I sing a lot. I don’t mean I sing a lot publicly. Most of my singing is at odd times, private and alone…when I’m driving, during my private prayer time, even when I’m waiting for an appointment. According to the circumstance and where I am, I sing aloud. I understand why sometimes I get a strange look from the person in the car next to me at a traffic light.
Most of my singing is silent. I may “mouth” the words in my mind or simply register them in my awareness. My usual pattern is that one song will be my “standard” for a long period of time, sometimes a year or more. I may sing it more than once a day.
I don’t know when it started, but I’ve been singing My Jesus, I Love You for many months, I don’t find it popular in worship, so here it is
My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou
If ever I loved Thee my Jesus ’tis now
I love Thee because Thou has first loved me
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow
If ever I loved Thee my Jesus ’tis now
I’ll love Thee in life, and I will love Thee in death
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow
If ever I loved Thee my Jesus ‘tis now
In mansions of glory and endless delight
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow
If ever I loved Thee my Jesus ’tis now
I did not know until recently who the author was. I was surprised when I learned it was written by William Ralph Fearston when he was sixteen years old. Imagine that! 16. Such an encompassing and powerful expression of the Gospel. He died at age 26. God can use, whoever we are, for however much time we give. Learning this, my odd times of singing this current favorite will be richer
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear its music ringing,
It sounds an echo in my soul.
How can I keep from singing?