Category: Worship Song of the Month

December 17: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Come, Desire of Nations!

The first verse of Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus is both very broad and extremely personal.  The verse resounds with national ramifications—“Born to set thy people free!,” and with personal repercussions—“From our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in thee.”  It expresses far-reaching consequences—“Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear Desire of ev’ry nation,” and intimate hope—“Joy of ev’ry longing heart.”  

One of the most dramatic prophecies about the birth of Jesus is in Haggai 2:6-9, from which Charles Wesley’s phrase Desire of Nations comes:

When I think of God shaking the heavens and the nations, my first thought is not of a little baby.  When I hear that God will fill his house with glory, I don’t picture a stable in tiny Bethlehem.  When I think of the great riches God has, I may wonder why he would leave all of that behind.  And my expectations of peace may be a conquering Messiah, not a Messiah on a cross.  

Perhaps one of the most amazing things about the incarnation is this juxtaposition of Great and Small.  The King of the universe humbled himself and became a vulnerable baby.  The One who owns “the cattle on a thousand hills” slept in a manger. He who spoke life into existence came to die. God himself became man.  And, as we sing in “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus,” Jesus’s birth is a game-changer for Israel, all the nations of the world—and for me.

Jesus is both the Desire of Nations, and the Joy of my Longing Heart.

For Reflection:  Read John 1:1-14 and 3:16-21.  What do these passages say about Jesus’s divine nature?  How did Jesus humble himself?  What does this say about God’s love for us?  Reflect on Jesus as the joy of your longing heart. 

December 10: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus is a wonderfully theological Advent hymn, referencing Scripture after Scripture to point to the promised Messiah.  When we sing it, we are joining with the prophets in saying: Come, Desire of Nations!  Come, Rod of Jesse!  Come, Redeemer and Dayspring!  Come, promised King!  

Of course, these prophecies were written in the hope that a Messiah would be born, but we have the privilege of knowing that he was.  So, in the very first line of this hymn, we profess Jesus as the fulfillment of the prophecies:  Come, thou long-expected Jesus!

At the church at which I serve, we are singing one verse of “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” each week throughout Advent, after we light a candle on our Advent wreath.  By the time Christmas Eve rolls around, we will have sung four verses of this beautiful hymn.

Four verses, you ask; aren’t there only two?  

It is true that Charles Wesley only wrote two verses of “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.”  The text was one of eighteen Christmas songs written by Wesley and published in Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord in 1744.  But in more recent years, Mark E. Hunt wrote two additional verses to be inserted between Wesley’s verses. The new 4-verse version was published by Intervarsity Press in 1978 and recorded in the Trinity Hymnal in 1990.

I personally love the new verses and how they contribute to the original.  I appreciate how the new verses create a flow from thought to thought, with each verse starting where the previous verse left off, as if we were singing one long run-on sentence:

The four verses seamlessly lead us from the expectation of Jesus’ birth (verse 1) to the story of the birth (verse 2) to the reason for his birth (verse 3) to the expectation of Jesus’ return (verse 4). 

I hope that as we sing this song in anticipation of Christmas, we will remember how God kept his promise to send the Messiah.  And I hope that we will look forward, with renewed passion, to his promised return.  

For Reflection:  Haggai 2:7 was a main inspiration for Wesley’s lyrics.  Read Haggai 2:6-9 and think about how Jesus fulfilled Haggai’s prophecy in this birth and death, and how he will fulfill it at his second coming.  Sing “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus,” praying for Jesus to come again soon.

December 3: By Faith

This past Sunday, we entered the season of Advent in the Christian calendar.  During Advent, we remember the years of waiting that God’s people experienced — a season of silence between the prophecies and the Prophesied.   And we celebrate the end of that silence — when the prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus.  The culmination of the Advent season is Christmas (or Christmas Eve), when we rejoice in the “advent” or “coming” of the promised Messiah.  

The third verse of By Faith leads us nicely into the Advent season.  “By faith the prophets saw a day when the longed-for Messiah would appear, with the pow’r to break the chains of sin and death, and rise triumphant from the grave.”  These lyrics remind me of the prophecy which Isaiah gave (Isaiah 61:1-2a) and Jesus explicitly claimed to fulfill (Luke 4:14-20):   

The lyrics also remind me of Zechariah’s song of praise inspired by the Holy Spirit in Luke 1:67-79:    

We see in Zechariah’s prayer that the Advent of Jesus means not only release from physical slavery but salvation from our chief oppressors, sin and death.  This victory over sin and death is because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-57) — whose birth we celebrate in this season.

As a worship leader (and worshipper), one of my favorite things about celebrating Advent in church is hearing the many, many prophecies in Scripture read out loud, and singing songs that relate these Old Testament prophecies to the birth of Christ.  As we listen and sing, may we be reminded of all of the wonderful prophecies that Jesus fulfills, and worship him.  

For Reflection:  Read Isaiah 61.  Think about sins in your life, and ask God to forgive your sins in his tender mercy.  Think also about suffering you may be enduring, and the pain or death of loved ones.  Thank Jesus for coming to earth to bring freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.  Thank him for promising victory over sin and death and an inheritance of joy, salvation, and righteousness.  Ask him to help you to live by faith in these promises.

November 19: By Faith

In Genesis 12:7, we read:  “The Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’”

Then, we wait.

In Hebrews 11, the chapter on which the song By Faith is based, we see Abraham (Abram) believing God’s promise.  God had told him to leave his country, people, and family, and he “went, even though he did not know where he was going.  By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.   For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:8-10).  

We also see Joseph, a foreigner in Egypt.  He has become a prominent leader, and he and his family enjoy health and prosperity.  But Joseph longs to return to the land God promised his people.

We see Moses, leading God’s people out of Egypt after they have become enslaved.  Moses chooses to align himself with God’s people despite great personal risk, loss, and hardship.  But despite God having made the promise to Abraham many years ago, Moses and the people wander for many years in the desert before we see Rahab welcoming the spies into Canaan.

So how did all of these people continue to live by faith, even when they didn’t see God’s promise come to fruition?  

Verses 13 through 16 give us the answer:  

Wow, to think that Abraham and those who followed after him already looked forward to a heavenly city, with foundations built by God.  I want to have that kind of faith–faith that understands God’s revelation, recognizes his work, and trusts in his promise and power.

God made the promise of a perfect and permanent homeland to Abraham and his descendents, and, as we noted two weeks ago, we are now Abraham’s descendents in God’s sight–by faith.  Romans 2:16-17 says, “The promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring–not only to those who are of the law but also those who have the faith of Abraham.  He is the father of us all.  As it is written:  ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’  He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed.”  

By faith, we are “children of the promise.”  We are foreigners in our nations and strangers in the world, longing for our better home.  Like our father Abraham, we are anticipating God’s holy city–prepared for us by God himself!

Now, we wait.

For Reflection:  Read Revelation 21:1-4, 22-27, and 22:1-5 for a description of our promised perfect and permanent home.  Then read Hebrews 10:35-39.  Ask God to help you to persevere and wait in confident faith.

November 12: By Faith

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”

Hebrews 11:1-3

The first affirmation of faith in Hebrews chapter 11 and in our Worship Song of the Month, By Faith, is this:  God created the universe.  

In recent years, “I believe in Science” has become a rallying cry for some.  Indeed, a call to look rationally at what can be qualified and quantified is justified and often needed. Our God is a God of truth and as followers of God, we should desire and affirm objective truth.

But we differ from those who believe that truth ends with what we can see.  We believe in an unseen God, who made the visible universe out of darkness.  So we look at science through the eyes of faith.  If something seems, on the surface, to challenge God’s revealed and true Word, we ask, “How might the scientists be understanding this incorrectly?  Might there be another way to interpret the data?”  Or, “If the scientists are interpreting this correctly, how might I understand Scripture better in light of this discovery?”  We approach all scientific discovery with the underlying belief that, though our knowledge and understanding are incomplete, God and his Word are true.  

We should also delight in scientific discovery, because understanding God’s creation helps us to better understand and appreciate God’s character.  Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.”  And Isaiah 45:18-19 proclaims, 

Demonstrated in the world he made, we see God’s power and divinity, faithfulness and purpose, creativity and beauty, mysteriousness and knowability, love and truth. We see him as the one true God.  When we affirm that God made the universe, we have a clearer vision of both creation and the Creator.  

For Reflection:  Read Psalm 33.  How should reflecting on God’s power and purpose in creation inspire us in worship?  What does it tell us about God’s character? Consider God’s ongoing activity in the world and in your life.  How does knowing that God made the universe and continues to act in his creation give us hope in our present circumstances and for our future?  Ask God to give you faith–confidence in what you hope for and assurance about what you do not see.

This past Sunday marked Reformation Sunday, on which we commemorated the momentous occasion of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses into the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.   These Theses outlined ways in which the church had strayed from Scripture, was abusing its spiritual authority, and was adding or taking away from the foundational message of salvation through faith in Christ alone, by grace alone.  Whether or not this list was actually nailed to a door, we don’t know, but we do know that the 95 Theses became widely distributed.  Luther’s intentions were to reform the church from within, encouraging the existing church to renew its emphasis on the gospel of Jesus.  But because the Catholic church excommunicated Luther and refused to consider the reforms he outlined, a new movement called the Reformation developed that eventually blossomed into the Protestant church.  

During the Reformation, five Latin phrases — “solas” (or “onlys”) — emerged to summarize gospel truth:  Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), Sola Fide (Faith Alone), Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), Solus Christus (Christ Alone), and Soli Deo Gloria (to the Glory of God Alone).  In the month of September, as we sang “How Firm a Foundation,” we focused on Sola Scriptura.  In October, we sang “All I Have Is Christ” — Solus Christus.  Throughout November, we will be singing “By Faith,” and remembering the great promises that come through Faith Alone.

The chorus of the song By Faith, written by Stuart Townend and Keith and Kristyn Getty, starts with the amazing declaration:  “We will stand as children of the promise.”  In the weeks ahead, we will look at how God called Abraham and his descendants to be his chosen people, promising a Messiah to save them.  We will see how we — followers of Jesus — are now, by faith, descendants of that promise.   Romans 9:8 says, “It is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.”  The chapter continues in verse 30, “What then shall we say?  The Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as a way of righteousness, have not attained their goal.  Why not?  Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works.  They stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written:  

Brothers and sisters, that rock is Jesus, and we are “children of the promise” only by faith in him alone.  

For Reflection:  In Hebrews 11, the chapter on which the Gettys based their song, we read about people who had faith and were saved.  Read Hebrews 11, starting in verse 39 of chapter 10.  Think about what it means to belong to this long line of “those who have faith and are saved.”  Thank God for making you a “child of the promise” through faith in Jesus. 

October 22: All I Have Is Christ

In looking together at the first two verses of this song, we recognize our helplessness without Christ, our need for his grace, and our dependence on him.  In the final verse, we celebrate what it means to say, All I Have Is Christ.

The person who has put her trust in Jesus will desire to put Jesus first (“yours alone”).    She will want to live a life that is above reproach (“live so all might see”).  But this life of obedience to Christ is not for her moral betterment.  It is not for a feeling of personal satisfaction or self-righteousness.  It is not to receive praise from others, or even acceptance from God.  The Christ-follower knows that only in the power of the Holy Spirit can she obey in a way that is pleasing to God (“the strength to follow your commands could never come from me”), and the goal is God’s recognition, not her own (“my only boast is you”).  

Jordan Kauflin shared with me that Philippians 3:7-12 was a major inspiration for “All I Have Is Christ”:   

 As we put our trust in Christ each day, we see that we are lost without him.  We thank him for his initiative in saving us.  We pray with reliance on his power and provision.  And we desire to gain Christ and be found in him.  

When I started this blog, I wanted to explore what it means to worship God.  I wrote the following as my emphasis:  God is both the means and the meaning, the Object and the Source.  I think the final verse of “All I have is Christ” captures the essence of worship well.  I am able to worship—both in “my ransomed life” and in “my song”—because of Jesus.  And my worship—in life and in song—is for his glory.  

For Reflection:  Read Romans 11:33-12:2.  Tell God that you desire him to be both the Object and Source of worship in your life.  Praise him for his love and power.  Ask him to show you ways to serve him.   And thank him for the opportunities you have to be used by him.

Last month, in our church’s weekly email, I published an excerpt from Hymns for a Kid’s Heart by Bobbie Wolgemuth and Joni Eareckson Tada, as a special “Kids’ Edition” of our Worship Song of the Month.  This is a lovely book which I highly recommend, full of the stories behind great hymns with devotional thoughts for kids.  But, as far as I know, there is no source for children’s devotionals (I could be wrong; please let me know!) about songs that have been written in recent years.  So, this month, I wrote my own thoughts for kids about the song All I Have Is Christ.  I hope children — and all who are young at heart — enjoy.

Have you ever been told, “God isn’t a vending machine!  Don’t come to God with a list of stuff you want and expect him to give them to you — like a vending machine shooting out soda and snacks!”

Do you think that’s true?  If we shouldn’t pray a list of things we need or want, how should we pray?

When Jordan Kauflin started to write our Worship Song of the Month, All I Have Is Christ, he wanted to make the chorus complicated and wordy.  But his dad encouraged him to keep it simple.  Finally, he ended up with the simple prayer:  “Hallelujah, all I have is Christ!  Hallelujah, Jesus is my life!”  

This simple prayer reminds us that, of all the things we need or want, Jesus is the most important.  It also tells us that we can in fact come to Jesus with our list of needs and wants because we should rely on Jesus for everything.  It also seems to say that, even if God doesn’t answer our prayers in a way we see or a way we like — even if we have nothing else! — Jesus is enough.  

It might be a good idea to start your prayers by thanking God for saving you and loving you, the way Jordan Kauflin starts his song.  Maybe you could end your prayers by asking God to help you love and serve him better, like Jordan ends his song.  But in between, go ahead and tell God whatever’s on your mind — even if it’s a list of stuff you really want.  

In the Bible verses we studied last week in church — Matthew 18:1-5 and 19:13-15 — we see that Jesus loves children.  He loves to welcome you.  He loves to bless you.  When you pray, Jesus might not “shoot out” the answers you’re hoping for.  But you can know that he loves you, and he loves to hear from you.

October 1: All I Have Is Christ

One of the joys of singing a song written in recent years is that sometimes the author will engage with you on why and how he or she wrote the song.  Many years ago, I wrote to Stuart Townend about “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” for a write-up I was doing for a church at which I was serving.  His lovely reply encouraged me to try again with October’s Song of the Month– All I Have Is Christ— and Jordan Kauflin did not disappoint.

Jordan told me that he was “inspired to write a hymn that talked about the superior joy of following Jesus versus anything in this world.” In order to describe the wonderful life a person has with Christ, he first thought about the opposite.  Without Christ, we are in a state of darkest night, the grave, in a hell-bound race.  Without Christ, we are rebels, lost, and helpless.  

Over and over in Scripture, we read that our situation is desperate without Jesus.  “No one is righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10).  “You were dead in your sins” (Colossians 2:13), the Bible tells us, “without hope” (Ephesians 2:12), “evil in [God’s] sight” (Psalm 51:4), and “deserving of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3).  

Rebel.  Lost.  Helpless.

Thankfully, God doesn’t leave us in this state.  When we recognize our need, we are able to receive the forgiveness and mercy that is offered in Jesus Christ.  “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:  Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners– of whom I am the worst” (1 Timothy 1:15).  

For reflection:  Romans 10:13 tells us that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  If you recognize the darkness of your state, call on Jesus.  Ask him for forgiveness and new life in him.  If you are a Christ-follower, read Ephesians 2:1-10, and thank God for his mercy and grace.  Ask him to help you to live each day as someone who is alive in Christ.