I’ve been exploring some of the very modern worship songs as an old guy 😀. But now, I’ve decided to alternate between very modern hymns, old hymns, and in-between hymns, namely the worship songs from the 60s to the 90s that feature in hymnbooks such as Mission Praise. Today it’s the turn of the very modern hymns.
Today’s song is Who Am I from 2004.
This song is new to me. Many of these newer songs have intriguing titles. So, what’s meant by “Who Am I”? I read that the writer, Mark Hall, wrote the song during a period of personal reflection while driving, wrestling with feelings of human inadequacy and awe that the Creator of the universe would care about and notice ordinary individuals.
When you think about the size of the universe and the billions of creatures that roamed the earth since it came into being, you might wonder why God would even think about you, let alone love you. I remember someone telling me that if I were the only person in the world, or the only one who sinned, Jesus would still have died for me. I don’t see that in Scripture, but it’s very clear that God loves us as individuals. When we think of great human leaders or artists, they can speak to a crowd, but they’d hardly be capable of getting to know everyone. But God is greater than that. He doesn’t need to have a distant relationship with us. He can get closer to us than any human can. We don’t need to book an appointment with Him to speak to Him. He’s present everywhere – and only a prayer away. There’s a couple of songs about that:
Actually, when I glanced on YouTube, I saw a good few “only a prayer away” songs – maybe I’ll address that in another post.
So back to today’s song – I particularly like the following line:
Who am I, that the bright and morning star would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?
I can relate to that line. God didn’t just leave me to my own devices and leave me wandering and wondering. He drew me to Him. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit. And Jesus died for me over 2000 years ago. And before the world was even created, God knew me – not just me, but if He knows everything, He knew me. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows all my faults and failings, yet He loves me. I think of the following verses:
Ephesians 1:4–5
“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will…”
Some see this verse as God simply deciding that there will be those who follow Him and live for Him. But surely, if He did it in love, He knew us and loved us.
We are called to be active in coming to Christ and living for Christ. But behind it all, we don’t take any credit. All the credit goes to God, because even what we do, ultimately stems from Him.
John 15:16
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last…”
People debate “free will” and fate or predestination at a philosophical or theological level. But at the devotional level, most hymns give all the credit and glory to God. I can’t think of any hymns where we congratulate ourselves for it all 😀.
Here are some other versions of today’s hymn:
