Sunday's Hymn: Reader's Choice

This hymn is a favorite of Julie. This is what she says about her choice:

I have sung this to my son since he was a baby, nursing him while I laid on the twin bed in his room before I laid him in his crib for the night. It reminds me of how astonished I should be about Grace….

My son is now 4, and every single night before bed he asks me to sing “And Can It Be”. He also asks to sing it in sunday school sometimes and to hear him sing it is precious (he’s working on some of the words still!).

So here you are, the words to And Can It Be That I Should Gain by Charles Wesley:

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

(Listen.) 

Other hymns, worship songs, etc. posted today:

• Give Him the Glory at Above the Clouds
  
• Take Time to Be Holy  at joythruChrist
• Jesus Where’er Thy People Meet at Magic Statistics
• O Christ, Who Hast Prepared a Place at The Happy Wonderer
• Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise at Thoughts from the Teahouse
  
• Lord’s Day 37, 2007 at The Thirsty Theologian
  
• To God Be the Glory at Seasonings of the Heart
• A Mighty Fortress is Our God at IMD 2.0

Have you posted a hymn this Sunday and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list. If you’d like to see your favorite hymn featured as a Reader’s Choice hymn, go here and leave a comment. Just tell me your favorite hymn and a little bit about why you like it and I’ll feature your hymn when your turn comes. But you’d better do it soon, because we’re coming to an end of the list of the already suggested favorite hymns!

Planning Ahead

You can thank Jane and Judy for the subject of this post. Jane started it by saying that she wanted The Church’s One Foundation and I Know That My Redeemer Liveth played at her funeral. Judy commented that her father, too, had loved The Church’s One Foundation. 

We often teased Dad, when he was living, that we’d play this hymn at his funeral. He’d just smile. We did so on June 18, 1992. He was a man who focused on the big picture of what God is doing in the world.

At my husband’s memorial service, we sang I Know Whom I Have Believed because he really loved that hymn. He sang it all the time around the house, managing to consistantly mangle the words, which was what he did with the words to almost every song he ever sang. We also sang The Old Rugged Cross because it was a song sung at his mother’s funeral and a song that is familiar to people from a variety of backgrounds. And truly, he had been clinging to the cross.

So what about you? Have you given any thought to what hymns you’d want included in your funeral or memorial service? What reasons do you have for choosing those hymns? What about funerals for your loved ones? What songs have been played or sung?

And what about scripture? What scripture passages would you like to have read? What scripture passages have been read at the funerals of those close to you? 

Can I let you in on a secret? Just composing this post and thinking about this subject made me more joyful than when I started. The center of our hope can be seen in our funeral service choices, don’t you think?

Update on Saturday, September 15, 2007 at 12:59PM by rebecca

Carla gave her answers on her own blog.

Tim Challies is Back in Business

[This post will remain on top until the deadline for entering the giveaway. Scroll down for newer posts.]

The business of giving good things away, that is. I’ve signed up for the giveaway and so can you. If you do, why not use my referral number, 

10154

or click on this banner

 
to give me another chance to win? This giveaway is sponsored by Monergism Books, and Tim calls it “the biggest and best prize yet.” And he isn’t kidding. Go find out all about the Challies.com

Great September Giveaway.

Update on Sunday, September 16, 2007 at 11:45AM by rebecca

The results of the giveaway have been announced. I didn’t win and I’m guessing you didn’t win either.

In more happy news, Tim is planning to have more giveaways with more exciting prices over the coming months. 

If you really wanted those commentaries, but didn’t win them, you can find them for less than regular price at Monergism Books. And Monergism Books conveniently ships to Canada.