God Still Lives -- Alton H. Howard

 

Alton Howard was thinking about God in two ways in 1971 when he composed a declarative statement – “God Still Lives”. Alton looked around where he lived on planet Earth, and then he looked to the heavens. His fingerprints are on both, Alton said. Though Alton did not explicitly reveal what moved his lyricism and tune-writing energies that resulted in this firm statement of belief, it’s not really necessary to investigate his motives. The evidence is in Alton’s life, and what Alton expressed was something that he could also have gleaned from opening his bible and reading the first few pages about creation and imagining Him at work in the very beginning (as depicted in this work of art by Lucas Cranach the Elder, in 1564). Given the creative genius that he saw in the Creator, perhaps that is what ultimately motivated the life of Alton Howard, a man who had so many talents and who sought to reflect this indescribably great God to others. ‘Be a mirror’, might be one way of saying what Alton was up to, to show others what He can do.   

 

It’s all over Alton’s life, as a lifelong Louisianan, church elder, entrepreneur, and ultimately a communicator of God’s character to others, including in the songs he wrote and published widely. If someone said a wealthy man was blessed by God so that he could pass along those blessings to others, that would be another way to describe Alton. This translator and communicator of God to others did it through a radio ministry and church camp, but also through the songs that flowed from his inner being and into the 18 songbooks that he published or authored. It could be said that this was a conscious decision of Alton to inform as many as possible through God’s music medium about Him. Splashing across the music score what he felt about God was just a natural expression for Alton, one that he spent a lifetime exercising. It was as if he was trying to mimic in his own way the everlasting nature of the One who he could see in so many ways. If Alton ran out of ways to see impressions of Him here on Earth, he saw him in the heavens when he looked up (probably not unlike this photo of the heavens captured by the NASA and ESA Hubble telescope).

Alton saw the ‘heart(s) of…men’, and knew of God’s work among men in ‘ages past’ (v.1), and said that spoke volumes about this living God. He was also evident in nature – ‘rocks’, ‘hills’, ‘birds’, and the ‘rippling brook’ (chorus) – as a constant reminder of Him and His marvelous handiwork that excites our senses. The other three verses of Alton’s praise to Him suggest he was looking upward much of the time that he considered His being. ‘Space afar’ (v.2), ‘ten thousand worlds’, ‘the order of the universe’ (v.3), and the ‘distant star’ (v.4) occupied Alton’s thoughts and musical expression in 1971. Whether one traveled in the mind to these faraway lights or came back down to earth, Alton knew he could rely on Him to be the following: ‘righteousness’ (v.1), powerful (vv.2-3), and indeed ‘great’ beyond our ability to express it to Him adequately (v.4).

 

If we say that He is living, as Alton believed because of all that he could see, perhaps that is the best way to honor and live for Him. That means He is watching and seeing how you and I react to this pivotal piece of information about Him. Am I stuck in the day’s all-too-human events, which so often are most definitely not ‘on earth as in heaven’, as the God-Son once taught believers to pray to a living God? Or, are those just rote words? Others will say that they cannot see Him, so why pray to a God you cannot see? Indeed, He has been for most of human history hidden, physically. That was true at one time, until He came to show Himself. Does He need to show up again for you to conclude that He lives? What do you make of all that Alton has already seen?          

 

Read about the author-composer here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alton_Hardy_Howard   and also here: https://christianchronicle.org/songbook-publisher-entrepreneur-howard-dies-at-age-81/?A=SearchResult&SearchID=2809510&ObjectID=4369268&ObjectType=35

 

See here for information on the first image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Creation-Luther-Bible-1534.jpg ….This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1931. …found inside this document -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_creation_narrative

 

See here for information on the second image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hubble_ultra_deep_field.jpg ….This file is in the public domain because it was created by NASA and ESA. NASA Hubble material (and ESA Hubble material prior to 2009) is copyright-free and may be freely used as in the public domain without fee, on the condition that only NASA, STScI, and/or ESA is credited as the source of the material. This license does not apply if ESA material created after 2008 or source material from other organizations is in use….found inside this document -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creator_deity

Holy Is the Lord -- Anonymous Seraphim

 

Isaiah saw and heard them saying this, and it must have been an awesome experience. How many seraphim Isaiah saw is not shared by the ancient prophet (Two seraphim [Petites Heures of Jean de France, Duc de Berry] surround God in the 14th-century illuminated manuscript shown here, courtesy of the Bibliothèque nationale de France.), but what they said was so powerful that is shook the foundations and terrified the one who was witness to this vision. “Holy Is the Lord” is only a partial rendering of this thunderous exclamation. It makes those of us who’ve yet to see Him close up, or indeed any of his servants in His holy throne room, pause and reconsider how we are to live and best approach His seat of perfection, the standard by which His judgement will rest on each of us. How could anyone face such purity, being aware of one’s grimy condition?

 

That question was undoubtedly what so troubled Isaiah (Isaiah 6:3-5), as he cowered in the presence of the Almighty God and His seraphim. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”(v.5) Isaiah knew that it was dangerous to actually lay eyes upon the Lord God, for Moses had once asked God about this and had been warned that such a sight would be fatal (Exodus 33:20-23). So, that must have told the prophet what a grave risk it was to even be in His presence. If seeing was perilous, might not hearing also be just as hazardous? And it wasn’t just that God was being described as holy, but rather as holy multiplied three times, and therefore an emphasis on the infinite nature of His being. This was further underscored with what the Seraphim added -- the whole earth is full of his glory. He’s not just in one place but everywhere, making any effort to hide from this Divine One a futile exercise. All you can do is bow and beg for mercy. At least, that’s probably what Isaiah reckoned was his only recourse. What does one do, after all, during an earthquake when the doorposts and thresholds shake and a room is filled with smoke (v. 4)? I try to find cover or get out of the way of heavy objects that might crush my body. And, that was just a consequence of the sound of the words from the beings who proclaimed Him, the object of their announcement. Declaring Him is therefore a formidable assignment, as these heavenly beings must have understood intrinsically. Do we as humans, made in His image, always grasp that when we use His name or call out to Him?

 

Thank God for the next few verses of Isaiah chapter 6, for without them we’d have no hope. Instead, a seraph touched Isaiah with the God-provided medicine to atone for his mistakes (vv.6-7), prompting Isaiah to respond positively to the Lord’s call for a messenger. He responded in his era (7^th and 8^th Centuries BC), and I am one who can also respond some 28 centuries later. Though the seraphim did not mention them, there’s two other members of the Godhead that are so very important, Ones He has provided. Indeed, One is the embodiment of the metaphorical coal that touched Isaiah’s lips – Jesus Messiah – who compensates for my wrongs before the Holy Father; and the other is the Spirit, my guide, advocate, and counselor (John 14:15-31) who gives me daily what I need to stay in touch with God. I am thus released from danger when I echo the words of the seraphim. I can sing of the holiness of Him three times over, and honor the Son and the Spirit in the same breath, all without fear, even as I stand in awe of Him. Just picture His seraph-servant touching you with a piece of coal with Jesus’ imprint on it, while the Spirit translates God’s embrace.    

 

There have been many songs containing the words ‘Holy Is the Lord’, but see the Songs of Faith and Praise hymnal (hymn #32), by Howard Publishing, 1994, for the version discussed in this blog entry. This version of this song-hymn is also found here: https://hymnary.org/text/holy_holy_holy_holy_is_the_lord_holy_hol

 

Read here about the creatures that uttered the words of this song. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seraph

 

See information on the image here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seraphim_-_Petites_Heures_de_Jean_de_Berry.jpg …This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. {{PD-1996}} – public domain in its source country on January 1, 1996 and in the United States….image is found inside this document -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seraph

What Wondrous Love Is This? – Anonymous

Awe, and perhaps one might have said bewilderment, too. That’s what this anonymous songwriter was trying to convey when he or she wrote “What Wondrous Love Is This?” sometime in the early 19^th Century. The question that was asked is still one that is worthy of consideration even today, because no one can claim to have completely understood the mind of Him who gave His all for a fallen race. The answer to the question lingers unresolved, just as the origin of this hymn does, though there is some evidence that it might have come from somewhere in the Appalachian region of the eastern United States (see the map-graphic showing this area). It’s an ages-old theme that even scripture struggles to expose in a way that makes the mortal human understand. He loved. That’s it, but it’s packed with meaning, because this is a divine love. So, there is a point at which we humans cease trying to sort it all out, and we just live faithfully as best we can, knowing that we cannot live up to His standard nor answer with complete comprehension the ‘Why’ question. But, it is of no matter, because His love-act doesn’t require our perfection or our total grasp and ability to answer Him. Just accept His gift of love, and show it to others, with a certain astonishment. That’s all we humans can manage.   

 

‘What Wondrous Love Is This?’ has traditionally been counted among the innumerable works in the American folk hymn tradition. At least two sources suggest the song may have originated with someone in Appalachia; this possibility seems credible because of its first known publication in a collection known as A Ge­ne­ral Se­lect­ion of the New­est and Most Ad­mired Hymns and Spir­it­ual Songs Now in Use, by Stith Mead, which was published in Lynch­burg, Vir­gin­ia (of the Vir­gin­ia Con­fer­ence of the Me­thod­ist Epis­co­pal Church) in 1811. But, the author of its words remains unknown, as well as the particular circumstance that inspired the original poetry of seven verses. We can only speculate that this poem set forth the feelings of the author as he/she read a bible and was struck again and again by the concept of Godly love expressed in the Messiah. And, it wasn’t just a theory, was it? That He died for all humanity still confounds people today, even some in a tragic way that makes them doubt and refuse to accept what Christians hold to be true. After all, how could the Omnipotent One allow Himself to be killed, and in such a gruesome and shameful way? The author does not spend any more than the initial verse asking this burning question, and then spends the subsequent six verses extolling what He has done and its impact on those who receive His great gift – from the moment of belief to the first steps into eternity. Spread the news and join in the praise of what He did, even as ‘seraphs’ (v.3) do to acknowledge and serve Him. The author says repeatedly that he will sing in response (vv.4-7), and perhaps that is the basic message here: Just sing and give thanks.  

 

The song has a haunting quality to it, because of the key (D minor), as well as the question in the first verse that is also the song’s title. It can give my life some sense of how to approach daily living. I live with awe and wonder, and should always be trying to bring others into the same realization – that life with or without Him brings a gravity that cannot and should not be ignored – it’s one of profound and forever punishment if I do not choose Him, versus one that will bring eternal blessing and utter delight in being with Him and others who accept Him. You and I get to choose now, for that is part of the life experience, isn’t it? Do you prefer evil, or would you prefer someone who was willing to sacrifice for you? Try reading these passages: Jeremiah 31:3; John 3:14-18; Numbers 21:8; Galatians 3:13-14; 1 John 3:1; Revelation 1:5-6. Then ask yourself, how amazing is what He’s done, and why would you not want to be with someone so amazing for the rest of existence, for the rest of time in eternity? It’s a no-brainer, is it not?

 

 

See more information on the song story in these sources: The Complete Book of Hymns – Inspiring Stories About 600 Hymns and Praise Songs by William J. Petersen and Ardythe Petersen, Tyndale House Publishers, 2006; Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel Publications, 1990.

 

See also here for information on the song: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/w/h/a/t/w/whatwond.htm

 

See information on the image-map here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Appalachia_without_county_borders.svg …English: Map of Appalachia, red covers counties in the Appalachian Regional Comission, dark red covers "Consensus Appalachia" by John Alexander Williams, striped counties are not ARC counties. 19 February 2024…The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law. You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. This image is found inside the document at this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachia