Crown Him ~ Old or New Hymn, the Same King
The Hymn Relevant Yesterday and Today
The video depicts the Ancient Hymn Crown Him With Many Crowns; there are breathtaking examples of God’s creation. This song may be older and less contemporary, but I will share two versions of this magnificent hymn in this Hub. The words are so very important. (Please take time to listen to the song twice in the differing versions)
When we hear things more than once, we keep them 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? 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 placed us on it to glorify you. This reminder is both essential and humbling. So why do we forget minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour?
The Hymn That Speaks Volumes
To pray and fully believe, the intention is to honor God. Simultaneously, succumbing to the weakness that keeps us from fully accepting Him and following His word is natural to our humanness.
We are not to be self–righteous, but to give glory and honor where it is due. How quickly we take in the ambiance of this fast-paced existence? We start any day intending to glorify our Father in heaven. We could have practiced it in our sleep, telling ourselves we would let nothing distract us from our mission. We focus and are 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, the coffee you may have had has kicked in. It has already allowed your heart rate to increase, waking you to the routine of your day. But it has happened, life! You’re now impatient with the older couple in the vehicle in front of you heading to the doctor’s appointment hours early 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 now late because the light is blinking at 15 mph children are already in the building. You are also keenly aware of the proficient police car placed notably in the zone to observe impatient motorists. With this little mishap, everything has gone to a snail’s pace, and the only reason we can see this would happen is our demise and torture. Not once are you thinking this is for the glorification of our God?
This example is one distraction; you could add many cases here. Perhaps it was a lack of communication with a child as they headed to school. It may have been words that did not clarify the day before with a friend, spouse, or parent.
As sure as I am of these feelings of frustration, anger, and even the desire to give up, I convince myself of one more thing. I know that as a Christian, your heart may have been under attack by many distractions or deterrents. If you have asked Him there, your heart’s desires are always to return to Him. I know we are not perfect. We are not perfect at the moment of any frustration and make mistakes.
After our mistake, we want to reel the line just cast, but there are snags. I know that the line could get caught on a tree or root, and that might 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 may confuse. Try to be comforted as He is working with us in these moments.
We are stumbling while bringing others to His teachings. Sometimes, we may trip into our front doors where we feel the pull to shed Christ-follower’s cloth and return to those human deterrents. I am not claiming we are perfect; we all do sometimes drop the fabric. 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 remove the cloth and then place it back on. He is acutely aware of our human desires and confusion. Our Father understands and forgives our imperfections. Removing His armor is free will, and He has allowed it. One person may appear healthier to you, as opposed to yourself, 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 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 on His Divine plan. He does not want to break you, although it sometimes feels like it. 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 and we will be the ones under attack to make others know it is okay and that no one is perfect in this flesh-bound existence. We should not 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, keep it, and continue to water it 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 hear the word, keep it, and produce a good crop by persevering.
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 realize we will not always understand the why’s and what He wants for us. We must sincerely pray to Him to be open to His task. He will build us up, feed us, and provide us with all 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 on this playground. Here on earth, we will be sweet, mean, and scared, but we are HIS kids no matter what.
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 will not 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 how you go about it.
It is also vital to know He needs many vessels. No one wants to be just like someone else. He made each of us wonderful and for Him. He knows our weaknesses and strengths, and He uses all of them!
I, for one, will not judge people, or should I say I will try not to. We may get frustrated or agree to disagree or be downright 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 are just the one thing God uses 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.
© 2012 Kathy Henderson