Do we REALLY mean the songs we sing?

You know the scene. You’re in church, and the worship team kick off your favourite tune.

And you belt it out with everything that’s in you, not necessarily stopping to think about the actual words you’re singing.

We’re all guilty of it but Yahuah wants us to stop. Not stop singing, indeed the reason we sing is to give Him the worship that He deserves - but to stop singing songs thoughtlessly. Instead He wants us to consider the songs we sing.

He wants us to MEAN the songs we sing and SING the songs we mean.

Today, we begin looking at the song: “I am Thine” (or “Draw me nearer”). The series of messages on this song will run until Passover.

This potent song was published by Fanny Crosby in 1875. It’s reported that Fanny wrote it on a visit to William Howard Doane’s house who composed the music for this and many of her songs. After a discussion about the nearness of God in their lives, Fanny was inspired to write the song.

She was a remarkable woman, mis-treated for an eye irritation by a negligent doctor she was completely blind by 6 years old. She developed however a phenomenal memory, having memorised the books Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers as well as the four Gospels by nine years of age she went on to write over 8000 hymns.

The song begins with the verse:

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,

And it told Thy love to me;

But I long to rise in the arms of faith

And be closer drawn to Thee.

Have a look at the full song here and listen to the tune here. If you’re unfamiliar with the song, you can learn it here.

Consider the fact that you begin the song with a declaration (an explicit announcement) that you belong to Yahuah Elohim and that you have heard His voice. Have you ever reflected on what it takes to belong to Yahuah?

Singing the chorus you move on to a plea: “Draw me nearer…to the cross where you died”.

What is asked of you in order to draw nearer? Part of the answer to this you’ll find in the scripture Fanny put with this hymn:

Heb. 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (KJV)

We invite you on an in depth journey through this song over the coming weeks.

Join us as we make the voyage towards really meaning the songs we sing - and singing the songs we mean.

By, Oliver Weedon.