Devotional Thoughts on Favorite Hymns eBook

By James Robinson

Experience popular and favorite hymns from new and eye-opening perspectives with Devotional Thoughts on Favorite Hymns.This collection of 52 devotions will help you see the powerful, Christ-centered meanings in beloved spiritual songs such as, “ I Know That My Redeemer Lives,” “ Onward, Christian Soldiers,” “ What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” and many more.Perfect for personal use and group Bible study, each devotion includes the hymn verse, a short devotional message, a closing prayer, and background information on the song for deeper understanding. Praise the Lord with these songs and find comfort, encouragement, and inspiration in their message!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Northwestern Publishing House
• Release date: Jul 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9780810029248

Book preview

Abide, O Dearest Jesus

1. Abide, O dearest Jesus,

Among us with Thy grace

That Satan may not harm us

Nor we to sin give place.

2. Abide, O dear Redeemer,

Among us with Thy Word

And thus now and hereafter

True peace and joy afford.

3.Abide with heav’nly

brightness

Among us, precious Light;

Thy truth direct and keep us

From error’s gloomy night.

4. Abide with richest blessings

Among us, bounteous Lord;

Let us in grace and wisdom

Grow daily through

Thy Word.

5. Abide with Thy protection

Among us, Lord,

our Strength,

Lest world and Satan fell us

And overcome at length.

6. Abide, O faithful Savior,

Among us with Thy love;

Grant steadfastness

and help us

To reach our home above.

JESUS, ABIDE IN US WITH YOUR LOVE

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. (John 15:9 NKJV)

When Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus that he should come and heal their sick brother, Lazarus, they didn’t say, the one who loves you is ill. Rather, they said, Lord, the one you love is sick (John 11:3). It is not our love for him that brings real comfort; it is his love for us. That’s what we need in our lives — Christ’s abiding love for us.

In the text for this devotion, Jesus tells us that his love for us is just like the Heavenly Father’s love for him. That’s the kind of love he has for each one of his followers. It’s a fatherly love, and we certainly want that kind of love to abide with us in everything. God’s fatherly love was shown in sending Jesus to be our Savior. We, as rebellious children, did not merit that kind of fatherly love, but God in his grace gives salvation to all who believe in Jesus as their Savior.

Where do we hear of this great love of Jesus for us? In God’s Word. Do we always appreciate the Word we hear in Bible classes and worship services? If we truly want Jesus to abide with us in our lives, one of the ways to assure ourselves of his abiding love is to remain faithful to his Word through private Bible study, devotions and worship. For it is there in his Word that we walk with him and we talk with him. It is only through that Word that we can grow daily in grace and wisdom. Do you do that?

Jesus also shows his love to us by being our Light. His Holy Spirit has brought us out of darkness to light and enlightened our hearts and minds, bringing us to faith and keeping us in the faith. His truth directs us, and it keeps us from stumbling and falling in error’s gloomy night. He is the light that guides us through the darkness of sin and unbelief, the light that guides our paths.

Jesus is our bounteous Lord. He provides us with the richest of blessings. Among them is his gracious promise to hear and answer our prayers. So let us bring our everyday concerns to him. The problems at work, family conflicts, economic burdens, ill health and whatever troubles we experience are not too much for him. He can handle it. He will help us.

Finally we ask that Jesus would abide among us with his protecting hand, warding off the frenzied attacks of the world and Satan and giving us the strength to confront and defeat those daily dangers and temptations which surround us. His protection is something we never want to be without.

Our Savior is faithful and will never let us down. We pray that he will abide with us all of our days and will grant us steadfastness and will help us to reach our home above.

PRAYER:

Dear Jesus, abide among us with your love. This great love you have shown to us through your salvation, protection, preservation and faithfulness. Teach us to appreciate your great love. Abide with us throughout our lives. In your name we pray. Amen.

BACKGROUND OF THE HYMN:

The text of this hymn is based on the petition of the two disciples who were traveling on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:29). They asked Jesus to abide with them. This hymn was probably written by Josua Stegmann in 1628. He was a theological professor at Rinteln who was persecuted by Benedictine monks during the Thirty Years’ War. The original title was Abide with us, our Savior. It is one of those favorite hymns which come to us from the German. It has been translated into English, French and many other languages. Today it is most frequently used as a closing hymn which asks that God’s abiding presence continue to be with all those who are worshiping.

Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed

1.  Alas! and did my Savior bleed,

And did my Sov’reign die?

Would He devote that sacred head

For such a worm as I?

2.  Was it for crimes that I had done

He groaned upon the tree?

Amazing pity, grace unknown,

And love beyond degree!

3.  Well might the sun in darkness hide

And shut his glories in

When God, the mighty Maker, died

For man the creature’s sin.

4.  Thus might I hide my blushing face

While His dear cross appears,

Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,

And melt mine eyes to tears.

5.  But drops of grief can ne’er repay

The debt of love I owe;

Here, Lord, I give myself away,

’Tis all that I can do.

GOD’S SON DIED FOR YOU

Jesus called out with a loud voice, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)

This hymn is said to have influenced the conversion of a former governor of Georgia, A. H. Colquitt. Bishop Warren A. Chandler related this incident about the governor: Just before he arose to address the meeting, the choir sang one of the sweetest hymns of Isaac Watts. It seemed to fill him with holy rapture. When he rose to speak, his handsome face shone with supernatural brightness, his lustrous eyes were filled with tears, and his utterance was choked with emotion as he said impulsively: ‘Oh, how I love that song! It was my mother’s song. And today, if I could hear her sing it again, I should have greater joy than if I had heard all the choirs of heaven.’ ‘Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed!’ — that was the song they sang. Because his Savior bled and died that men might live, this noble man has found at last the eternal home and the ‘vanquished hand’ for which he sighed.

Do you remember a favorite hymn your mother sang while she worked about the house or while she rocked you or one of your brothers or sisters to sleep?

What made this a favorite hymn of Governor Colquitt’s mother? And what is there about it that touched the governor’s heart as well? Surely it is the gospel message of the great love shown by our Savior when he bled and died on the cross for our sins. Think of it, and ponder the profoundness of this death. It was the Son of God who died. Our Savior, our Sovereign Lord, died for you and me. It was for our crimes that he groaned upon the tree. Yes, well might the sun in darkness hide that Good Friday when God, the mighty Maker, died for man the creature’s sin. He didn’t have to die but chose to do so out of love for his people. What amazing pity, grace unknown and love beyond degree!

Well might we blush with shame when Christ’s cross appears. We do not deserve the great gift of salvation. We accept it in faith because Jesus in grace freely offers it to us, and he willingly gave his life for us.

Surely as we think of our suffering Savior and the amazing pity, love and grace he has shown to us, it must affect our lives. The debt of love we owe can only prompt us to say, Here, Lord, I give myself away. It’s all that I can do.

Perhaps this hymn is a favorite of yours. Whatever your favorite hymn is, sing it often. Hymns are wonderful ways to show your love, thanks and praise to God. They are a wonderful source of comfort. Someday it may be said by one of your children, That hymn was a favorite of Mom (or Dad). It may be a source of comfort for them when they need it.

PRAYER:

Dear Jesus, words cannot express the thankfulness which we offer to you for the unspeakable gift of salvation. Forgive us when we look upon it lightly. Help us to witness to others in our families and elsewhere of the great love you have for all people. In your name we pray. Amen.

BACKGROUND OF THE HYMN:

Isaac Watts wrote this hymn and first published it in 1707. Its original title was Godly Sorrow Arising from the Sufferings of Christ. It is a favorite hymn among English speaking Christians.

All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

1.  All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name!

Let angels prostrate fall;

Bring forth the royal diadem

And crown Him Lord of all.

2.  Crown him, ye martyrs of our God,

Who from His altar call;

Extol the Stem of Jesse’s rod

And crown Him Lord of all.

3.  Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,

Ye ransomed from the Fall,

Hail Him who saves you by His grace

And crown Him Lord of all.

4.  Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line,

Whom David Lord did call,

The God incarnate, Man divine,

And crown Him Lord of all.

5.  Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget

The wormwood and the gall,

Go, spread your trophies at His feet

And crown Him Lord of all.

6.  Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe,

On this terrestrial ball

To Him all majesty ascribe

And crown Him Lord of all.

7.  Oh, that with yonder sacred throng

We at His feet may fall!

We’ll join the everlasting song

And crown Him Lord of all.

POWER IN JESUS’ NAME

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10,11)

Hymns have a remarkable power to grip men’s hearts as the Rev. E. P. Scott, a newly commissioned missionary to India, was to learn. He was sent to minister to certain inland tribes who had never had the gospel preached to them. His friends warned him not to go because those tribes were noted for murdering any intruders into their territory. When he arrived inland, he was greeted by a large number of tribesmen who surrounded him with their raised spears. Immediately he realized that his first day among these people could turn out to be his last as well. While they hesitated, he closed his eyes, breathed a prayer, took out his violin and began singing the words of this great hymn in their language.

He had expected to be run through at any moment. But when he finished the song, he opened his eyes and was amazed to see that the natives had put down their spears and that all of them were in tears. God had used the name of Jesus and the words of this hymn to save him from death and give him an opportunity to preach the gospel to them. This he did for the next two and one-half years.

The name of Jesus has power. The name of Jesus is so special that our text tells us every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Having risen from the dead, Christ is now the exalted Lamb of God who rules supreme in the world and in the church, both in this world and that which is to come. The days of his humiliation and lowliness are over. He has returned to glory, and even now he reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords. His resurrection proves that he is all that he claimed to be — Lord, true God, the Christ, the Messiah.

He is high above every created being. All creation must do his bidding. Someday even the worst of his enemies will have to bow the knee before him and admit that they were wrong and he was right — but too late. They had refused to believe him before, but they will have to obey his dread command: Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Jesus has been victorious. He has prevailed against the forces of sin, death and the devil. He has effected the salvation of mankind. In this great fact we rejoice, and for this add our praises.

What a blessed, comforting truth that is: Christ rules supreme, controlling all things in heaven and on earth. For this supreme Lord of all is our Savior and Friend who loves us so dearly that he gave himself into death for us.

Blessed are we if we have learned in childlike faith to confess, I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord. For this we know. He is able to do all that for which we depend on him: to forgive us, to care for us, to protect us, to lead us so that we shall be with him in glory forever where we will