Wonderful Words of Life (Strength in Hymn)

"Wonderful Words of Life"

Philip Bliss, 1838-1876

Sing them over again to me, 

wonderful words of life; 

let me more of their beauty see, 

wonderful words of life; 

words of life and beauty 

teach me faith and duty. 

Beautiful words, wonderful words, 

wonderful words of life. 

Beautiful words, wonderful words, 

wonderful words of life. 

Christ, the blessed one, gives to all 

wonderful words of life; 

sinner, list to the loving call, 

wonderful words of life; 

all so freely given, 

wooing us to heaven. 

Beautiful words, wonderful words, 

wonderful words of life. 

Beautiful words, wonderful words, 

wonderful words of life. 

Sweetly echo the gospel call, 

wonderful words of life; 

offer pardon and peace to all, 

wonderful words of life; 

Jesus, only Savior, 

sanctify forever. 

Beautiful words, wonderful words, 

wonderful words of life. 

Beautiful words, wonderful words, 

wonderful words of life. 

~*~*~

It's been such long time since I've posted here, and even longer since I featured my Strength in Hymn series. But I'm back with this sweet, grace-filled one from Hymns of Praise. I discovered this vintage volume in my late mother's basement, and brought it home to a place of honor on my hymnal shelf. It once belonged to her grandmother, Olive Ransom. The wonderful words endure through all generations.

Leafing through the pages, I chose this hymn because it speaks life to my soul. I love beauty, as you can see by the nature photos I took with my daughter today at Mead Botanical Garden in Orlando. The beauty of God's creation is life-enriching, and even more, the beauty of his sacrifice is life-redeeming. Words that praise him and tell the gospel story are stunning because they reflect that beauty.

It is God's good news which takes a stained, scarred, statue of a woman as his own, then by grace, liberates, heals her, and brings her fully alive.

In a world all too often captured with ugliness, let us all share the wonderful words of life with one another. Words of hope. Words of beauty. Words of peace. Words of grace. Words of love.