Redeemer

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Lessons from my Granddaughter

(Written November, 2011)

In early November I got out the Thanksgiving decorations box. I carefully unwrapped a ceramic pilgrim man and put him on the buffet. Our three year-old granddaughter, Arianna, gasped with wonder and said,… “Jesus!”

I had to tell her, “No, it’s a pilgrim.”

I unwrapped the matching pilgrim lady and again Arianna whispered, …”Jesus.”

“No,” I responded, “Another pilgrim.”

We hadn’t been talking about Jesus. We don’t have statues of him standing around our house and yet when something new and wonderful was taken out to be displayed she just assumed it had to be Jesus.

When the first snow came in November she squealed and said, “God sent the snow.”

“Yes, Arianna, God sent the snow.”

I smile at her simple happiness and wish I could rewind my life to a simpler time. My grown-up heart is cynical. I have lived in this broken world too long to be optimistic. The reality is, life is hard. It isn’t how God intended. We have each royally messed up.

…And so we have Christmas. Not to distract us from what is bad in our lives. Not to have a month of gift giving and parties. We have Christmas because God promised he would send a redeemer all those years ago when our first parents sinned.

Just as Adam and Eve chose sin over God, we have chosen our own selfish ways. Instead of turning our face to God we turn our faces inward. We turn them anywhere but toward God. And yet…

“God so loved the world… (God so loved me, you) that He gave…” He gave his son, not only to be born, but eventually to die for my lost condition. What a marvelous hope!

So I stay close to Arianna. As she delights in Christmas and wants to learn all about the baby and what God did, I feel my own heart melting. It is becoming a little more childlike. As I tell her about the great God who loves her, I am reminded of just how great He is.

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:76-79

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God Loves Me Dearly / Gott ist Die Liebe

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In my quest for discovering old hymns, I’ve been collecting old hymn books. My sister, Nancy, who was supporting my endeavor, recently brought me an old Lutheran Hymnal that she had picked up at a garage sale. She had put a bookmark with a note on one of the pages.

It was a song our Dad used to sing to us in German when we were children. I imagine his mother sang it to him as well. Sometimes he would play the tune on his violin. Since I had never heard the English version I didn’t know how sweet the words were that he was singing to us. Below you will find the song with German and English words.

Sometimes simple is best. This is one of those times. I hope you enjoy it.

(In the first line there should be an Umlaut over the word Lasst and erlosen. I simply can’t figure out how to type it. Also, please forgive my very rusty German pronunciation.)

God Loves Me Dearly

Gott ist Die Liebe – by August Rische (1819-1906)

Gott ist die Liebe, lasst mich erlosen, Gott ist die Liebe, Er liebt auch mich.

Drum sag ich noch einmal: Gott ist die Liebe! Gott ist die Liebe, Er liebt auch mich.

God loves me dearly, Grants me salvation, God loves me dearly, loves even me.

*Therefore I’ll say again: God loves me dearly, God loves me dearly, Loves even me.

I was in slav’ry, Sin, death, and darkness; God’s love was working to make me free. *

He sent forth Jesus, My dear Redeemer, He sent forth Jesus and set me free. *

Jesus, my Savior, Himself did offer; Jesus, my Savior, Paid all I owed. *

Now I will praise You, O Love Eternal; Now I will praise You all my life long.*

P.S. This is dedicated to my six grandchildren. Ashlee, Arianna, Aidan, Emerson, Will and finally Jase who was born 7-6-2021.

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Awake, My Soul, in Joyful Lays

Sometimes I just don’t feel like singing. But first, let me explain…

I grew up in a family that sang often. We sang in church. We sang in the car. We sang outside. We sang around the piano. We sang at school. We all had just ordinary voices, but we sang anyway.

Then I grew up.

Life was hard.

It became harder to sing.

When my Dad got sick with a brain tumor we watched him put his violin aside, and soon his voice was gone too.

It didn’t seem right to sing without him.

After he died it took me a year before I could sing without crying.

Many years later, as my Mother lay dying, the only thing that would make her stop whimpering was if we sang to her. So I found a hymn book and sang softly until my own tears prevented me from continuing. When she would start whimpering again I would sing until she calmed down… until tears choked my voice.

Again and again the cycle repeated itself. Those were hard days, but my sisters and I were glad we could be with her.

There have been other hard days, when singing seemed impossible. Yet, singing should not be dependent on how we feel, but because we owe our God praise.

Below is a song I find myself singing when I don’t feel like singing.

Notice the words in the first verse...”He justly claims a song from me…”

We sing, not because our life is free from trouble. We sing, because we have a Great Redeemer who has rescued our souls from hell.

There will be trouble here. But this isn’t all there is. We have eternity to look forward to. This trouble will seem little when we are face to face with our Savior. In the meantime we remember His care of us in the here and now. We remember that He asks us to sing, to remember, to cling to this God who day by day covers us with His lovingkindness.

David wrote the following words when he had to flee to the wilderness of Judah, when his son, Absalom, took over the throne. (See II Samuel 15:23-30; 17:16)

“Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise Thee.

So I will bless Thee as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Thy name…

For Thou hast been my help, And in the shadow of Thy wings I sing for joy.” Psalm 63:3,4 & 9

David wept when he was in trouble, but he also didn’t stop singing. Neither should we.

Samuel Medley 1738-1799

Awake, my soul in joyful lays, And sing thy great Redeemer’s praise; He justly claims a song from me, His lovingkindness, oh, how free! Lovingkindness, lovingkindness, His lovingkindness, oh, how free!

He saw me ruined by the fall, Yet loved me not-with-standing all; He saved me from my lost estate, His lovingkindness, oh, how great! Lovingkindness, lovingkindness, His lovingkindness, oh, how great!

Tho’ numerous hosts of mighty foes, Tho’ earth and hell my way oppose, He safely leads my soul along, His lovingkindness, oh, how strong! Lovingkindness, lovingkindness, His lovingkindness, oh, how strong!

When trouble, like a gloomy cloud, Has gathered thick and thundered loud, He near my soul has always stood, His lovingkindness, oh, how good! Lovingkindness, lovingkindness, His lovingkindness, oh, how good!

Soon shall we mount and soar away to the bright realms of endless day, And sing, with rapture and surprise, His lovingkindness, in the skies. Lovingkindness, lovingkindness, His lovingkindness, in the skies.

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All Glory, Laud and Honor

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This Latin hymn was written by Theodulph of Orleans in A.D. 820. It was translated into English by John Mason Neale in the 1800s. The tune was written by Melchior Teschner about 1613. The tune is called St. Theodulph.

Theodulph was born in Spain. He was part of Charlemagne’s court and became a trusted theological adviser. When Charlemagne’s son, Louis the I, became King he became suspicious that Theodulph was sympathetic with his Spanish relative, Bernard. Fearing there was a conspiracy he had Theodulph imprisoned in a monastery in Angers in 818. Theodulph wrote this hymn while in prison. He died there in 821.

Please sing this with me. (I prefer not to sing alone.)

All Glory, Laud and Honor

All glory, laud, and honor to Thee, Redeemer, King

To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.

Thou art the King of Israel, Thou David’s royal Son,

Who in the Lord’s name comest, The King and Blessed One.

The company of angels are praising Thee on high,

And mortal men and all things Created make reply.

The people of the Hebrews with palms before Thee went;

Our praise and prayer and anthems before Thee we present.

To Thee, before Thy passion, They sang their hymns of praise;

To Thee, now high exalted, Our melody we raise.

Thou didst accept their praises; accept the praise we bring.

Who in all good delightest, Thou good and gracious King.

For further study:

Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. Psalm 105:1-4

And as He was approaching…, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King, who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” And He answered and said, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” Luke 19:37-40