Hymns vs. Choruses

    [Although our church uses a wide variety of musical styles, there may be some for whom more explanation of terms may be needed.  The following story (of unknown origin) should provide some humorous assistance.]

An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. “Well,” said the farmer, “it was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.” 

“Praise choruses?” asked his wife. “What are those?” 

“Oh, they're OK. They are sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer. 

“Well, what's the difference?” asked his wife.
The farmer said, “Well, it's like this - If I were to say to you, “Martha, the cows are in the corn,” well, that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you, 

Martha, Martha, Martha; Oh Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA, 

The cows, the big cows, the brown cows, 

The black cows, the white cows, 

The black and white cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS 

Are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, 

Are in the corn, the CORN, CORN, CORN!

Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times...  well, that would be a praise chorus.”

The next weekend, the farmer's nephew, a young, new Christian from the city came to visit and attended the local church of the small town. He went home and his mother asked him how it was. 

“Well,” said the young man, “it was good. They did something different however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs.” 

“Hymns?” asked his mother. “What are those?” 

“Oh, they're OK. They are sort of like regular songs, only different,” said the young man. 

“Well, what's the difference?” asked his mother.
The young man said, “Well, it's like this - If I were to say to you, “'Martha, the cows are in the corn,” well, that would be a regular song. If on the other hand, I were to say to you,

Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry, 

Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth,

Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by, 

To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.

For the way of the animals who can explain, 

There in their heads is no shadow of sense

Hearkenest they in God's sun or His rain, 

Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced. 

Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight, 

Broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed

Then goaded by minions of darkness and night, 

They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.

So look to the bright shining day by and by, 

Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn

Where no vicious animals make my soul cry, 

And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.

“Then if I were to do only stanzas one, three and four and do a key change before the last, well that would be a hymn.”

Pure Gold

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him…

And I will give thanks to Him in song.”

Psalm 28:7

    

    A few years ago, I came across a quote by a Chinese pastor who had been imprisoned for his faith (and who was later martyred):

Pure gold fears no fire.

Referring to the smelting process used to refine gold, it reminds us that only impurities and unwanted elements are removed during the melting process.  The gold itself is not harmed or destroyed.

    Likewise, as followers of Christ, we have no reason to fear the trials and hardships we encounter in life.  If our focus is correctly placed on Him, then these “fires” only refine our faith, and we emerge from the furnace more pure than when we entered.

    Yet this simple concept is unbelievably difficult to accept sometimes.  Even small “fires” often bring with them a flood of questions that haunt us, the most prominent being “Why is this happening?”  Whether it’s just a frustrating day filled with annoying little setbacks, or a massive, life-altering event, we tend to become preoccupied with “why.”

     Unfortunately, we are not always given the answers that we seek.  What we are given, however, is far greater.  “They cried to You and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.” (Ps. 22:5)  Comfort, peace, hope, and even joy can be found in the midst of even the most intense furnace if we trust in God and praise Him.  And few things in this world proclaim the hope of Christ more loudly or clearly than the praise of a suffering believer.

     Although we are not all facing a massive furnace, even in the small tests, we can truly refine our faith if we are willing to praise God in the midst of hardship.  And that kind of faith tends to work like a spark - that ignites the faith of others and soon encourages many to become like pure gold.

   

                      Not I, but Christ…

Tim