SING & THINK; THINK & SING

Although, I have known this for a long time – since I was little really, I just got inspired to write about it on Monday. I was at the housewarming ceremony of a family friend, and boy, is the house beautiful! Well, towards the end of the event, the choir began ministering in songs; one of which was “the Battle Hymn of the Republic” – what many of us know as “Glory, Glory, Hallelujah”. I was enjoying the song, and I sang along…
 

Glory, Glory, Hallelujah

Glory, Glory, Hallelujah

Glory, Glory, Glory, Hallelujah

The Church is Marching On

That is what I sang. That is what I thought the song was. Really! Just that the choir didn’t sing that too. They ended with “our God is marching on”.

I was shocked. “Uhn?” I asked Elijah who was sitting beside me if he heard the same thing, and he confirmed what I heard. 

The first thing that came to my mind was “where is God marching on to?”

“This cannot possibly be the real lyrics of the song”, I thought. “Of course, it cannot be.”

So I did the smart thing with my Smartphone. I googled it. I was wrong. They were right. The author actually ended the fourth, fifth and sixth verses and choruses of the hymn with the phrase “Our God Is Marching On”. And this dear choir – children of God – sang the song without thinking. 

Wait, am I judging too harshly? I don’t believe so. Let’s take some time to evaluate this…

Where can God possibly be marching on to? I thought we call Him the Most High God; Higher than the highest. He isn’t just at the peak of things; He is the Peak Himself. He is the very standard for everything. He is the standard for love; and holiness; and righteousness; and peace; and joy; and life; and so much more. He is the HIGHEST. Where else can He be marching on to?

Saying that God is marching on implies that there is somewhere or something or someone higher than Him that He is working hard to reach. 

You see, as Christians, the more we get God’s word into us, the more we increase in knowledge and godly wisdom. It’s the truth of God that we get through His word that determines how closely the Holy Spirit will relate to us. 

So, it is most likely that Song Writer Julia Howe was inspired by God to pen down these lyrics. She was inspired to the level to which she had a revelation of God.

The fact that a song made it to the studio or to album level and is being marketed does not mean we should open our mouths to sing it. What you sing reflects how much of God you know.  

A knowledgeable Christian knows that the Church is marching on, God’s truth is marching on, even we are marching on, but God is already there. He has been there since He was. He will be there every time. He has no predecessor. He has no successor. We are the ones marching on to where He is. He is not marching on to anywhere. He is at the Apex of Apexes. He aint marching nowhere. 

If Ms. Howe were here, maybe she’ll be able to explain to us what she meant by that. But since she isn’t, we can quietly change it to my version, “the Church is Marching On”. I doubt that she’ll notice. 

Song Number Two

When a song does not make sense to me, I either stop singing it or I change the lyrics if I like it; just like this next song I’d like to make reference to. I really love the song, so I changed the lyrics a little. We all know it (at least, I know Nigerians do). Here it goes:

My Soul Doth Magnify the LORD

And My Spirit Praises Him

For Death Could Not Hold Him Captive

Even In the Grave, Jesus IS LORD

Even In the Grave, Jesus IS LORD

Regenerated children of God, is Jesus still in the grave? Why will you say Jesus is Lord in the grave?

Yes, Jesus is Lord. He WAS in the grave, and was Lord when He WAS there. He is no longer in the grave, why do you still sing that He is Lord in the grave? 

Think and sing, people; sing and think too!

I won’t waste much time on this one. I have three more songs to go. Anyway, here is my version of this song:

My Soul Doth Magnify the LORD

And My Spirit Praises Him

For Death Could Not Hold Him Captive

When Even In the Grave, Jesus WAS LORD

Now Even On the Throne, Jesus IS LORD

Now, how neat is that? Lol… 

Song Number Three

I won’t waste any time on song number 3. I don’t even have a replacement lyric for it. I think it’s a boring song that shouldn’t be sung at all. But because most people I know (including me) sang it as kids during their family morning devotion, I will mention it here. Here it goes:

Good Morning Jesus; Good Morning Lord

I Know You Came From Heaven Above

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ON THE THRONE

Good Morning Jesus; Good Morning Lord.

Wait! Who writes all these songs, anyway? First of all, how is the third line of this song related to the rest of the song? Secondly, is the Holy Spirit on the throne? 

My mom, when we were kids, changed that part to “the Holy Spirit moving like a dove”. That may even be better, but it is not still correct. As far as we are concerned as Christians, the Holy Spirit lives inside of us; hence, the term “Indwelling Spirit”. Read your Bible – John 14:17, 1 Corinthians 6:19. 

Like I said, I don’t even have a replacement lyric for this one. So, let’s move on. 

Song Number Four

My heart breaks for this one; solely because this song used to be a good song. It was heavenly inspired; written by someone who knew His God; it was a good song. Oh! It was a GOOD Song. But carnally minded, worldly-pleasure-seeking church going individuals changed it from the correct thing to what some of us now sing happily. 

How Sad!

Here’s how it is sung now:

Today O! I Will Lift Up My Voice in Praise

For I Know You Are Always There For Me

Almighty God, You Are My All in All

No Matter What I Face, When SUCCESS Comes My Way

I Will Praise The Lord.

Before, I go spiritual on this, does that even make sense in English Language? Grammatically, it does not make any sense at all to use a detour on two positive phrases. You are singing that EVEN in good times, you will praise the Lord. Of course, in good times, you will praise God. That is how it is meant to be. That is what we do. Facing a challenge and praising God is what makes it special or different. 

People, God gave you a brain. Use it to think, please. 

I remember when people first changed the song years back, I joined the choir in singing it this wrong way, and my sister, Fiyin, mouthed from the congregation “it doesn’t make sense”. I mouthed back, “I know”. I thought I had to join the choir to sing what they sang. Now I know better. I don’t have to.

Please, let us try to always sing the correct version of this song. Jesus said we will have tribulation in this world (John 16:33). It is unavoidable. Even the Old Testament tells us that there are those rivers, waters, and fires of life that we must pass through (Isaiah 43:2). We just have to trust God to be with us, and praise Him even in the storm. 

So, y’all can sing what you like, I will continue to sing “No matter what I face, when TROUBLE comes my way, I will praise the Lord”, because that is what I will do.

Song Number Five

This one is a really beautiful song, and it is understandable that a lot of people continue to sing it the way it is. Like I said earlier, what you sing reveals how much of God you know. 

My friend, Kunle Bade, actually brought this one to my attention, when he told me of how the Holy Spirit convicted him on the song. Here it goes:

You Are the Pillar THAT HOLDS MY LIFE – 2xce

Master Jesus, You Are the Pillar THAT HOLDS MY LIFE – 2xce

To some people, Jesus may be the pillar that holds their lives. They still have their lives with them, so Jesus still helps them carry on with their lives. 

But people like Kunle and I have been crucified with Christ. The lives we now live, we live in Christ (Galatians 2:20). Kunle and I are dead, and our lives are hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). Christ is OUR LIFE (Colossians 3:4; Deuteronomy 30:20). So, He isn’t just the pillar that holds our life; He is our life. 

Here is how I sing it:

You Are My Pillar; You Are My Life – 2xce

Master Jesus, You Are My Pillar; You Are My Life – 2xce

I’m actually singing my version of the song as I end this article. He indeed is my life. My mind was further renewed the minute I read – really read – Colossians 3:3-4.