Welcome to God’s Heart through Your Art. Our new journey in creativity begins with a series involving Vintage Hymns. Discover God’s Heart in Blessed Assurance and other wonders from the past. Step into a time of Silence and Solitude with God using the words of vintage hymns as a doorway. These authors received, reflected and responded to words from God’s Heart as they walked their personal journeys filled with intense pain, transformation, and overwhelming joy. How is God calling you to respond to His Heart in your life’s journey? How can we learn from these past creatives? They were willing to express God’s Heart through their creativity in all types of circumstances. So let’s begin our journey discovering how taking time in the stories of the Vintage Hymns can affect our creative walk with God.
Deeper Paths to God’s Heart in Blessed Assurance
As you recall different Vintage Hymns, what memories come to your mind? For some, the words bring a sweet pleasant vision of a parent singing you to sleep. For others, the recall is not as pleasant because you wanted to be playing outside rather than sitting in a building listening to the choir singing off key. But now let’s take a look at the stories behind these hymns. As you look at the score or verses, you see a reflection of a person’s creative expression, who is no different than you. Will you be able to see God’s heart in their lives and in their art?
Fanny Crosby’s Story
https://st-ignatius.net/fanny-crosby-and-the-story-behind-blessed-assurance/
Fanny knew all about “Blessed Assurance”…from six weeks of age until shortly before her 95th birthday which was when she left this world.
From the age of six weeks til her death, Fanny saw nothing but dark shadows. This came as a result of poor medical treatment to an eye infection, In fact, is was that choice of treatment which actually CAUSED her blindness. What goes through your mind as you read this? Are you angry or sad for this woman? Do questions like “how can this be fair?” try to find a reason? Would you feel a bit of resentment toward the doctor if this happened to you or your child? Seriously, in this situation how would you respond?
Fanny Listens to God’s Heart in Blessed Assurance
Fanny’s response was not one of despair or a poor me attitude. In fact, this woman lived a life completely in love and deeply trusting in her Savior. Fanny was not surrounded in or affected by the world, but instead held fast unto her relationship with God.
Her love for Jesus and her commitment to the poor helped her overcome her affliction and has blessed generations – with over 3000 hymns!
by John C, Odean
https://st-ignatius.net/fanny-crosby-and-the-story-behind-blessed-assurance/
Fanny saw her lack of sight as a gift. Read her response and ponder.
A pastor was feeling quite sorry for Fanny because of her “condition”. He asked in a humble manner if she was at all angry or resentful because God had not chosen to heal her of her blindness. Fanny’s response has always left me with wonder .and I hope you can feel her words as well.
“Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I should be born blind?” “Why?” asked the surprised minister. “Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior!”
https://st-ignatius.net/fanny-crosby-and-the-story-behind-blessed-assurance/
Fanny’s Blessed Assurance in the One she loved so dearly came throughout her life and her songs.
Fanny based the song Blessed Assurance on this scripture:
” Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22 KJV)
Blessed Assurance expressed in the song.
It is interesting to see what comes first, in the hymns- poems and words or the tune. This was the beginning for Blessed Assurance.
One day Fanny was visiting a friend, Mrs. Phoebe Palmer Knapp, who was playing a newly constructed tune on a pipe organ. Fanny became overwhelmed with the tune and expressed the beginning of, “Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine”. The words continued to flow and Mrs. Knapp put them to the tune she was working on. The song of worship and joy was born.
Silence and Solitude for your Creativity
Throughout the next posts, I will share the background stories of a variety of Vintage Hymns. This is where I am asking you to open your heart and receive what God wants to share with you. I will share a verse from each hymn. As you see these art pieces, set, a timer for time of Silence and Solitude to listen to God’s Heart. Each hymn is a reflection of a real person’s life in relationship to God. That same creative reflective relationship is open to you.
After the timer ends for the silence and solitude, that is your time to respond to what you received in whatever creative genre God has gifted you with. Do not limit yourself to perfection. Just respond to what you received.
As you go to God in silence and solitude, reflect upon the words seen through the eyes of a blind woman.
God’s Heart in Blessed Assurance is easily seen through Fanny Crosby’s words.
Are you going through a time of trial and challenge? Fanny boldly responded in reality and honesty having visions of rapture, even though she could not physically see. Give yourself permissions to sit, receive, reflect and then respond with your inner eye.
This is beautiful. It’s incredible that her song mentioned sight when she was unable to see. And the trust and faith she had in God is remarkable. Thank you for sharing!
Her journey was not an easy one, but she kept saying Yes and put her hand in God’s. Amazing. Thank you for joining this adventure too. 🙂