in praise of hymns

When I was a young child, I used to hang out with my grandma while she would play the piano. She mostly stuck to a few standby staples: a Chopin etude, some other Mozart piece, and two hymns -- "Trust and Obey" and "Great is Thy Faithfulness." (There's another incident where she played some new piece, which must have been an emotional one, because for some reason 4-year old me burst out crying. I guess I was easily touched by music from an early age. Another story for another day.)

I always felt Trust and Obey's lyrics were a little too on-the-nose, but Great is Thy Faithfulness became firmly entrenched as one of my favorite hymns that would bring back memories of that piano room in my old St. Louis house.

(Note: I'm lucky enough to have two Christian grandmas who both play the piano, so this story can be told twice. My other grandma favored "I Surrender All" and "It is Well With My Soul," both which will possess a soft spot with me for all eternity.)

This past Sunday during worship, the worship leader transitioned from a few ultra-contemporary worship songs to "Great is Thy Faithfulness" and there was immediately a change in the energy of the church. People who weren't singing before were all of a sudden belting out the lyrics with conviction, even effortlessly breaking into harmony parts. I was doing the same, filled with a joy that accompanies an unexpectedly familiar and powerful hymn. At a certain point, probably with the last stanza and chorus, I decided to stop singing and just listen, and really soak in every lyric.

It was a powerful and tangible reminder of God's presence. Thank you church for that comfort and joy in a time of sadness and hurt.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!