|
I love old hymns. The rich theology of their lyrics challenges and encourages me, and their timeless melodies remind me of the enduring faithfulness of the Lord. Most of you would be able to sing along to any of these hymns at a moment's notice, even if you haven't heard them in a while. Many of these songs also have deeply meaningful and intriguing origin stories or inspiration behind their writing. Hearing these stories deepens the meaning and weight of the words we sing and increases my worship. This week, we will hear the stories behind some of these older songs so that they may encourage us and point us to biblical truth.
I will mention that some of these songs are quite old, and there is some variety in the origin stories told, but I will share what seems to be the most widely accepted origin story for each one we discuss this week.
In the early to mid 1800s, some western missionaries made their way to north-eastern India and began sharing the Gospel with locals they met. A man and his whole family received the Gospel, and in their joy, they began to share the Good News they had heard with others in their tribe, some of whom came to follow Jesus as well! However, this was a very hostile region to Christianity, and their chief, upon hearing this news, called for the man and his family to come before the tribe and renounce their faith or face execution.
The chief was serious, and warriors stood ready to carry out the execution if necessary. Faced with the very real prospect of imminent death, the man considered Jesus. He considered the price that His Jesus paid for Him, and despite facing death in the face, the man proclaimed:
"I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back."
Upon this declaration of faith, the man's children were murdered right in front of him. The chief then turned to the man's wife, telling the man, "You have lost your children. You can still save your wife. Renounce this Jesus." As I can only imagine, through tears, the man responded:
"Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back."
Sadly, the chief ordered the man's wife to be killed immediately. He then gave the man one last chance to save his own life and called for him to renounce his faith in Christ. Yet still, with great resolve, he said:
"The cross before me. The world behind me. No turning back."
Indeed, the man was then too himself killed, but remember the words of Joseph in Genesis 50: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good." The chief was deeply affected by the man's display of faith, and this led to his own conversion and a confession of faith in Christ. Following their chief, the entire tribe turned to Jesus. The powerful words of this martyr were turned into the hymn we now all know.
Early church father Tertullian is often attributed with saying, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church," and I think this story proves it to be true. This man's story reminds me of Luke 9:23: "Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'" Following Jesus has a cost. It may not cost us our lives or the lives of those we love, but we must all surrender to the Lordship of Christ, whatever it may cost, because we know that knowing Christ is of far greater value than anything this life can offer.
Perhaps the next time you sing this song, you will remember the great faith of this man, and you won't allow the words, "I have decided to follow Jesus," cross your lips without considering their cost and weight.
|
Apple
Spotify
Deezer
YouTube
