doors opened as I was growing up. We went sporadically. We went to vacation bible school and occasionally Sunday School. I didn't get serious about church until I had graduated high school and bought my first car. At that point I could drive myself to church.
Now there are things that I remember about church, even when it was just vacation bible school and occasionally Sundays. I remember church pews before padded seat cushions. I remember no air conditioning and windows open in the summer. I remember funeral home fans (if you don't understand, find someone as old as me.) Every church had at least a week of VBS and revivals were two weeks long. But two things stick in my mind more than anything else; the preaching and the hymns.
The preaching is a topic for another day, but today I want to talk about hymns. Just as a side note, I really like the praise music sung in churches today, but I miss the hymns and I think there is still a place for them in our worship.
Isn't it funny how a song can take you to a place or time in your mind as quick if not quicker than a picture. As we sat and listened to the singers at NQC, some of the songs being sung were some of the old hymns.
I heard one group state, that if they ever had a chance to sing for congress they had a song already picked out - "This is My Father's World".
"Amazing Grace" still moves people to tears.
"In the Garden" will always remind me of my mother.
"Unclouded Day" reminds me of a dear friend's mother and Wednesday night singing. She would always wait her turn, but that was her song.
What is your favorite hymn? When is the last time you sang it or heard it? Where does it take you in your mind? Does it take your to the feet of Jesus? Those are the best.
These are just the ramblings of a cluttered mind. I hope that you have a blessed day.
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. . . ." Come on and sing along. You know that you want to.
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