Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage. – Philippians 2:6

Today's Scripture Reading (April 13, 2021): Philippians 2

The hymns of the church are important. Although admittedly, some are more important than others.  And some have weathered the winds of time better than others.

          Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine,

          Oh what a foretaste of glory divine.

          Heir of Salvation, purchase of God,

          Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Fanny Crosby's lyrics are among those that have stood well the test of time, although we have to work a little harder for the meaning. We are assured of our salvation, even amid our doubt. This really is our story and song as we praise our Savior all the day long.

Maybe a hymn that has suffered a little, although I love the song, is "Come Thou Fount." The lyric, written by Robert Robinson, can make us trip, especially as he writes, "here I raise my Ebenezer." Ebenezer is not a word that we use much anymore, even inside of the church. Unless it is Christmas, and we are referring to the ubiquitous Christmas miser, Ebenezer Scrooge. But even Robinson's words have the capacity to hit home. I can't help but sing out the lyrics of the hymn that are born out of personal experience as Robinson writes,

          Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

          Prone to leave the God I love;

          Here's my heart, O take and seal it,

          Seal it for Thy courts above.

The purpose of our songs, both the old hymns of the church and the more contemporary pieces, is to put into words the music of our hearts. A good hymn or current song helps us express our Christian experience in terms that our souls understand.

Paul, as he writes to the Philippians, breaks out into a song. His original readers likely began to sing even as they read the words, just as it is hard to read "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine" without singing it, if you are acquainted with the song.

The hymn that Paul begins to sing reminds the singer that God's nature was different from our nature. The existence of Jesus didn't start in the manger. He is God and dwelt in heaven with God long before he was born in Bethlehem's stable. But even though he was God, it was not something of which he took advantage. The phrase "Son of God" wasn't printed on his stationery. And when his disciples said that he was the Son of God, he wanted that fact to be kept a secret. It was a reminder of the deity of Jesus, as well as his humility. And a reminder that while we are not God, if God could be humble, so should we. All spoken in the language of our hearts, in the words of a song.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Philippians 3