Transcending the Ages

For the past four or five weeks we have been singing a few hymns here and there in our song sets at church on Sunday mornings. We have done songs like:

“There is Power In The Blood”
“Come Thou Fount”
“Amazing Grace”
“What A Friend We Have In Jesus”
“Will The Circle Be Unbroken”

Well this week I really dove deep and put in the Doxology. I know, I know, I either hear
“What were you thinking” or “It’s about time”. Now on this months singing team, we have a diverse age group so I wasn’t sure how it would go over. Obviously the more experienced generation would know it and appreciate it, but why? Is it because of the message of the song, or because they just grew up singing it? The younger generation I knew wouldn’t know it, so it would give me an opportunity to explain it just as I have all the other songs of old that we have been singing.

Well sticking to my style, I didn’t want to do it exactly how it has always been done, so we played it just a tad bit different than usual as to be a little more culturally relevant to the ear. Well I must say that the song is still alive and well today. It is so rich in doctrine when it comes to the Trinity. After singing it a few times, the youngest on tonight’s team (18) asked what the song meant. After explaining it, we sang it a few times more and she made the comment that out of all the songs we had done tonight, it was her favorite. That surprised me just do to the age of the song, the newness of the other songs we were singing, and I really didn’t change it that much. I think it just came down to the fact that the message of the song puts all glory and honor on God just as it should be. After hearing the comments tonight about this song, (and there were many) I’m excited to sing this Sunday. To sing a song that is pure in integrity, with no “I’s” or “Me’s”, it’s just refreshing.

One more thing, The doxology is usually put at the tail end of things, kind of a wrap up song if you will. Take up the offering then sing the doxology. Finish the service then sing the doxology as a way to close out the day. I didn’t put it at the end, in fact it’s just shortly after the middle of the service for this reason; the lyrics.

Praise God from whom all blessing flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above thee Heavenly hosts
Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost

I believe our praise should be continual and never ending, not something we do only we get or give something, but in all circumstances. So we will sing this song in a buffet of praise Sunday morning as we enjoy the rich message of the doxology.