Category: 2017 Prayers

Pass It On

Backgrounder: Kurt Kaiser was
born in 1934 in Chicago. While
known primarily for his youth
musicals, Kaiser has composed
more than 60 hymn texts & tunes,
the most famous is “Pass It On.”
Kaiser provided the background
to the hymnal song: In 1969,
I collaborated on a musical, Tell
It Like It Is. It was written to get
young people involved in Church.
On a Sunday night I was sitting
in by the fireplace where there
were remnants of a fire, and it
occurred to me that it only takes
a spark to get a fire going . . .
and the rest came very quickly.
My wife suggested that I should
say something about shouting
it from mountain tops, and that
ended up in the third verse.
Pass It On gained traction in
congregational circles when it
appeared in Hymns for the Living
Church (1974). Since then, the song
has appeared in about 10 hymnals.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Nov 7)”

God of Grace & God of Glory

Backgrounder: God of Grace was
written in 1930 by Harry Fosdick
for the dedication of the famous
Riverside Church in New York City.
The hymn was written while the
US was in the throes of the Great
Depression between the two world
wars. Fosdick was a champion of
social gospel, a movement that
recognized the plight of the poor
during the Industrial Revolution.
The hymn is essentially a petition.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
concludes each stanza with the
effect of a refrain. A petition begins
stanza 3 with Cure thy children’s
warring madness, bend our pride
to thy control.” The final stanza
begins with “Save us from weak
resignation to the evils we deplore.”
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Nov 6)”

Wise Words from the King
(Prayer Walk thro Prov 25-31)

Backgrounder: In his closing
contribution to the book of
Proverbs, Solomon records
the riches of righteousness and
the fatal danger of foolishness.
False witnesses and friends,
the corrupt and the righteous,
the foolish and the wise,
the slothful and the diligent,
the deceitful and the dependable
– Solomon has something to say
to each! God’s wisdom gives
a proper perspective of things
and guidance in choosing the
right response to life’s situations.
Continue reading “Praying thro Proverbs (Nov 5)”

Wise Words for People in Authority
(Prayer Walk thro Prov 22-24)

Backgrounder:The final 11 chapters
of Proverbs contain sound counsel
for those in positions of authority.
The key to the section hangs
on Prov 21:1-2: The king’s heart
is in the hand of the Lord, like
the rivers of water; He turns it
wherever he wishes. Every way
of a man is right in his own eyes;
but the Lord weighs the hearts.
Today’s reading contains wise
counsel for anyone in a position
of responsibility: from parents
to princes, pastors to monarchs.
Leaders need to know God’s
precepts if they are to direct their
charges into God’s honouring
paths of conduct and character.
Continue reading “Praying thro Proverbs (Nov 4)”

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

Backgrounder: The lyrics are based
on the last words of Nokseng, a
Garo man, a tribe from Meghalaya
in Assam India, who along with
his family decided to follow Jesus
Christ in mid 19th century thro
the efforts of a Welsh missionary.
Called to renounce his faith by the
village chief, the convert declared,
“I have decided to follow Jesus.”
His two children were killed and in
response to threats to his wife, he
continued, “Though none go with
me, still I will follow.” His wife was
killed, and he was executed while
singing:’The cross before me,
the world behind me.’ This display
of faith is reported to have led to
the conversion of the chief and
others in the village. The fierce
opposition is possible, as various
tribes in that area were formerly
renowned for head-hunting.
The formation of these words into
a hymn is attributed to the Indian
missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Nov 3)”

At Calvary

Backgrounder: William Newell
(1868-1956) was best known
as a Bible teacher, pastor and
professor. While on his way to
teach a class at Moody Bible
Institute, the words of this hymn
began to form in his mind.
So he went into an unoccupied
classroom and there scribbled
the words on the back of an
envelope. A few minutes later
he gave the words to Daniel
Towner, the director of music
at the school. Within an hour
Towner had composed music
for them. The first three stanzas
tell the testimony of the Christian
and the final stanza praises God
for the greatness of divine love,
the depth of grace and
the breadth of mercy.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Nov 2)”

In the Sweet By and By

Backgrounder: Fillmore Bennett
(1836-98) in his autobiography
described the composition of the
hymn: Joseph Webster, like many
musicians, was of sensitive nature
& subject to periods of depression.
And I found I could rouse him up by
giving him a new song to work on.
He came to my place in Wisconsin
walked down to the stove & turned
his back on me without speaking.
I was at my desk. Turning to him,
I said, “Webster, what’s the matter
now?” “It’s no matter,” he replied,
“it will be all right by and by.” The
idea of the hymn came me like a
flash and I replied, “The Sweet By
and By! Why would not that make
a good hymn?” Turning to my desk
I penned the words of the hymn as
fast as I could write. I handed the
words to Webster. Taking his violin,
he played the melody and jotted
down the notes. It was not 30
mins from the time I took my pen
before we were singing the hymn.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Nov 1)”

Jesus Loves Me

Backgrounder: Anna Warner and
her sister Susan grew up near
West Point Military Academy
where they became known for
leading Sunday school services.
After the death of their father,
the sisters supported themselves
with their literary endeavours.
Susan became known for as a
best-selling novelist. Anna also
wrote novels and published two
collections of poems. She wrote
this simple hymn in 1860 to be
included in one of her sister’s
novels. In the story, it was a poem
of comfort spoken to a dying child.
Today millions around the world
sing these words: Yes Jesus loves
me. This profound yet simple truth
is certainly worth singing about.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Oct 31)”

Lamb of God

Backgrounder: Twila Paris (b1958)
has been one of the leading
contemporary Christian artists
for three decades, with 32 of her
singles reaching No 1 on Christian
radio charts. Several of Twila Paris’
songs have been included in
hymnals, including “He Is Exalted”
and “Lamb of God” (1985). Paris
comes from a family of ministers
and musicians. Her great grand-
parents were revival preachers
in Arkansas & Oklahoma, and her
grandmother composed sacred
songs. She was encouraged
to sing in church from a young
age by her father, who was also
a minister & songwriter. Following
graduation from high school and a
year of study in Bible school, Paris
focused on singing & Christian
composition. While composed in
the late 20th century, this hymnal
song’s biblical roots run deep in
Christian tradition & experience.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Oct 30)”

Wise Decisions in Life
(Prayer Walk thro Prov 17-21)

Backgrounder: The purpose
of Proverbs is to teach people
how to apply wisdom to daily
life & to provide moral instruction.
The varied statements of common
sense in today’s reading are
descriptions of the perils facing
the wise and the unwise. Through
it all, Solomon sees God at work
in the hearts & affairs of people,
helping them to avoid flattery
and falsehood and to display
obedient behavior instead.
Continue reading “Praying Thro Proverbs (Oct 29)”