Do you remember singing the old hymn?
/Do you remember singing the old hymn ‘Revive Us Again’? Memories of standing beside my mother when I was barely tall enough to help hold the green Broadman Hymnal and belting out ‘Hallelujah, Thine the glory, revive us again’ sooths my soul. Remembering great moments shared with loved ones gone to glory resonates joyous healing. Mother embarrassed me many times as we stood in worship and sang hymns. Her beautiful voice and southern twang rang in my ears, with me wishing she would sing a little softer. I’ve typed and deleted the next sentence at least twenty times; wishing mother back here to stand beside in church and hear her sing would be wrong. Besides, she wouldn’t want to come back anyway. My mind can see her standing on the streets of gold with Mrs. Norma Howard and Faye Williams singing for Paul, Timothy, James, King David and loving every eternal moment of it! I believe we will sing together one day in Heaven and that thought keeps me singing as I go.
Do you wonder about your loved ones in heaven also? We can be thankful for God’s promise to prepare a place with eternal peace and joy beyond understanding for them there while keeping us alive and well to finish our race here! Knowing they are safe in the arms of Jesus gives comfort. Knowing we are right with God and ready to meet Jesus at any moment gives peace. Are you ready right now to go to heaven? Kenny Chesney sings about wanting to go to heaven but not today. So, we may not actually be ready to go now but if now was your time or mine…are we ready if Jesus called us in the twinkling of an eye like He did the 27 year old middle school teacher in his classroom a few weeks ago? Are we really ready or do we need to repent and be revived? Waiting to get ready and make things right with the Lord, loved ones, and those we have might have ought against makes for dangerous living!
Sharing the words to ‘Revive Us Again’ sparks precious memories of yesterday, thankful yet troubling thoughts for today, and earnest, hopeful prayers for tomorrow. Let your heart sing the lyrics wherever you are reading this. Feel the power of words that ring truth ‘for such a time as this’ when Revelation plays out before our eyes and being ready for heaven at any given moment is wise!
“We praise Thee, O God for the Son of Thy love, For Jesus who died, and is now gone above. Hallelujah Thine the glory, Hallelujah amen, Hallelujah Thine the glory, revive us again.
All glory and praise to the Lamb that was slain. Who has borne all our sins and hath cleansed every stain. Hallelujah thine the glory, Hallelujah amen, Hallelujah Thine the glory, revive us again.
Revive us again, fill each heart with Thy love. May each soul be rekindled with fire from above. Hallelujah thine the glory, Hallelujah amen, Hallelujah thine the glory, REVIVE US AGAIN!”
In Zephaniah 3:17 God’s Word tells how He rejoices over His children! “He will rejoice over you with singing.” Clearly, God loves to hear singing and praising in HIs courts and in our hearts. When we feel down and out, we only need to hum or sing a favorite hymn to be revived. Praising the Lord with joyful singing is pleasing to Him and heart mending medicine for His children. Why not sing a little song or whistle while you work today? Singing in our hearts and minds is music to His ears only. Singing out loud, even when we might embarrass those standing beside us, shares the joy, joy, joy deep down in our hearts. When you enter your home tonight, purposefully be singing a little love song and see how your family reacts. I grew up to mother singing Amazing Grace, Love Lifted Me, and Revive Us Again. Daddy, on the other hand, sang little rhymes that brought laughter and a sweet spirit in our home when one or the other of us needed an attitude adjustment. I can see his humble smile widen as he sang with conviction…”I was going ‘round the curve making ninety miles an hour when the chain on my bicycle broke, or “did you ever see mama make water, she could pee for a mile and a quarter”! Wishing I could remember all his little tunes, I cherish most the humble, loving, happy spirit in which he sang his songs!
God sees our hearts as we sing. He watches as we rush through days and nights with little time left for Him…or them (family) when we allow ourselves to become overextended!
Rising Up early to spend time with Him before the world wakes up wonderful. This morning, I read while listening to Reflections on Daystar. Tranquility filled my heart as peaceful pictures from God’s creation faded in and out on my television screen. The following verse from Psalm 119:14 popped up beside a scene of poppies in a field with sunshine glistening through gentle raindrops on the green pasture. Hopefully, these words will resonate in your soul and become part of your daily routine. Whether we take time for ‘God and us” early in the morning or late at night is not the critical thing in our relationship with Christ, what matters is we ‘Just do it”! For me, putting Him first in my mornings makes for a day that’s great-t-t-t! Being closely connected to Christ keeps us singing when the world is whining and wondering why we are happy! Being Revived brings us closer to Christ with peaceful hearts ready to meet Him whenever He calls.
“I RISE before dawn and cry for help. I put my trust in You”!
Now is the time to Rise Up and be Revived…put our trust in God, be ready to meet Jesus, and enjoy the rest of our journeys while writing our stories out loud in LOVE!
