A few times a month, our family goes with other members from our congregation to sing church hymns at nursing homes or with some of our members who can’t make it to worship due to age and circumstance.  Last night we were at a local nursing home singing with one of our members who is 100 years-old and several other residents at the home.  We sing at this particular location several times a year.

Our 2 year-old ‘singing’ hymns on one of our visits.

Over that time I have noticed how many of the residents who come out to join us know the hymns by heart and join along with us in singing.  Some have been impacted by the effects of aging and have trouble communicating but can sing beautifully.  Others have difficulty with their eyesight but know the words by heart.  Many talk about how a certain hymn was a favorite of a parent, a sibling, or has other special meaning to them.

Some of the most popular hymns we sing have been around for a long time.  We might sometimes think that they are out of touch or outdated since they were written so long ago.  But the sentiments expressed by these authors are as true today as when they were first penned.

As a father, my heart is made happy when I look over and see our girls singing along with us.  Last night was one of those good nights when both girls were engaged with what we were doing.  Our 2 year-old was sitting next to me in her own chair with her own hymnal.  She would flip the pages and ‘sing’ along with us for every song.  Our 6 year-old is now old enough to find the pages and read most of the words.  I could see her singing most of the hymns from memory.  Last night I was especially struck by the fact that a group of people age 2 to 100 could join together in singing a simple song of praise and acknowledgement like “Jesus Loves Me.”

The hymns that we sing in worship to God are so very important.  There is nothing holy about the hymns themselves.  They have been penned by authors from a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences.  Some hymns are just a year or two old while others have been congregational favorites for one or two hundred years.  When a body of God’s people join their voices together they are living out the words that Paul wrote to the church at Philippi – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Philippians 3:16 ESV)

Some view singing in worship as ‘filler’ around the sermon.  Others lose the message of the song as they think, “We’ve sung this song a million times.”  But others are transported to various times in life while we worship God in song.  They are transported many years back in life to the kitchen as their mother sang a hymn while she prepared dinner.  They are brought to a poignant moment when they had to say “goodbye for now” to a dear loved one.  They are transported to any number of special or meaningful moments that were accompanied by these timeless hymns of praise that fill the life and heart of a Christian.

I have hymns that are special to me.  Each morning we sing “This Is The Day” before we send our daughter off to school.  It is a reminder of our purpose and the blessing that we have in this day.  “God Bless You, Go With God” is perhaps my favorite hymn as it encompasses the loving bond that the church should have.  The devotional song “The Mountain Song” is one that reminds me of my days on the Appalachian Trail as I would often find myself walking through the woods singing.  And so many of the songs we sing with our children bring special memories of times spent with them praising God.  I hope you have your favorites too and sing them often.  The power of hymns is undeniable.

Don’t forget to spend some time with your family singing a song of praise and studying God’s word.  I am excited that so many have been using the Dinnertime Devotionals series and are finding them a helpful resource in getting your family into the Bible every day.  Here is this week’s Dinnertime Devotional >>> Dinnertime Devotionals 3