My grandmother sang in the Methodist church choir for 50 years. There were songs and hymns and hums always present in her house. She displayed a quiet, but profound, belief in God, and one of the ways she worshiped and praised was through music.
The songs she sang with her friends and fellow believers frequently come to mind. At Easter, we think of the themes of love, and sacrifice, and rescue, and hope. Some of the songs she loved, and also made the rest of us enjoy, speak to these many things, too.
In 1912, a photographer sat in his basement while pictures developed in his darkroom. With his Bible opened to the 20th chapter of the Gospel of John, he had a vision. As the story goes, he began to write some words to a poem which he set to music later in the evening. C. Austin Miles ended up writing one of the greatest and most loved hymns. “In the Garden” remains a timeless classic after more than 100 years. Here are some lyrics:
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“I come to the garden alone — While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear — The Son of God discloses.
And he walks with me, and he talks with me, And he tells me I am his own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known.
He speaks, and the sound of his voice — Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that he gave to me — Within my heart is ringing.”
Hymns tell us a lot about the Christian faith and ourselves. In this season of suffering and redemptive love, I am reminded of the words in one of Ira Stanphill’s most popular songs. Written in 1950, “I Don’t Know About Tomorrow” is a beautiful song filled with faith and hope. Different lines discuss the present and the future. One which often comforts me reveals an important truth:
“Many things about tomorrow — I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow — And I know who holds my hand.”
Another song appropriate for all seasons is “Blessed Assurance” by Fanny Crosby. She remains one of the greatest hymn writers of all time. Many of her songs are still included in the Methodist hymnal and are sung with great frequency. In 1873, Crosby, almost blind since birth, wrote the song. It intertwines with the other two because of the enduring truths recorded in the verses. The chorus simply reads:
“This is my story, this is my song — Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song, — Praising my Savior all the day long.”
Since the song’s publication, many artists from Alan Jackson to Third Day and CAIN have both covered and performed it. The song opens the 1985 film “Places in the Heart” directed by Robert Benton. I can almost hear my grandmother singing it right now. The words and music are a reminder of the Biblical record in the Book of Philippians where the Apostle Paul writes about his desire to know his savior more deeply.
Paul gives his vision to the church at Philippi. His goal was to know all about Christ, feel the power of his resurrection, forget the umbrage of past titles and behaviors, and move forward gaining an understanding of him while dropping the countless weights of the world. In one verse, he adds, “Not that I have already reached [the goal] or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12 in the Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Eugene Peterson’s “The Message” wonderfully speaks to Paul’s goal of knowing Him: “Reaching out for Christ who has so wondrously reached out for me.” (Philippians 3:12 in “The Message”).
My grandmother and I never talked about her faith much. We sang together often and prayed at the kitchen table before meals. And before dementia savagely stole her ability to sing a song all the way through, we could enjoy singing together. She would always sing her part from her choir days, and I would just try to stay on key. Yet, those are blessed memories for me still. I knew what she was about, and she believed she knew how her own story would end: that one day she would see her savior face to face.
The Easter holiday, like any other holiday, encompasses many people and rituals. Some individuals work hard not to miss the food at a church service, others purposely set their watches to be able to watch the sunrise on Sunday morning and think of a man who was raised from the dead. Christianity itself does not work without the moment. Then, there will be children in all manner of spring clothing with their baskets in tow hunting those eggs.
But somewhere, there will be songs. “Thanks, grandmother.”
Brent Tomberlin is a social studies teacher at South Caldwell High School and at various other institutions. He can be reached at coachtomberlin@gmail.com.