Over in the Gloryland

Could it be that we have not found the ends of the earth with either the good news about salvation or the good news about the Kingdom of heaven because our favorite songs have been about us longing to be in heaven rather than about our God already being in the earth?

I have studied and shopped for many denominational and many independently published hymnals for many years. It has always been difficult to find a book that has more than a few songs praising Yahweh, and fewer that speak directly to Him in worship. By praise, I mean declaring His greatness to other believers or to the earth, and by worship, I mean speaking to Him of His greatness or our love to Him.

By far, the majority of the songs are about us. Even a song that testifies about how He delivers us or heals us or loves us is a song about us in this sense. Songs that are just about Him, and His loving kindness and His wisdom and His glory are rare in hymnbooks.

Thanksgiving is always appropriate, but it is about what He has done for me. We know who someone is to the extent that we know what they love and hate. We know someone best when we know their pains, their strengths, their weaknesses, their passions.

Yahweh is currently passionate about producing a bride for His Son who is appropriately beautiful and righteous and full of love for Him. That should captivate our hearts and minds and property and clocks and calendars and our songs.

Emmanuel is a name and a declaration. It can be a lifestyle.

It means “God with us.”