Sometimes all it takes to shake us out of our routineness is just a change of scenery. I guess that’s why vacations were invented.
But, really, we don’t have to wait for a vacation to give ourselves a little nudge to think a little differently, look a little deeper and feel more passionately. Sometimes it happens when we just step slightly outside our regularly scheduled programming.
That happened for me Friday night when my chorus mate Rachel Grider – a top-notch soprano who sings tenor in Southern A’Chord – presented a solo performance at the Lincoln Parish Museum. On Valentine’s Eve, she mixed it up with sacred selections, “His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” the “Trolley Song” from the movie “Meet Me in St. Louis,” and other choices that provided just the right touch of variety.
I was surprised because I thought we might have been in for a night of mostly Bach, Mozart and other classical composers. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, and I was pleased to hear a portion of Handel’s “Messiah.”
But, again, I was surprised to hear a song that I had been hearing and singing all my life, starting in the little country church from my childhood in Rocky Branch – “Jesus Is Calling.” We always used it as an invitation song. You know, the song after the sermon when people walk down front to get themselves right with God. I’m ashamed to say that I never thought about it in depth and never put it anywhere near the top of my list of favorite gospel songs.
That’s not true for Rachel. She absolutely adores that song, and that became crystal clear during her introduction to it. She herself spoke softly and tenderly about its words – about Jesus’s calling to us so gently, yet so fervently. And she delivered it with that same emotion.
I’ll never look at that song the same again. I hope we sing it soon – and often – in our worship services. Not just for the invitation song, but for a song that speaks of something for our everyday lives. Listen to the first and last verse and the chorus.
Jesus is tenderly calling you home,
calling today, calling today.
Why from the sunshine of love will you roam
farther and farther away?
Jesus is pleading; O list to His voice;
hear Him today, hear Him today.
They who believe on His name shall rejoice;
quickly arise and away.
Calling today,
calling today,
Jesus is calling,
is tenderly calling today.
Now, I want to pay more attention to the words in every single song that we sing in our worship services. (Yes, I know. I should have been doing that anyway, but I want to make a more concerted effort). I also want to go over all the spiritually based songs we sing in our chorus – “In the Garden,” “It Is Well With My Soul” and a medley that includes “How Great Thou Art,” “I’ll Fly Away” and “When the Roll is Called up Yonder.”
I want to milk those words dry. Of course, I have to be careful in chorus so that I don’t become too emotional – because that will make my voice waver. But I think it’s worth the chance.
I’m wondering: What are your favorite “church songs”? I would love to know. I’d also love to know why you love them. The ones I’ve mentioned are classic, old-time Christian hymns, but many new praise and worship songs are very meaningful as well.
Want to guess what some of the others might be besides the ones I’ve mentioned? I think we can all put our money on “Amazing Grace.”
Whatever the case, whether it’s “O Happy Day” or another hymn you’ve sung a hundred times, this week may be a good time to listen again.
Somewhere in those familiar words is something waiting to be heard.
———————————————————
Sallie Rose Hollis lives in Ruston and retired from Louisiana Tech as an associate professor of journalism and the assistant director of the News Bureau. She can be contacted at sallierose@mail.com.
For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
