Song for the Nations -- Chris Christensen

 

Chris Christensen had been to many places in the world, even before he turned 30, so he must have been considering that what he would write would emerge from his travelling background. And so, it must have come as little surprise that he was in the midst of a trip between Portland and Seattle on the American northwest coast one morning in the mid-1980s when “Song for the Nations” sprang from inside him. It would take him several hours to get where he was going to a conference, so Chris took advantage of the time, most likely while he was on stretches of Interstate 5 between northwest Oregon and the Puget Sound area of Washington, where Seattle is located. So, how many times did Chris pass a road sign, like this one, on that trip? Chris probably could not say, nor whether the signs might have been a subliminal reminder that he possessed something like a traveler’s gene, and a desire to spread a message wider and faster than he could travel.

 

Chris Christensen may have germinated the seed for ‘Song for the Nations’ while he spent much of his first quarter-century travelling between three continents. His missionary parents moved the family from the United States to South Africa when he was but a toddler. By his mid-teens, Chris’ family had come back to the U.S., where Chris would stay for college. But, then he and Laura (whom he would marry) began their land-hopping between Africa, Europe, and North America, as Chris’ music ministry carried them abroad. It was on one return trip to the U.S., when Chris attended a conference in Seattle, that he wrote the song so effortlessly between there and Portland. He must have felt that this episode to finally bring the song to fruition was leading him somewhere, particularly when he had the chance to sing the song for the first time at the conference. He’d been many places by that time, and seen many versions of Christianity in various languages, so what he wanted to say could not be limited by human communication barriers. What things did Chris say in the song, ideas that compelled one man at the conference to tell Chris that ‘Song…’ would certainly be used by God? Shining God’s light (v.1), spreading a message of hope and healing through salvation (v.2-3), and of ultimate joy (v.4) that would make His kingdom spread over the globe (v.5) were what Chris envisioned. God’s not complicated, Chris seemed to want to say; He’s just waiting for people with open arms, using us mortals to embrace seekers with His presence.

 

Chris’ vision wasn’t to touch just some people. His emphasis is on multitudes – notice the plural nature of his words. ‘Nations’, ‘peoples’, ‘whole world’ are repeated in every verse of his song. Chris had no doubt seen how some things in God’s delivery and people’s receipt of the message are universal – they can go anywhere and be recognized without much explanation. Similarly, it must have dawned on Chris in all his travels, that some road signs and rules have common features. Did the signs for Interstate 5 that day in the mid-1980s look much different to Chris than others on different freeways in the U.S., or indeed in other countries on different continents? You and I also know traffic lights when we see them – green is ‘go’, yellow is ‘caution’, and red is ‘stop’ just about anywhere we could go on planet Earth. Chris would probably agree. Are you on green, yellow, or red with God on your journey?

 

 

 

See author biography here, which also contains the brief episode of the song’s birth: https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Chris_Christensen_The_American_songwriter_and_worship_leader/40276/p1/

Christ Returneth (It May Be at Morn) -- H. L. Turner

 

His poetry includes at least this one called “Christ Returneth”, and he may be the same 19^th Century figure known as ‘Colonel’. Was the poet Henry Lathrop Turner the author who looked into some ancient mysterious words, and even at portrayals of this event in art (like this etching that depicts the Rapture, by 17^th/18^th Century artist Jan Luyken), and offered his own words on the subject of Christ’s reappearance? The Colonel chose not to delve into all the various permutations of how the God-Man’s reemergence might occur, for who can say? It’s safe to presume that he might have been reading what a biblical writer named Paul had to say on the subject, because none of us mortals, at least not while here on earth, have observed such an event; so, we all wonder, and even dread, what the end of us, and of all humankind, will entail. It seems from what Henry wrote, that he was not in fear of this event, however. Why was that?  

 

We know a little about Colonel Henry Lathrop Turner. One can guess, based on his birth in 1845 and the rank associated with his name, that Henry served in the military, possibly during the latter stages of the American Civil War; one source indicates he was part of a unit called the ‘Old First Infantry’. Was it during his service that Henry became a poet, giving him a perspective on eternity’s approach that helped spur his penned words about Christ’s second coming? This Ohio native eventually lived and died in the Chicago, Illinois area, but little else is notable about him personally. His ode about Christ’s return was first used in an 1878 hymnal compiled by the well-known Ira Sankey, who happened to have served in the Civil War himself. So, was there a connection between these two military veterans that helped prompt ‘Christ Returneth’? Turner’s verses, particularly verses 3 and 4, suggest he was inspired by Paul’s message to a group of people called Thessalonians (1 Thess. 4), and the exhilarating prospect of Jesus calling out as He descends in order to awaken those who will go to heaven with Him.  What time of day, or what exact era in earth’s history will God choose to do this? Turner does not wade into this debate, which was as unsettled in his own time as it still is today. From the eyes of someone who’d seen a battlefield, would certainty about the time of day or what year God intends to consummate our planet’s destiny matter? One can imagine that Turner, and other veterans like him, felt that being prepared at any time was their only concern. Henry had likely seen enough violence on earth that he welcomed the awesome return of the Righteous One, who will usher in ultimate justice. The contrast between what Henry had witnessed already and what he could envision was undoubtedly what prompted three hallelujahs in his poem’s refrain.     

 

Henry Turner did not need any other experiences to summarize what he wanted to impart to his readers. Did he and others suffer from battlefield fatigue, what we know of today as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Someone might ask what is the best remedy for PTSD. We know not whether Henry received personal counselling, or sat in a circle sharing with other like-sufferers, or really if he had the need for these kinds of therapies. We can only imagine that at one point in his life, he was imagining something that all of us will see and experience someday. For some, it will be terrifying, the most extreme PTSD episode they will ever face. And, it will never end or become less horrifying. Can you conceive that one – never-ending stress, forever? I think I’d rather be in the spot Henry was occupying, emotionally – welcoming that episode, and exulting in its coming. Where are you, today?

 

 

   

See more information on the song 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 very brief reference to the author’s identity here: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/t/u/r/n/turner_hl.htm

 

And, here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112450799/henry-lathrop-turner

 

Also see this link, showing all four original verses and the refrain: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/c/h/r/i/s/t/r/christre.htm

 

See here for a discussion of the end-time known as the Rapture, about which the author wrote: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture

 

See here for description of the military unit in which the author apparently served: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)

 

See here for biography of the hymnal editor who published the author’s song: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/s/a/n/k/sankey_id.htm

 

Let's Just Praise the Lord -- Gloria and William J. Gaither

 

This 30-something couple was surprised by what they encountered one evening along the East Coast of the U.S. at a concert in 1972. That’s probably because Bill and Gloria Gaither had been told, behind the scenes of the stage that they occupied that night, that this crowd would likely be rather cool. So the reaction the Gaithers had to the unexpected events of that evening was to tell future crowds “Let’s Just Praise the Lord”, rather than allow admiration for their presentation to morph into acclaim for themselves. The words Gloria first suggested they adopt for the song’s message turned out to be not just for that one occasion, but more or less a reflective notion that they wanted to suggest to their audiences. ‘In what circumstances should I commend His work in my life?’, they might ask you and me to consider. That’s a question that Bill and Gloria might tell you is more important to answer than any other.

 

The Gaithers had already had some life experiences that would enlighten their musical praise toward God when they sang on stage in 1972, but the many years since that night have deepened their appreciation of the words that He gave them to sing on a bus following that night’s concert. They sang other songs that night that had stories which resonated with audience members – ones like ‘Because He Lives’ and ‘There’s Just Something About That Name’ (see other entries in this blog for those stories); and ‘The King is Coming’ (see Gloria’s book referenced below for this story). Maybe it was the background of those stories that helped Bill and Gloria stay humble, and be able to draw upon a deeper truth as they fought the temptation to drink in the crowd’s praise for them at the end of the concert. They didn’t want to disparage the enthusiastic believers who cheered their talent, but they felt a need to deflect what the crowd was expressing. So, aboard their bus after the concert’s conclusion, Bill said something that he probably didn’t realize, in that moment, would become the first verse of ‘Let’s Just Praise…’. It was Gloria who captured the words emerging from Bill’s mouth, and recorded them – words that would thank listeners for their reactions to the music, but redirect the praise toward the Giver of all good things. And, as Gloria shared some 35 years later in her book, not only the good things, but also the difficult things, can be avenues for finding and appreciating Him in one’s life. She shares that God’s processes are not mere methods to get us to a goal, but that the processes we meet in life are the goal. He uses these events to ‘crowd us into a relationship with Him’. So, the word ‘just’ in their song is not an accident. When the tough episodes especially envelop us, what else can one do, except ‘just’ praise the Lord?  

 

Were Bill and Gloria thinking of the ancient believer Job (see Job 1:20-22), perhaps even subliminally, when they pondered what to convey in ‘Let’s Just Praise…’? He’s there, but when He’s silent, that’s when it is hardest to cling to Him. Gloria says her perspective – and yours and mine, too – must broaden before we can acquire the endurance needed in the hardest times. It seems that Bill and Gloria had the ‘Let’s Just Praise the Lord’ experience in a good time that also helped them see the ‘just’ part of praising Him. When I’m feeling bereft in a valley, what else have I got except to look forward to Him and Glory? Alternately, how often might I feel I’m on the mountaintop, and that things look pretty awesome here on Earth, and so who needs Him? Is it harder for you to see Him in the valley or on the mountaintop? The Gaithers say He’s in both places.  

 

 

The primary source for the song’s story is the book Something Beautiful – The Stories Behind a Half-Century of the Songs of Bill and Gloria Gaither, by Gloria Gaither, Faith Words of Hachette Book Group, New York, 2007.

See the song story here also: https://dianaleaghmatthews.com/lets-just-praise-the-lord/#.YPqrT0ApCUk

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gaither_(gospel_singer)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Gaither