On a theological note: One thing that I have become more sensitive as of late are hymns and songs that seem to be triumphal, focused on what I have done and often about the emotion of conversion. While conversion certainly is an experience with passion and emotion and not simply cerebral, the Christian culture has become fascinated with and even focused on the emotive. I think that this hymn borders on that. When we sing it as a family, I will simply ask, "How do we surrender all? Who gives us the ability to surrender all? Do you think that we surrender all to God once and for all?" Sometimes when I ask the kids questions like this, I hope that I am not reacting to my own evangelical/fundamental upbringing and confusing them. If I'm going to err though, I certainly want to err on the side of giving God the credit for my conversion. If it were up to me, I am sure that I wouldn't surrender anything. I certainly wouldn't surrender anything meaningful. Thanks be to God through whom I am able to surrender daily, get up after falling flat on my face, surrender again, and so on.
Hymn of the WeekI Surrender All
Words by Judson W. Van DeVenter
Music by Winfield S. Weeden
All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
Refrain
I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessèd Savior,
I surrender all.
All to Thee, my blessèd Savior,
I surrender all.
2 comments:
One of my biggest struggles has been letting go of my plans and how I think my life should go. This hymn has been an especially meaningful one for me. I've sung it many times in the last 13 years as I've tearfully bowed before the Lord and submitted my life and my will to Him. I've struggled against His will for me and found peace as I've surrendered all. I'm still doing it every day, as you so beautifully said. Thanks for posting this one Andrew.
I think I have only not known one of your HOTW. I like that.
I told Andy that we also are singing hymns now after dinner. Alex isn't home every night for dinner, and when he isn't I generally am not thinking about hymns (unfortunately), so it is a bit spuratic, but meaningful none the less. We have caught Davy singing "It is Well With My Soul" and "What a Friend We Have in Jesus". That, and Andy's example, have made us want to be a little more intentional about teaching the hymns. Ours this week is "Count Your Blessings".
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