Thought for November 25, 2023

•  1792: First Farmer's Almanac published
• 1841: 35 survivors of Amistad mutiny return to Africa
• 1863: Battle of Missionary Ridge Tennessee
• 1949: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" appears on the charts
• 1960: Last broadcast of "Amos 'n' Andy" on radio
• 1974: IRA outlawed in Britain
• 1979: First boradcast by John Madden and Pat Summerall, a pairing that would last 22 years
• 1986: Iran-Contra affair surfaces after President Reagan reveals arms deal
• 1990: Lech Walesa elected President of Poland
• 2014: Protests erupt when grand jury does not charge policeman who shot teenager in Missouri
• Born: Franz Gruber [Silent Night], Andrew Carnegie, Karl Benz, Carrie Nation, Joe DiMaggio, Ricardo Montalban, Joe Gibbs, John F. Kennedy, Jr., Bernie Kosar, Donovan McNabb, Barbara and Jenna Bush, Amber Hagerman [Amber Alert]
• Died: Isaac Watts, Robert Lowry, Bill Robinson ["Bojangles"], Henry Sloane Coffin, Charles Kettering [auto self starter], Upton Sinclair, U Thant, Flip Wilson, Fidel Castro

Thought:

Today, I am just thinking about the hymns written by Isaac Watts and Robert Lowry. A little break from Revelation. 

Isaac Watts Watts' father had been imprisoned as a non-conformist in England. Watts learned Latin at age 4, Greek by age 9, French by 11 and Hebrew at age 13. As a young man, Watts' complained that looking at the faces of the singers in church did not show much joy. He declined opportunities to attend Oxford or Cambridge to attend a Nonconformist school. He became a pastor in 1702 and published a collection of hymns in 1707 including "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" [inspired by Galatians 6:14]. Twelve years later, he published a book of songs based on the Psalms with "Joy to the World" based on Psalm 98 and "O God Our Help in Ages Past" from Psalm 90. His critics called his hymns "whims." John Wesley said he would trade all the hymns he had ever written to have composed "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross." Many question how Psalm 98 could inspire "Joy to the World." Watts explained that verse 4 reads "shout joyfully to the Lord" and he could think of no greater reason to shout for joy than Jesus birth.  Watts also wrote "I Sing the Mighty Power of God" and "Am I a Soldier of the Cross." Watts has a connection with Robert Lowry--Watts wrote the words and Lowry the music for "We're Marching to Zion."

Robert Lowry was a Baptist pastor who often wrote music after church on Sunday night. As a child, I sang many of his tunes on Sunday night. Perhaps his best known hymn is "Shall We Gather at the River." Lying on the couch on a hot humid afternoon in 1864, Lowry's mind went to Revelation 22. As he thought, he asked "shall we gather" and answered to himself, "Yes, we shall gather." He wrote the words that remind us of that great day when we will gather at the river that flows from the throne of God. He wrote the music for "All the Way My Savior Leads Me," "I Need the Every Hour," and "Nothing But the Blood" based on Hebrews 9:22, "without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin." Today sing a song Lowry wrote during Easter after reading Luke 24:6-8. Sitting at his pump organ he wrote, "Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior! Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord. Up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph o'er His foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain and lives forever with His saints to reign . . .Hallelujah! Christ arose!" 

Thinking about these men, I see that they read their Bibles, the Spirit transported their thinking to heavenly thoughts--the creation, the cross, the power of God. Today, read the Bible, ask the Spirit to lift your thoughts higher and higher until He is all you can see and hear. Pray for Romans 12:1-2--transformation by renewing your mind so that your actions prove the perfect will of God. 

Blessings

Larry