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It's been a long, busy day today, and I am just weary. Classes at the Seminary resumed this morning, and they always have a special chapel service on opening day. Our whole family got to participate. Daniel directed all the music, I played piano, and the children sang beautifully with us, "O Worship The King" and "He Hideth My Soul".
How those songs minister to me! They are precious old hymns that I learned growing up, because my family went to a good church where they sang them. Our hymnbooks never got dusty (tattered, yes, but not dusty), and I tell you, the exquisite language and rich Bible Truths contained in those hymns were written on my heart early in life.
I will take a humble old hymnbook over all those rock-music, vain-repetition, flesh-feeding "praise and worship" songs in the world.
My Dad was always my music director until I reluctantly left the nest. My favorite songs were songs that he sang. He led the church in singing hymns that minister to the soul and not the flesh, and many of those I can sing today from memory, verse by verse. Thank you, Daddy!
I guess I should get to the title of my post! My brother called me today to let me know that my Dad was admitted into the hospital. He and Mom had gone in to their doctor for a check-up, and they detected an irregular heartbeat from Dad's heart. They wanted him admitted in order to observe him and try to get his heart regulated, and that is all I know at this point. I would appreciate it if Christians would pray for Bro. Graham, my dad. Thanks so much!
And now, a couple of verses for you, Dad, from what we sang this morning (but in English :o)...
"A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, He taketh my burden away,
He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved,
He giveth me strength as my day!
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand."
from He Hideth My Soul, by Fanny J. Crosby, 1918
And this one...
"O worship the King, all glorious above,
O gratefully sing His Power and His Love;
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with Praise.
Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In THEE do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender! how firm to the end!
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!"
from O Worship the King, by Robert Grant.
8 comments:
I'm sorry about what you're going through.
The good news is that your Daddy will probably be fine, especially if it's an irregular heartbeat in the upper chambers of the heart, the atria. Atrial fibrillation is the most common irregular heartbeat--it's very common--and that's likely what it is.
I survived it, and many others do, too. Once I was cured, I couldn't stand on the sidelines and watch others suffer, so I created a site where families and patients can learn all about atrial fibrillation. It's at StopAfib.org.
I hope that helps. Good luck to you and him.
Mellanie
www.StopAfib.org
We will pray for him and your mom as well. They are like family to Elizabeth and myself.
Oh great words that minister to the heart! Love these songs too!
I will pray the Drs can regulate your dad´s heart rate.
Oh wow Tammy, we will remember your dad in our Bible time. I know it's so difficult to be away from family in the states when there are physical problems. Johnny's dad just had a really big surgery and he couldn't be there, it was hard.
Anyhow, praying!!
Oh I so much agree with you on the old hymns. I grow up too singing such song that really feed the soul. They are so rich in spiritual truths.
I will be lifting your dad up in prayer.May Gods will be done in his life.
I will be praying for your dad. A friend of mine has been going through a similar situation with her dad, except the dad is a missionary in Ghana and she's here in the States.
What amazes me about good old hymns and this modern music is this: have you noticed how it takes the whole song to get a point across in the "worship" music? Take the line "pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise." It would take a modern song writer three verses to say that.
I love O Worship the King.
Appreciated your concern for content in worship music, Tammy, I agree.
I'll be remembering your dad in my prayers today.
Sorry, I wasn't able to get this post and pray for him while he was in. I was at church camp and out of electronic zone for a week. But I will comment on the old hymns. Amen and amen! We love them too around here.
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