It’s difficult for me to read any book on the glories of heaven without thinking about this song. When I wrote my thesis on the Puritan view of heaven I must have listened to this song well over a thousand times.

LYRICS:

This is not the end
This is not the end of this
We will open our eyes wide, wider

This is not our last
This is not our last breath
We will open our mouths wide, wider

And you know you’ll be alright
Oh and you know you’ll be alright

This is not the end
This is not the end of us
We will shine like the stars bright, brighter

Pie Jesu

“Pie Jesu” from Future of Forestry’s Advent Chrismas EP Vol. 2

Pie Jesu (Pious Jesus)
Qui tollis peccata mundi (Who takes away the sins of the world)
Dona eis requiem (Give them rest)
Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)

Qui tollis peccata mundi (Who takes away the sins of the world)
Dona eis requiem (Give them rest)
Sempiternam (Everlasting)
Requiem (Rest)

An Advent Hymn Worth Singing

“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” arranged by Red Mountain Music

Come, Thou long-expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth Thou art;
dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

Joy to those who long to see thee, Dayspring from on high, appear;
come, thou promised Rod of Jesse, of thy birth we long to hear!
O’er the hills the angels singing news, glad tidings of a birth;
“Go to him, your praises bringing; Christ the Lord has come to earth.”

Come to earth to taste our sadness, he whose glories knew no end;
by his life he brings us gladness, our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend.
Leaving riches without number, born within a cattle stall;
this the everlasting wonder, Christ was born the Lord of all.

Born Thy people to deliver, born a child, and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever, now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
by Thine own sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Let the Christmas Music Begin

The passing of Thanksgiving means the Christmas season has finally arrived. Today my family will decorate our house will all the traditional trappings and we will do so with Christmas music blaring in the background.

Songs are powerful (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19). And if you are like me there seems to be unique power in Christmas carols and seasonal songs. Maybe it’s for reasons of nostalgia. Or maybe it’s sound biblical and systematic theology. Whatever the reason, everyone has their personal favorite.

My favorite Christmas hymn changes every few days or so, but if we are talking about contemporary Christmas songs I have an undisputed favorite: “The Earth Stood Still” by Future of Forestry. The simple, yet atmospheric instrumentation combines with longing lyrics stir to my soul in profound ways.

Maybe it will do the same for you.

LYRICS

A teenage girl and her soon-to-be
A simple trip far as they could see
The sky was clear and the hour serene
But did they know what the night would bring

Lonely hearts strung across the land
They’ve been waiting long for a healing hand
My heart was there and I felt the chill
Love came down and the earth stood still
Love came down and the earth stood still

Shepherds stirred under starry skies
Tasting grace that would change their lives
The angels trembled and the demons did too
For they knew very well what pure grace would do.

The hope of the world and a baby boy
I remember Him well like I was there that night
My heart was there and I felt the chill
Love came down and the earth stood still
Love came down and the earth stood still
Love came down and the earth stood still

A Song for Thanksgiving

......

Come and stand before your Maker
Full of wonder, full of fear
Come behold His power and glory
Yet with confidence draw near

For the one who holds the heavens
And commands the stars above
Is the God who bends to bless us
With an unrelenting love

Rejoice, come and lift your hands and
Raise your voice, He is worthy of our praise
Rejoice, sing of mercies of your King
And with trembling, rejoice

We are children of the promise
The beloved of the Lord
Won with everlasting kindness
Bought with sacrificial blood

Bringing reconciliation
To a world that longs to know
The affections of a Father
Who will never let them go

All our sickness, all our sorrows
Jesus carried up the hill
He has walked this path before us
He is walking with us still

Turning tragedy to triumph
Turning agony to praise
There is blessing in the battle
So take heart and stand amazed

A Hymn Worth Singing

“O Love that Will Not Let Me Go” by George Matheson

Here’s the story behind the song:

At age 20 George Matheson (1842-1906) was engaged to be married but began going blind. When he broke the news to his fiancee, she decided she could not go through life with a blind husband. She left him. Before losing his sight he had written two books of theology and some feel that if he had retained his sight he could have been the greatest leader of the church of Scotland in his day.

A special providence was that George’s sister offered to care for him. With her help, George left the world of academia for pastoral ministry and wound up preaching to 1500 each week–blind.

The day came, however, in 1882, when his sister fell in love and prepared for marriage herself. The evening before the wedding, George’s whole family had left to get ready for the next day’s celebration. He was alone and facing the prospect of living the rest of his life without the one person who had come through for him. On top of this, he was doubtless reflecting on his own aborted wedding day twenty years earlier. It is not hard to imagine the fresh waves of grief washing over him that night.

In the darkness of that moment George Matheson wrote this hymn. He remarked afterward that it took him five minutes and that it was the only hymn he ever wrote that required no editing.

LYRICS

O Love that will not let me go
I rest my weary soul in thee
I give thee back the life I owe
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be

O light that followest all my way
I yield my flickering torch to thee
My heart restores its borrowed ray
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be

O Joy that seekest me through pain
I cannot close my heart to thee
I trace the rainbow through the rain
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be

O Cross that liftest up my head
I dare not ask to fly from thee
I lay in dust life’s glory dead
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be