Watt A Hymn Writer!!

Isaac Watts is one of the greatest hymn writers of all time, but for sure of the 1700s. The way he was able to paint a picture with his words and yet at the same time reveal the deeper truths of scripture were and still are astounding. My pastor, Tim Armstrong and I got to have a great discussion about this amazing hymn and hymnwriter. There is not much more to say other than if you haven't listened to it yet...stop reading this and go listen. Below you will find various versions of this hymn. As I always ask take a moment to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let people know about The Bright Forever and how they can listen and thank you for listening and returning week after week. 

The Measureless Love of God (EP06)

Thank you for listening this week as we explored "The Love of God" by Frederick M. Lehman. As one of the greatest lyrical songs of all it truly is worthy of digging into and seeing how it came to be. Lehman's use of poetry and language is remarkable and paints such an amazing picture as you listen to it's words sung.

In this episode I also get to sit down and discuss this musical treasure with my brother, Matt Peavyhouse...

It was great getting to just talk through this with him. He had some great insights into the hymn and how these words keep pointing us toward the Gospel.

Below you will find a few extra versions of this song. With amazing words like these it should be no surprise that this song has been done and redone multiple times by multiple individuals, bands, choirs, etc. 

Also, at the beginning of the episode I give a quote from Frederick Buechner. He is another one of those writers who has a gift for his use of language and how he paints a picture in your head. I came across this quote from his book Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairytale that I use every year in each of my Bible classes: 

"It is a world of magic and mystery, of deep darkness and flickering starlight. It is a world where terrible things happen and wonderful things too. It is a world where goodness is pitted against evil, love against hate, order against chaos, in a great struggle where often it is hard to be sure who belongs to which side because appearances are endlessly deceptive. Yet for all its confusion and wildness, it is a world where the battle goes ultimately to the good, who live happily ever after, and where in the long run everybody, good and evil alike, becomes known by his true name...That is the fairy tale of the Gospel with, of course, one crucial difference from all other fairytales, which is that the claim made for it is that it is true, that it not only happened once upon a time but has kept on happening ever since and is happening still." 

What makes the story of God's redeeming love so amazing and so compelling is that it's not just a story. It is actual true. And his love is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The love of God is beyond measure, it is vast, and it is pure, and there is nothing that can separate us from the love we have in Christ Jesus of Lord. Have a great week!

Trusting Jesus Through Loss (EP05)

 Trusting In Jesus

It can be difficult and trying when tragedy strikes. It's hard to trust anyone. We tend to go into survival mode and stop thinking clearly. Even when we know that God is there, we sometimes are so covered in grief that we cannot see him at work and are to terrified to move forward. That may be you. It has been me and my family before. Let the words of this week's hymn change the your thoughts, reorient your mind, and fix your eyes on our Savior. I'm remined of a song called "The Silence of God" by Andrew Peterson. I've added a link below to the song. It a song from the perspective of one desperately seeking God to speak into their life and getting nothing but silence. But the best part of the song comes at the end, when it says...

He's kneeling in the garden, as silent as a stone | All His friends are sleeping and He's weeping all alone | And the man of all sorrows, he never forgot | What sorrow is carried by the hearts that he bought | So when the questions dissolve into the silence of God | The aching may remain, but the breaking does not | The aching may remain, but the breaking does not | In the holy, lonesome echo of the silence of God.

Jesus is about to go to the cross, his friends are sleeping, he's crying by himself, asking that this cup pass from him. Even with the pain and anguish of the cross laid before him, he never forgot the sorrows we carry and he declared, "Not my will, but Thy will be done." We are only broken for a season, and God will heal. There may always be a scar, there may be an aching pain, but hope will come again. We just have to trust him.

"'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" I cannot think of a better song to sing over those who are hurting and shattered by the losses they have suffered. Our God is good and He is still on his throne and He is calling us to be his hands and feet during difficult times in so many peoples' lives. Below are just a few ways to give to the ongoing efforts to help those impacted the most by Hurricane Ian. Take a moment to pray and ask God what you may be able to do or contribute during this time of need.

God bless you all,

Andy

________________________________________________

Here are a few links to some great organizations for disaster relief donations and volunteering:

Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief

Florida Baptist Disaster Relief Response

The American Red Cross

Here is "The Silence of God" by Andrew Peterson...

Here is another version of our hymn for this week by Reawaken Hymns...