Hello Everyone,
This week I arranged a hymn for the dulcimer by request. The hymn requested is “Hold to God's Unchanging Hand.” I believe there are many tunes used for these hymn text, but I chose the original tune written by Franklin L. Eiland.
Most of the hymn is strangely played over a G major chord, even during the strong cadences where you would expect a D or D dominant 7th Chord. Because of this, I felt this hymn would be easier to play and to arrangement if I used a capo (so I did!). I hope you enjoy this week’s arrangement. Below is a devotional written by F. L. Elland about this week hymn.
God bless,
-Ben
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F. L. Elland - The February 2001 issue of With All Boldness
Verse 1
Time is filled with swift transition, naught of earth unmoved can stand, build your hopes on things eternal, hold to God's unchanging hand.
Ecc. 3:1-8, Gen. 7:21-24, Titus 1:1-4, 3:7-8, Gal 5:4-6, Eph 2:12-17, Col 1:3-5, Titus 2:13-14, Heb 13:7-8, Acts 13:32-34.
Every aspect of our lives is constantly changing. The average person changes jobs about 7 times. Our society thinks nothing of changing our residence. We change our hair, our style of clothes. Change is also all around us. As we get older, it seems that when we do not want things to change, that's when they change the most. The earth is constantly changing. Man has brought about great change all over the world. God has changed the earth in many ways. At one point he destroyed almost everything that can be seen. We, as finite individuals, need things that we can depend on to not change. We depend on the value of the dollar that we use to pay for things to remain constant. But it does not! There is only one thing that will never change. one thing that is eternal and unchanging: God. We can depend on anything that God has told us to be true and unchanging.
Verse 2
Trust in Him who will hot leave you, whatsoever years may bring, if by earthly friends forsaken, still more closely to Him cling.
Heb. 13:1-6, I Tim 6:19, Prov 13:19-20, Luke 6:22-23, Joshua 23:8-11, Psa 73:28.
How many times have you set up a meeting or a plan with someone, and, without any warning, they cancel? Have you ever had someone desert you in a time of need? Have you ever had someone that you depended on to back you up in a situation leave and not want to get involved? Men will do this. God will not. The closer that we come near to God, God will comfort and protect us. It is only ourselves that can separate us from the love of, God!
Verse 3
When your journey is completed, if to God you have been true, fair and bright the home in glory, your enraptured soul will view.
Heb. 10:19-27, 11:5-6, Rev 21:21-26.
One of the things that changes in this life that we need to be especially aware of, is the fact that man comes and goes. Our life is compared to a vapor that vanishes away. (James 4:14) The one aspect of our being that lives on is the eternal soul. When the soul departs this weak and feeble body, the actions and beliefs that guided our lives will determine its future! God has prepared a glorious eternal life for us. All we lave to do is to be true to Him, His Son, and His Word!
Chorus
Hold to God's unchanging hand Hold to God's unchanging hand! Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God's unchanging hand.
We can depend on God. When we build our lives on Him, His Son, and His Word, we lay up for ourselves eternal treasures that we cannot even imagine here in this life. God extends His Hand to us through His Word; what will our answer be?
Source Site:
(http://www.faith-facts.com/wab.html) contains biographies of many well-known Christian hymn writers.
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