Perhaps it’s not much of a stretch to do a February article on love. It is, by all accounts, the month of love. It’s that time of year that we will justify stretching our budget a tad to get not only the fried dill pickles, but the grilled shrimp appetizer over at the Texas Roadhouse. I’ll buy the sweetest masculine-looking card I can find for him….something with a moose silhouetted against a heart-shaped moon, and he’ll buy me a Thomas Kincade…….card. I’ll fill a glittery bag full of his favorite 85% dark chocolate, the kind so bitter you need a swig of turpentine to get the taste out of your mouth, and he’ll pretend I “need” a bag of red-wrapped Dove bars. We’ll exchange some small mementos, talk about our first date at the Pasta House and watch “Laws of Attraction” for the umpteenth time.
In thinking about what I would write this month, I began to think about “real love”, God’s love for us. It wasn’t long before songs were swirling in my head, and I just wanted to share with you, in no particular order, my All-Time Favorite Love Songs….Gospel Style.
“Heavenly Love”, an old Statesmen favorite from the 1950’s Nabisco Show. I still love to hear Crump sing those high notes with that exaggerated vibrato.
“When God Dips His Love in My Heart” lives on in the old red-back hymnal, written by Cleavant Derricks, who was probably best known for “Just a Little Talk with Jesus”.
“Boundless Love”, by sweet Dianne Wilkinson and recorded in 1986 by the Cathedrals gave Glen Payne a great lead vocal and bass singer George Younce a chance for a pulsating downhill slide. Gotta play it again and again.
“Love Lifted Me” was written 100 years ago …1912…and it still makes congregations, who dare sing an old classic, smile and sway.
“For God So Loved”, a Terry & Barbi Franklin song, was elevated to anthem status by Brian Free & Assurance in about 1996, and I never tire of hearing it. Even country artist Carrie Underwood cut a respectable version.
“Champion of Love”, by Phil Cross. No matter how many times I hear it, it still gives me goose bumps, and nobody has ever done it like The Cathedrals.
“Jesus Loves Me”, has been sung since the 1860’s, has been translated into 63 languages, and is as true today as it ever was. It represents our fundamental belief. Our faith hinges on it. “Jesus loves me. This I KNOW.” Sometimes in a world where everything is so uncertain it’s the only thing we can be sure of.
“The Love of God”, written in 1919 by Frederick Lehman and recorded by everyone from Vep Ellis to David Phelps, has probably the most beautiful lyrics I have ever read. It is said that the third verse of the song was added later, penciled on the wall of an insane asylum by a man believed to be demented. The lines were discovered upon his death. The gentleman sounds pretty lucid to me when he writes: “Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made. Were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade; To write the love of God above, would drain the ocean dry; Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.”
I know there are plenty more old-time gospel songs and hymns that speak eloquently about God’s love. Refresh my memory. If you can think of one, let me know.
Wishing you God’s love
Janice
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Written: 02/04/2012
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Category: Janice Crow
Comments: 1
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Oh, the Deep Deep Love of Jesus//Isn't the Love of Jesus Something Wonderful
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