15th Day of Lent

I was thinking of childhood songs this morning. I can still sing a lot of them. Some of them I still hear children sing and others I’ve not heard for years. One song I haven’t heard sung in quite some time is “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before. Every day with Jesus, I love him more and more. Jesus saves and keeps me. He’s the one I’m living for. Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.” I remember my cousin, Richard, teaching us that song. It is a good memory for me.

Another song I haven’t heard lately is “The windows of heaven are open. The blessings are falling tonight. There’s joy, joy, joy in my heart since Jesus made everything right…” I don’t remember the rest of the song. But I do remember having the image in my head of windows in the sky opening up and blessings (whatever they look like—I’m not quite sure how to describe how I saw them as a small boy) falling down from heaven. It is a good memory.

And there are the songs I remember like “The B.I.B.L.E., yes, that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God, The B.I.B.L.E.” Of course, “Jesus Loves Me” and “Jesus Loves the Little Children” are precious memories for me. Then there is a song I remember from Bible School that included the books of the New Testament as its verse. That song I still hum when I’m looking up a passage of New Testament scripture.

As I reflect today, I am very thankful for songs of faith from my childhood. I am thankful for those who taught me to sing my faith. I needed to remember this during Lent because sometimes when I’m singing with children I forget the impact it could be having in them. My witness is important. My words are important. But when my words are put to song they pass on to the lips of someone else. That is no small thing.