PrayerThots Devotional

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)”

Wise Words of Solomon
(Prayer Walk thro Prov 10-16)

Backgrounder: The purpose
of Proverbs is to teach people
how to apply wisdom to daily
life & to provide moral instruction.
One of the best ways to learn a
wise action is to contrast it with a
foolish one. Most of the proverbs
today contrast the path of folly
with the path of faith. The topics
are varied and intensely practical:
how to use your mouth & money;
how to be a good neighbour;
how to select friends; how to
conduct business; how to resolve
conflicts. Think of today’s reading
as a training manual designed
to teach us how to respond
to life from God’s perspective.
Continue reading “Praying Thro Proverbs (Oct 28)”

O Master, Let Me Walk With Thee

Backgrounder:Washington Gladden
believed that Christians should be
involved in the world’s problems.
A journalist turned clergyman,
he crusaded against injustice.
In his various church postings,
he often preached social gospel,
trying to rouse his congregation
to the social and labour problems
that were engulfing the country.
When Gladden wrote this hymn
in 1979, he said the poem
was an honest cry of human
need and the need for divine
companionship. If our friendship
with Jesus does not lead us to
concern for our fellowmen, then
we better check to see how closely
we are walking with the Master.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Oct 27)”

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Backgrounder: Few believers truly
love the cross of Christ. For though
it offers great deliverance, it also
demands great sacrifice. Isaac
Watts was deeply disappointed
with the hymns of his day, which
failed to inspire his parishes to
genuine worship and holy living.
His dissatisfaction led him to
compose more than 600 hymns,
designed to call his congregation
to a deeper knowledge & worship
of God. This hymn was written in
1707 for use in communion service.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Oct 26)”

Jesus Paid It All

Backgrounder: What do you do
when pastor rambles on too long?
Elvina Hall wrote a hymn (1865).
Seated in the choir loft at the
Monument Street Meth Church of
Baltimore, she wrote the stanzas
on the flyleaf of the hymnal.
The composer of the well-known
tune was John Crape,the organist
and choir director of the church.
He had called the tune “All to
Christ I Owe”. His wife like it but
no one seemed to. It was the
pastor George Schrick who put
the words and tune together,
and she added the chorus
to fit with his tune title.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Oct 25)”

Alas & Did My Saviour Bleed
(At the Cross)

Backgrounder: Isaac Watts
(d1748) was an English Christian
minister, hymn writer & theologian.
He was a prolific and popular
hymn writer and was credited
with some 750 hymns. This hymn
in particular has touched the hearts of millions through the centuries.
After drawing the start contrasts
between the sacrificial death
of the mighty Maker and the
unworthiness of the sinful creature,
he concludes with consecration:
Here Lord, I give myself away,
’tis all that I can do.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Oct 24)”

Thy Word

Backgrounder: Amy Grant and
Michael Smith wrote this hymnal
song in 1984. Michael came up
with the melody & some words for
the chorus straight from David’s
Psalms about being a light into
my path. But as Michael had
no idea what the verses were
supposed to say, he gave it to
Amy & told her to finish the tune.
So that night she starts walking
back to her cabin,” Michael said.
Caribou Ranch is 8,000 acre and
it’s very dark, And she got lost.
There’s bears & that sort of thing.
“She finally saw a lamp & started
walking towards that light, didn’t
realize that that was her cabin,”
he continued. “And she walked
into that little cabin and sat down
with a notebook and pen and
wrote the verses to ‘Thy Word.'”
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Oct 23)”