Arguing With a Hymn, verse 2

Back in May I posted some thoughts on a particular hymn which begs us to change one little word to make it more biblically and practically correct. See http://kudzulife.blogspot.com/2008/05/arguing-with-hymn.html if you missed that.

Well, I was enjoying our August Camp Meeting worship today and it happened again. But with a different hymn!

If you don't know Camp Meeting worship that's a throwback to a time gone by when the U.S. and Protestant churches were experiencing revival. Now it's more a hint at our history than a present reality. We still have the lively music, the evangelistic preaching, and the emphasis even if we are set in nice sanctuaries as opposed to "tents" or outdoor tabernacles. In the old days (in rural and frontier America) this was typically held after the harvest. Everyone would load up their cook stove, their food supplies, and their family on the wagon and travel to the camp meeting site. You can imagine the huge multi county event that would draw folks together who hadn't seen each other in some time. The meetings would typically last a week and have the type preaching, singing, and fellowship which would help people experience a little heaven on earth, and make it easier to make decisions for that destination. In the late 1700's and early 1800's camp meeting was a powerful spiritual event which had many social dimensions as well. The ritualized tradition continues to hold a place of prominence in the social and religious landscape even until this day in some parts of the United States.

Often in contemporary camp meetings or revivals we sing the "old" hymns, the favorites that our grandparents would have enjoyed. One of those revival type songs I've sung many times before got my attention today. Do you know "Lord I Want to Be a Christian?" It's a simple song and tune. The different repeated stanzas words are:

Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart.

Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart.

Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart.

Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart.

It's really not a bad revival song. It's simple, it's emotional, & it calls for our personal, heartfelt response.

But it seems incomplete to me.

While that's a great starting place we can't stop with being Christian just in our heart! If we desire our heart and will to be transformed that's an exciting beginning. Yet the real aim is for this to happen in our life. So, on this day of worship I'm once again arguing with an old song in hopes that my life and the Church might truly be transformed.

Here's my contribution as an addition to the verses above. Yet it seems to me I've got to move from heart religion to a faith with is expressed in the world.

Lord, I want to be a Christian in my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my life, in my life.
In my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my life, in my life.

Lord, I want to be more loving in my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my life, in my life.
In my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my life, in my life.

Lord, I want to be more holy in my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my life, in my life.
In my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my life, in my life.

Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my life, in my life.
In my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my life, in my life.

Now that would have the makings of a revival for the Church and the World!