Crown Him ~ Old or New Hymn, the Same King
The Hymn relevant yesterday and today
In the video depiction of the Ancient Hymn Crown Him With Many Crowns, there are breathtaking examples of the creation of God. This song may be older and less contemporary, but I will share two versions of this magnificent hymn in this Hub. The words are what is so very important. (Please take time to listen to the song twice in the versions below)
The truth is that when we hear things more than once, we tend to retain it better. This video depicts the natural and undeniable beauty of creation. God gave us this entire world, how could we think for we have more to give than He. How could we believe our existence is for anything other than to offer Him all of ourselves. If we have shouted from a mountaintop look at ME, and I am so sure we have, forgive us our iniquities, Lord. I know you created the mountain and you place us on it to glorify you. To be reminded of this is essential and humbling at best. So why do we forget minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour?
The Hymn that speaks volumes
To pray a simple prayer and fully believe the intention is to honor God. At the same time to succumb to the weakness that keeps us from fully accepting Him and following His word is very natural to our humanness.
We are not to be self–righteous, but rather give glory and honor where it is due. How quickly were taken in by the ambiance of this fast-paced existence? We start any given day with the intentions to glorify our Father in Heaven. We could have practiced it in our sleep, telling ourselves we would never let anything distract us from our mission. We are focused and ready as our eyes fix on the promises of the cross. And then it happens, life!
Perhaps ’you’re heading to work and remember you left the report on the table at home, so you rush through the already slow traffic back to the house. Now in full recognition of our senses as the coffee, you may have had, has kicked in. It has already allowed for your heart rate to increase waking you to the routine of our day. But it has happened, life! ’You’re now impatient with the older couple in the vehicle in front of you that are heading to the doctor’s appointment hours ahead of schedule so they will not be late.
The frustration mounts when you come upon the school zone you were once so grateful for as they protect our children. But, you are late, and now unsettled by the fact that the light is blinking 15 mph children are already in the building. You are also keenly aware of the proficient police car that is notably placed in the zone to be observant of impatient motorists. With this little mishap, everything has gone to a ’snail’s pace, and the only reason we can see that this would happen is for our demise and torture. Not once are you thinking this is for the glorification of our God?
Now, this is just an example of one distraction, and you could add any number of cases here. Perhaps it was a lack of communication with a child as they headed off to school. It may have been words that were not clarified the day before with a friend, spouse, or parent.
As sure as I am of these feelings of frustration, anger, even the desire to give up, I am also convinced of one more thing. I know that as a Christian, your heart may have been under attack by any number of distractions or deterrents. But desires of your heart, if indeed you have asked Him there, are always to return to Him. I know that at the moment of any frustration, we are not perfect, and we make mistakes.
After our mistake, we want to reel the line we have just cast, but there are snags. I know that at times that line can get caught on a tree or root that may pull us down for a bit. I also know God has the power to release the snag. He can cut you free no matter how tangled up things can become. His timing for this may cause a bit of confusion. Try to be comforted as He is working with us in these moments.
It is true that even while bringing others to, the word, we are stumbling. At times, we may trip into our front doors where we feel the pull to shed the cloth of Christ-follower and return to those Human deterrents. I am not claiming we are perfect, and we all do drop the fabric at times. We allow ourselves our human reactions and needs. We rally for the endurance to continue to trust and not give in to the distractions. We are not alone in this, and we are the majority.
God knows and witnesses as we take off the cloth and then place it back on. He is acutely aware of our human desires and confusion. Our Father is understanding and forgiving of our imperfections. Removing His armor is free will, and He has allowed it. The reason one person may appear stronger to you at any given time, as opposed to yourself, is because God is shining His light through them. He is using them as a vessel. Just as that vessel is bright and attractive, there are times He will allow the light to dim and a crack to show.
Brokenness is just as important as He uses our cracks to seek the repair time. We are the body of Christ, and we get into accidents, and we need to allow Him to work out the dings and scratches. He has perseverance, chisels of perfection, and polish for us to shine again for Him after any circumstance. He pulls the focus from each of us and places it back to His Divine plan. He does not want to break you, although it feels like it at times. He wants us to turn to Him and praise Him and glorify the mere fact that He allows us to be just that, His vessels.
We will often lose our endurance to honor Him. We will need continuous molding and direction. Our roles will be ever-changing; again we will be the bright light that guides the way at times, and we will be the one under attack to make others know it is okay and that no one is perfect in this flesh bound existence. We are not to judge one another, as our role tomorrow may not be the one we planned. Ultimately, whatever we do does not matter as God is in control. We can, however, live for Him and do our best to learn more about him. We can do our best to hear His word, retain it, and continue to water it to attempt to produce a good crop for Him. We can help each other if we see a weed sprouting up so we do not allow it to choke seedlings’ in progress or even plants that may have wilted a little. We can hold each other accountable in a gentle and forgiving way as does God our Father.
Luke 8: 14-15
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way life’s worries, riches, and pleasures choke them, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hears the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a good crop.
Keep listening to the Hymn and live for Him
We can ask for help and admit our shortcomings and recognize we are all the same as servants for Him. None of us is greater or lesser in His eyes. We must realize that we will not always understand the why’s and what’s that He wants for us. We must go to Him in sincere prayer to be open to His task. He will build us up, humble us, water us, feed us, and provide us with all of our needs.
One day if we stay vigilant in the garden here. He will then bring us home to paradise. All of His children, and we are all going to need to help out on this playground. Here on earth, we will be the sweet kid, the mean kid, the scared kid, but, no matter what, we are HIS kids.
Age does not matter; you may like the older version of Crown Him With Many Crowns. You may want the most contemporary version. That is just fine seeing the words are the same.
You may be at a different stage in your walk than someone else. Perhaps you have slipped, maybe you’re just starting. God is not looking at your mistakes He already knows what they are. He wants to get you into His body shop for some fine-tuning.
No worries He is not going to change your car too much unless you want Him to, but if you are open, He can turn a Pinto into a Rolls Royce only if you are driving for Him. Remember, this is just a moment. It’s not the car you drive that is important, but rather how you drive it.
It is also vital to know He needs all types of vessels. No one wants to be just like someone else. He made each of us wonderfully and for Him. He knows our weaknesses and our strengths, and He uses all of it!
I, for one, am not going to judge people, or should I say I am going to try not to. We may get frustrated or agree to disagree or be down-right angry, but see the distractions can pull us toward God or try to push one-off course a bit. If we stay focused on Him, we can see our current distractions may be just the one thing God is using to make us see the Christ-follower He wants us to be.
Ephesians 2:10
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us.”
Please Listen ONE MORE TIME ~ CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS.
Peace in Your Stages :)
© 2012 Kathy Henderson
Comments
A great hymn, I love it - especially when sung by lots of people who are singing the various parts. Just beautiful. Voted it up.
Blessed is he who trusts the Lord and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the water. Heat will come, and drought but the leaf will stay green.
Life can deal a pretty bad hand, but the steady hand of faith can keep us balanced. Very nice hub...up and awesome. Ann Davis
The stages of Me: Faith and Hope must always be our foundation stone, our corner block. Faith that God and Jesus will never fail us and Hope that we might never fail them.
As Christians our Hope to learn of God and learn of His Truth, has guided us by our Faith that God is God and that Jesus Christ is our shepherd watching over us and guiding us down the narrow pathway leading home to Our Father God and to heaven.
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