SINGING AS A LENTEN DISCIPLINE [T, 3-12-24]

 CHRIST IN WINTER: Reflections on Faith & Life for the Years of Winter—SINGING AS A LENTEN DISCIPLINE [T, 3-12-24]

 

I recently heard Bono, of U2, say that we sing to combat our demons, and when we sing together, we combat the demons of society.

Lent is an opportunity to practice the disciplines of spiritual growth—Bible reading, prayer, meditation, worship, alms giving. Singing is rarely mentioned, but I think it is an important spiritual activity.

So, each morning during Lent I am gathering my missing friends, from the various eras of my life, and we sing the hymns and spiritual songs of those days that we shared.

We sing our songs of youthful aspiration…

“Pass me not, O gentle savior, hear my humble cry. While on others thou art calling, do not pass me by…”

We sing our songs of youthful purpose…

“I know the Lord, I know the Lord, I know the Lord has laid his hand on me…”

We sing our songs of youthful courage…

“Are ye able, said the master, to be crucified with me? Yea, the sturdy dreamers answered, to the death we follow thee…”

We sing our songs of preparation…

It’s me, it’s me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.

Give me oil in my lamp to keep me burning, give me oil in my lamp, I pray. Give me oil in my lamp to keep me burning, keep me burning ‘til the break of day.

We sing our songs of our youthful witness…

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.

I love to tell the story. Twill be my theme in glory. To tell the old, old story, of Jesus and his love.

We sing of how sometimes we are lost…

Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand. I am tired, I am weak, I am worn. Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light. Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

We sing of how we are being found…

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.

Beneath the Cross of Jesus, I fain would take my stand. The shadow of a mighty rock, within a weary land. A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way, from the burning of the noonday heat, and the burden of the day.

We sing of our maturing witness…

They’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. Just like a tree that’s planted by the water, I shall not be moved.

We sing of hope…

We shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome some day. O, deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome some day.

We sing of eternity…

For all the saints, who from their labors rest, who thee, by faith, before the world confessed. Thy name, o Jesus, be forever blest, Hallelujah. Hallelujah.  

I’ll fly away, oh glory, I’ll fly away, in the morning. When I die, Hallelujah by and by, I’ll fly away.

Finally, we sing of resurrection, the end that is the beginning…

He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me, and talks with me, along life’s narrow way. He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart. You ask me how I know he lives, he lives within my heart…

John Robert McFarland