Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

[00:00:00] If we take away any of the attributes of God, we do not weaken God, but we weaken our concept of God.

[00:00:14] A.W. Tozer

[00:00:16] This is The Bright Forever.

[00:00:19] Hello and welcome to The Bright Forever, where each week we rediscover the power and richness found in some of the greatest hymns of the faith.

[00:00:47] My name is Andy Peavyhouse and I am your host and guide on this, our adventure through himnity.

[00:00:55] This is going to be a great episode.

[00:00:59] As a matter of fact, this is actually going to be a great double episode in a way.

[00:01:07] I have had the amazing privilege of speaking with the one person who I credit with developing my love for singing and in doing so, a love and an appreciation for the power and richness of the hymns that we hold so dear.

[00:01:26] Today we will be talking to my aunt, Peavyhouse.

[00:01:30] I only planned on it being a normal episode, but there was so much good stuff I couldn't edit it down enough.

[00:01:39] So this week we will touch a little on her life and love for hymns and roll into some of our discussion about the hym for today.

[00:01:49] Next week which will be our final episode of the season, we'll have a little bit of a variety show.

[00:01:56] As I combine much of the extras and the bonus material that I have been wanting to add but haven't had the time.

[00:02:05] We'll put all of that together along with more of the interview with my aunt for next week's episode.

[00:02:13] We will listen to some music, we'll talk about just how the season has gone and how it's just flown by.

[00:02:21] And of course we'll hear more of this interview.

[00:02:24] It's going to be a great close to our season and I can't wait to share it all with you.

[00:02:31] But before we dive into today's hymn, let's take a minute and recap our last episode where we discussed Look Ye Saints, the site is glorious by Thomas Kelly.

[00:02:44] We explored the hymns rich history.

[00:02:46] It's celebration of Christ's ascension and exaltation and how it connects to the biblical narrative of Jesus as our king of kings and Lord of lords.

[00:03:01] It helped remind us that even when faced with the brutality and agony of the cross and what our sin did to our perfect Savior,

[00:03:12] we can stand with bursts of acclamation and say, Look ye saints, the site is glorious.

[00:03:25] Today's hymn, though not obscure to many, it was for a long time obscure to at least a couple of baptists who you'll hear from today.

[00:03:37] Our hymn for today is immortal, invisible, God only wise.

[00:03:43] And it's another classic hymn that explores the majesty and mystery of God.

[00:03:52] And it's a hymn that praises God's transcendence and omniscience while acknowledging our limited understanding of His divine nature.

[00:04:03] Let's dive in.

[00:04:05] But before we do, don't forget to hit that subscribe button and follow us so you never miss an episode.

[00:04:19] Written by Walter Chalmers Smith, a Scottish hymn writer and poet in 1867, Immortal Invisible stands as a truly beloved hymn and a powerful declaration.

[00:04:32] Of the attributes of our great God.

[00:04:35] Smith was a minister in the free Church of Scotland and served in various parishes throughout his life.

[00:04:43] His deep theological knowledge and poetic abilities enabled him to craft hymns that convey profound truths about God's characteristics and his nature.

[00:04:57] Immortal Invisible God only wise is based on 1 Timothy, chapter 1 verse 17 which praises God as the king of the ages immortal invisible, the only God.

[00:05:10] The hymn beautifully captures the essence of God's transcendence and incomprehensible majesty, emphasizing His eternal, unchanging nature and unmatched wisdom.

[00:05:26] The hymn was first published in Smith's collection titled hymns of Christ and the Christian life in 1867.

[00:05:36] Over the years, it has become a staple in hymns worldwide due to its rich theological content and the poetic language it uses.

[00:05:47] The tune most commonly associated with the hymn is called Saint Daniel, a traditional Welsh melody.

[00:05:56] The tune was named after the Welsh village of Daniel which is located in north Wales.

[00:06:02] It was arranged by John Roberts in the 19th century and is known for its vibrant, energetic character that complements the hymns majestic themes.

[00:06:12] Saint Daniel had previously been used with different texts but it was paired with Immortal Invisible God only wise in later hymns resulting in a perfect match of tune and text.

[00:06:29] This pairing helped to popularize the hymn even further and contributed to its lasting impact on church music and worship.

[00:06:39] The combination of Smith's timeless words and the traditional Welsh melody creates a powerful uplifting worship experience that has stood the test of time.

[00:06:53] Immortal Invisible God only wise continues to be sung in churches around the world, celebrating the greatness and mystery of our God.

[00:07:07] I don't know about you but a song like this needs to be heard by a congregation of hundreds of people, all praising God and worshipping to this powerful hymn about our great father of glory, pure father of light.

[00:07:33] Immortal Invisible God only wise in lighting and sets in the name of our eyes, the specials, the angels of grace, the white in victorious, thy praise and we praise.

[00:08:03] Ampesty, abhazing and silent as light, no wanting, no wasting, a foolish delight.

[00:08:18] I just need some mountains, I'm sorry for all my thoughts, we have found to talk goodness and love.

[00:08:33] To all my family, to all great and soul, be all my family, to the joy of all.

[00:08:47] We lost our heart rich as peace of our dreams and with the wrath of our rich, was lost in gently.

[00:09:03] Praise Father of glory, pure father of light, thy angels of glory, for willing that sight, for what we will ever, for the realm of your sins, is our real strength.

[00:09:33] Praise Father of glory.

[00:09:39] That was Immortal Invisible God only wise sung in a 2012 worship service at Halifax minister and Anglican church in Halifax, England.

[00:09:52] Before we get to our interview with my Aunt Fe, let's take a quick look at the hymns verses and explore their theological implications.

[00:10:02] In verse 1, we hear Immortal Invisible God only wise.

[00:10:07] In light inaccessible, hid from our eyes.

[00:10:10] Most blessed, most glorious, the ancient of days, Almighty, victorious thy great name, we praise.

[00:10:19] The first verse emphasizes God's immortality, wisdom and unapproachable light.

[00:10:27] It acknowledges our limited understanding of God's essence and praises him as the eternal, victorious and all-powerful creator.

[00:10:39] The opening line, as I've stated before, comes from 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 17 to the king of the ages Immortal Invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever, amen.

[00:10:56] Verse 2, unresting, unhasting and silent as light, nor wanting, nor wasting, thou ruleist in might.

[00:11:08] Thy justice like mountains high soaring above thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

[00:11:17] This verse speaks to God's sovereignty and perfect rule over creation.

[00:11:25] God's justice and righteousness are likened to towering mountains, emphasizing his unchanging character.

[00:11:33] Psalm 36 verse 6 says, your righteousness is like the mountains of God.

[00:11:38] Your judgments are like the great deep man and beast you save.

[00:11:44] Oh Lord!

[00:11:46] This verse also highlights God's love and his goodness which flow out abundantly.

[00:11:55] From his character, Psalm 145 verse 17, the Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.

[00:12:08] Then it takes us to verse 3 to all life thou giveest to both great and small.

[00:12:15] In all life thou livest the true life of all.

[00:12:19] We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree and wither and perish but not changeeth thee.

[00:12:30] Here, the hymnologist God's role as the giver and sustainer of life.

[00:12:38] He is the source of all existence.

[00:12:42] And though our lives are fleeting, God's nature remains constant and unchanging.

[00:12:51] In Acts chapter 17 we are reminded that God is not served by human hands as though he needed anything.

[00:13:03] Since he himself gives all mankind life and breath and everything.

[00:13:10] And we started in 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 17 and now we are going to jump to James chapter 1 verse 17 where we hear every good and perfect gift is from above.

[00:13:25] Coming down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

[00:13:32] I love that verse. Psalm 102 reminds us that even the foundations of the earth will pass away but our God and father will remain.

[00:13:44] Verse 4 says,

[00:13:46] The final verse praises God as father of glory and father of light.

[00:14:10] Reminding us again of James and God as the father of light.

[00:14:14] It acknowledges the reverence of the angels who bail their faces before God's majesty.

[00:14:20] Revelation 4 8 tells us the four living creatures, the angels.

[00:14:25] Each of them with six wings are full of eyes all around and within.

[00:14:32] And day and night they never cease to say holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come.

[00:14:46] All Lord we will render.

[00:14:50] All of our praise, we give it all to you God.

[00:14:54] And then it concludes with a plea for God to help us see and to understand this greatness that he has.

[00:15:04] And to recognize his holiness these four verses are some of the most powerful verses of who God is as our father, as our creator.

[00:15:24] As our giver of life now comes what I think is the best part of this entire episode.

[00:15:35] And I think once you hear you'll agree, I sat down and spoke with my aunt, Fay Peevy House whom I've said many times before was the catalyst that sparked my journey into music.

[00:15:53] And himnady we talked about her love of him's and what hymns have meant to her, her role as the young musicians director.

[00:16:04] And of course our love for our him today immortal invisible God only wise let's hear from her.

[00:16:14] Well, I'm here today with my aunt Fay who for those of you who have listened to this podcast before you know has had a huge impact on my life with regards to him's she was my young musicians choir director for pretty much my entire life.

[00:16:42] I think elementary pretty much all of elementary, I think maybe even kindergarten I think to.

[00:16:48] But has had a huge impact in her love of hymns and her love of teaching hymns to us as kids and so I'm so glad to have you on our podcast.

[00:16:58] Well, thank you very much. I'm happy to be here awesome for my audience out there who doesn't know you other than the things I've said about you can you tell us a little bit about.

[00:17:11] Your self about your life and specifically about how hymns have kind of influenced your life.

[00:17:21] Well, I came under the influence of my mother's family when we moved to seminal heights.

[00:17:33] I attended what was then spent some memorial Baptist church and my mother's family had been very active in fact my grandfather helped to form the foundation stones for the old sanctuary not the one on central avenue.

[00:17:54] That's the old old sanctuary and it really was a changing point in my life.

[00:18:05] We had a music director who had youth choirs and as early as I could join I joined the youth choir.

[00:18:21] And then when I was 16 he asked me to direct the children's choir.

[00:18:31] Little did I know you know how influential that would be and I made lots of mistakes but evidently none of them terminal.

[00:18:46] So all during my youth I was in the choir at Spencer Memorial and Dick winners was my choir director and he was the kind who watched over you very, very carefully especially during those teen years.

[00:19:06] One Sunday morning he asked me who did I like now you know these are them.

[00:19:13] You know who do you have a crush on kind of thing and I said to him if you think I'm going to tell you you're nuts because I knew too well what he would do.

[00:19:24] I thought the boy that I happened to like at that moment was named Bill at school he was not at church he was at school.

[00:19:33] And I thought there's no way this man can possibly find this out our youth choir started at five or five thirty on Sunday afternoon when I walked in.

[00:19:44] He stopped all the music and they played oh where have you been Billy boy Billy boy.

[00:19:50] So in less in less than five hours wow he found out I have no but that was my that was the lovely lovely upbringing in my church it was fabulous.

[00:20:06] Also during those years as a youth we had a very active youth group and one of the things we did was every Monday night we held services at what was then the lighthouse mission on Franklin street which at that time was skid row.

[00:20:25] And we would be the choir there would be maybe twenty of us and the rules at the mission was that the people who came mostly men some women but mostly men they could not eat until after the worship service and they had to attend the worship service in order to get the meal afterward.

[00:20:50] And so one of the hymns we would sing a great deal let me see if I can remember I was sinking deep in sand far from the peaceful shore very deeply stained within sinking to rise no more love lifted me love lifted me well I tease now we don't sing that song very often but I tease now that every time I sing that song I look out and all I see is a

[00:21:19] bunch of drugs because that's what was sitting before me occasionally we would see a man saved and it was a miracle what God did in those lives there would be no other explanation.

[00:21:43] It was amazing I started out in college going into church music. I don't know you may not have known that I don't think I did yes but my very practical father now see this was 1958 and so my very practical father said to me you will not get a job in church music I was a woman.

[00:22:13] A Baptist woman in 1958 he said you can't get a job and so I switched my major to elementary education and got a job but church music has always been something I love from the very beginning.

[00:22:31] And I had no idea and now everything makes so much more sense.

[00:22:38] So you've talked about kind of how how you started with him. Why do you think him and singing him and learning him is so important for us as Christians?

[00:22:50] As you and I have discussed it various times when a magnificent text is set to magnificent music.

[00:23:02] It touches the soul in a way that few other things do perhaps nothing.

[00:23:14] In addition to that as again you and I have discussed often before that's where most of us get our theology.

[00:23:24] And that's why the text of any Christian music needs to be absolutely truthful if there is any shade of error it needs to be eliminated.

[00:23:40] When you get something that powerful then it must be truth.

[00:23:48] Yeah that's absolutely.

[00:23:50] But most of us do not have the opportunity to study theology we don't go to seminary and when we sing it it simply becomes a part of us.

[00:24:06] And I think it's one of our great great losses in the church, in the modern church is that we're not singing the hymns with the consistency that we used to.

[00:24:24] And therefore our theology is sometimes faulty.

[00:24:30] Yeah and the one thing I say this to my high school students who I teach all the time because they listen to jump.

[00:24:42] That's the nicest word like it's just a trotious music.

[00:24:46] Yes.

[00:24:48] That talk about things I'm not even going to talk about right now.

[00:24:54] And they tell me that they can listen to it for the beat or they listen to it because it's just a cool sound.

[00:25:02] I'm going you do not understand what putting the words of those songs into your head does it may not happen right now.

[00:25:12] But it slowly changes the way you think.

[00:25:18] It's going to make you think certain ways about the opposite sex, it's going to make you think certain ways about how the world works, about how you should treat other people and the more you fill your mind with that.

[00:25:28] And I understand because I was their age too and I had people saying you can't fill your mind with them.

[00:25:32] Oh yes, I cannot.

[00:25:34] I've said the exact same things and I'm going man did I sound this stupid?

[00:25:40] Yes I did.

[00:25:42] I absolutely sounded like that.

[00:25:44] And I've said before just these last couple of years doing this podcast, I have been so just...

[00:25:56] God has slapped me in the face reminding me of all of the theology that I have learned from him.

[00:26:04] Absolutely.

[00:26:06] And has also made me humble myself in going back over some of the songs that I have sung and go, oh Lord,

[00:26:20] I taught people this.

[00:26:24] This is not biblical.

[00:26:26] That's right.

[00:26:28] And I sang it because it was the up and coming song.

[00:26:32] And that's right.

[00:26:34] And I didn't look at what it was saying.

[00:26:36] Absolutely.

[00:26:38] And I didn't really know the...

[00:26:40] Like I had forgotten the theology because I had stopped listening and filling my head with these powerful hymns.

[00:26:48] And thank Andy to me and again your audience may not know that I'm approaching 85.

[00:26:56] So they probably need to know that.

[00:26:58] 25, 20, 20.

[00:27:00] The hymns that we currently have say in our hymnal are the ones that survived.

[00:27:10] Yeah.

[00:27:12] The junk and...

[00:27:16] I mean, okay.

[00:27:18] The junk did not survive because it was junk.

[00:27:22] And so through the centuries we have the distillation of the best that there was out there.

[00:27:34] Now, Psalm says, sing unto the Lord a new song.

[00:27:40] I know every generation needs to express and create their music.

[00:27:48] It needs to be done.

[00:27:50] And some of the new songs are magnificent.

[00:27:54] And they will be classics.

[00:27:58] If the Lord does not come back in the next hundred years, they will be the ones that survive.

[00:28:04] But once again, some of the...

[00:28:06] Oh yeah.

[00:28:08] And this is true in every field.

[00:28:12] Oh absolutely.

[00:28:14] It's not just himnity, it's any field.

[00:28:18] The cream rises to the top.

[00:28:20] Yes.

[00:28:22] And they will be there.

[00:28:24] But a lot of the stuff we sing will not be there because it doesn't deserve to be there.

[00:28:30] Exactly.

[00:28:32] And so we have the advantage of bringing music to the church from across the centuries.

[00:28:40] Not just contemporary music.

[00:28:42] We get a very narrow view if we only look at the little 20 or 30 years that we're talking about when we've had centuries of Christian music.

[00:28:56] Well, and there's a reason why those songs have lasted centuries.

[00:29:00] The thing you were talking about about your students saying they can listen to secular music with horrible lyrics and not be affected is indeed a bunch of malarkey.

[00:29:12] And they probably know it also.

[00:29:14] But one of the points that just like I was quoting that hymn to you, I can probably sing all four verses of that hymn because I sang it over and over.

[00:29:28] And it was in my youth and in my brain are these routes that I made.

[00:29:36] Well, in their brain there are routes that they're making that will not be profitable to them.

[00:29:44] Yeah, exactly.

[00:29:46] We'll lead them astray.

[00:29:48] So let's talk about the hymn immortal invisible God only wise.

[00:29:52] Yes.

[00:29:54] This is not a standard baptism to him.

[00:29:56] It is not.

[00:29:58] It is in our hymn or at least it was in the hymn that we used at that time.

[00:30:02] I suppose it still is if it isn't somebody who's made a drastic mistake.

[00:30:06] We're able to fire them right now.

[00:30:10] I did not, I never sang this song until I was in my late 30s or early 40s.

[00:30:18] And it was sung in one of our morning worship services.

[00:30:24] The tune is simple.

[00:30:28] It fits the word so well.

[00:30:30] It's a beautiful marriage of the text and the music.

[00:30:36] And as I was singing it, what it says about God and says so magnificently,

[00:30:48] touched my heart.

[00:30:50] It took me to another place.

[00:30:52] I wouldn't have mattered where I was.

[00:30:56] The text is so magnificent and in very simple phrases, he gets a depth of meaning

[00:31:08] that I admire so much.

[00:31:12] I admire that a person could write like this.

[00:31:16] And now I know it comes straight out of first Timothy, right?

[00:31:20] Immortal and visible God only wise.

[00:31:24] That's another topic for another day, I suppose.

[00:31:30] But those hymns that are actual scripture sung.

[00:31:36] Oh yeah.

[00:31:38] Now, this one of course takes off from scripture.

[00:31:42] To me those are some of the most effective of all.

[00:31:46] But as I sang through it, having never sung it before,

[00:31:54] it was simply an overwhelming experience.

[00:31:58] And it immediately became one of my go-to hymns.

[00:32:04] I had a funny experience, you can cut it if you want to.

[00:32:10] But when my oldest daughter married, she married an Englishman.

[00:32:16] And the wedding was to be in the United States.

[00:32:18] But we went to England to celebrate with his family before the wedding.

[00:32:24] And there was a small ceremony in the Church of England.

[00:32:28] If you were going to draw an English church, not a cathedral,

[00:32:32] this is what you would draw.

[00:32:34] Large stones, it probably been there three or four hundred years

[00:32:38] with a graveyard, with sheep in the graveyard, typically English.

[00:32:46] And I did not feel at home at all.

[00:32:48] There was a very strange kind of thing to me.

[00:32:52] And I did not know the services more formal than Baptist services.

[00:32:56] There was a tiny bit nervous about the whole thing.

[00:33:00] And the first hymn, immortal and visible.

[00:33:06] And I thought, no, I'm home.

[00:33:08] The rest of it really doesn't matter, I'm home.

[00:33:12] So it has just increased in its meaning for me as the years go on.

[00:33:18] And it's one of those ones that if you understood

[00:33:24] all the things about God that are listed in this hymn.

[00:33:30] I doubt seriously that you'd need a whole lot more.

[00:33:34] True.

[00:33:35] So on one page, you know, with four stances.

[00:33:39] The man was Presbyterian.

[00:33:42] He was a minister.

[00:33:44] He certainly did good work.

[00:33:49] I would love to have heard his sermons.

[00:33:51] Same here, same here.

[00:33:53] Immortal and visible God only wise.

[00:33:56] In light, inaccessible, hid from our eyes.

[00:33:59] Amen.

[00:34:00] Most blessed, most glorious, the ancient of days.

[00:34:03] Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

[00:34:07] That's...

[00:34:08] It's magnificent.

[00:34:09] It's just beautiful.

[00:34:10] That's...

[00:34:11] And I've had this conversation with every person I've interviewed.

[00:34:16] Every single time we come back to is just the poetic name.

[00:34:20] The poetic beauty.

[00:34:22] Absolutely.

[00:34:23] In hymns.

[00:34:24] And I'm not...

[00:34:25] Again, I'm not saying that songs can't be great now.

[00:34:28] But man, the many of the hymns did not start off as songs.

[00:34:34] That's right.

[00:34:35] They started as a poem and then they set the poem to...

[00:34:40] Because I'm going...

[00:34:42] Nobody sits down and writes a song like this.

[00:34:46] Can people really do that?

[00:34:49] Of course they can.

[00:34:52] But I'm going...

[00:34:54] I'm like, I can't even imagine writing...

[00:34:59] In light, inaccessible, hid from our eyes.

[00:35:02] No, it's magnificent.

[00:35:04] It's beautiful poetry.

[00:35:05] And my understanding is that the melody was an old scotch melody.

[00:35:10] Yes.

[00:35:11] And it was traditional in there.

[00:35:13] No, in fact that's one of the interesting things to me about hymns.

[00:35:20] I think sometimes hymns have a life moment.

[00:35:26] And because sometimes the poet will write the words.

[00:35:32] And the words are wonderful and they'll try it to all kinds of different and nothing works.

[00:35:38] And nothing works.

[00:35:39] And then 100 years later, poet dead and in his grave, the music will be attached.

[00:35:47] And then it comes to life.

[00:35:49] This is to me one of those instances because it was set to several of their melodies.

[00:35:55] Exactly.

[00:35:56] And they may have been popular in their day.

[00:35:59] I have no idea.

[00:36:00] But set to the melody it now has, it is a powerful, powerful song.

[00:36:04] That's one of the things that Isaac Watts...

[00:36:06] That's why people also hated Isaac Watts.

[00:36:09] They couldn't stand it because he would take well-known songs and he was like, they're boring.

[00:36:17] So he would put them to new music.

[00:36:19] Yes.

[00:36:20] He would take traditional hymns and put them to...

[00:36:22] That's why when people get angry about...

[00:36:25] Well you can't change that hymn.

[00:36:27] That's a traditional...

[00:36:28] I'm going...

[00:36:29] It's an Isaac Watts hymn that he actually changed.

[00:36:32] Yes.

[00:36:33] Yes, it's traditional to us now but it was brand new when Isaac Watts changed it way back in.

[00:36:42] And just to go...

[00:36:45] I don't mind the songs taking on new tunes.

[00:36:51] No.

[00:36:52] Just don't take away the words.

[00:36:54] No, absolutely.

[00:36:55] Don't take away the...

[00:36:56] No, absolutely.

[00:36:57] Depth...

[00:36:58] I mean, one of my favorite...

[00:37:02] One of my favorite verses of this hymn...

[00:37:06] Actually, I can't say it because I think all four of them are one of my favorite...

[00:37:14] Yeah, my two.

[00:37:15] ...of this hymn.

[00:37:16] But unresting, unhasting and silent as light.

[00:37:21] I know.

[00:37:22] And you're just going...

[00:37:24] No, or wanting, nor wasting.

[00:37:26] Oh, I know.

[00:37:28] It's just magnificent.

[00:37:32] How...

[00:37:33] He put it down.

[00:37:35] Nor wanting, nor wasting.

[00:37:38] You don't think like that.

[00:37:40] No.

[00:37:41] And when you look at words like that...

[00:37:44] And when you start...

[00:37:46] And I know it's not scripture but when you start singing that over and over again...

[00:37:50] And it reminds you that you have a God who rules.

[00:37:54] Yes.

[00:37:55] And he does not want anything.

[00:37:59] But what he has, he does not waste.

[00:38:02] Yes, I know.

[00:38:03] And that's how he rules.

[00:38:05] Yes.

[00:38:06] And you go...

[00:38:08] I want to live under a ruler like that.

[00:38:10] Especially we're in a year where we're going to elect somebody to run our country.

[00:38:16] That's right.

[00:38:17] And you're going wanting and wasting.

[00:38:19] I see that a lot on both sides.

[00:38:22] On all sides.

[00:38:23] Yes.

[00:38:24] I'm going...

[00:38:25] Man, I want a ruler who is...

[00:38:29] Who does not want, who does not waste.

[00:38:31] That's right.

[00:38:32] Who rules and might and I can trust him.

[00:38:35] Mm.

[00:38:36] Ah!

[00:38:37] It's a good song.

[00:38:39] Yeah, it's absolutely lovely.

[00:38:41] In all life thou giveest to go both great and small.

[00:38:46] In all life thou livest the true life of all.

[00:38:51] We blossom and flourish as leaves on the trees.

[00:38:56] And wither and perish, but not change of thee.

[00:39:00] Absolutely.

[00:39:01] That God doesn't change.

[00:39:02] He doesn't turn.

[00:39:03] He doesn't...

[00:39:04] Yeah.

[00:39:05] He is always who he says he is.

[00:39:07] He always does what he says he will do.

[00:39:10] And we blossom and we flourish.

[00:39:12] And then we wither and perish.

[00:39:14] And then we wither and perish.

[00:39:15] That's right.

[00:39:16] And God knew that.

[00:39:18] Yes.

[00:39:19] That's right.

[00:39:20] And then we have to go back to the beginning when he told Adam

[00:39:24] and Eve to not eat of the fruit of the knowledge tree

[00:39:28] and evil because you will surely die.

[00:39:31] Yes.

[00:39:32] Because in creation, we were made to live eternally.

[00:39:37] Yes.

[00:39:38] We were not made to die.

[00:39:40] No.

[00:39:41] We were made to live eternally.

[00:39:43] And only now by his mercy and by his grace can he restore us

[00:39:48] and change.

[00:39:49] No.

[00:39:50] That's what is so hard for people like us to understand, I think,

[00:39:55] because we change all the time.

[00:39:57] Well, and I'm on the wither and perish side of that.

[00:40:01] Well, I mean let's be...

[00:40:03] Yeah.

[00:40:04] I don't know if you ever watched Dr. Phil,

[00:40:07] but he puts down what he calls a life ruler.

[00:40:11] That life ruler goes to 85.

[00:40:14] I would have no place on Dr. Phil's life ruler,

[00:40:19] but I mean it's a fact of life.

[00:40:23] You do indeed wither and perish.

[00:40:27] And we...

[00:40:31] For the short time we're here, there are times in our sufferings

[00:40:36] that it doesn't seem so short, but it is.

[00:40:39] Yeah.

[00:40:40] And yet he has never changed.

[00:40:43] He doesn't change.

[00:40:45] He will not change.

[00:40:46] He was and is and is to come.

[00:40:48] Yeah.

[00:40:49] And he's exactly the same.

[00:40:50] Yes.

[00:40:51] And he can be trusted.

[00:40:53] Often that's what the hymns say.

[00:40:55] Yeah.

[00:40:56] The truths are there and they don't change.

[00:40:59] They don't.

[00:41:00] The circumstances change.

[00:41:02] Yep.

[00:41:03] And I think that's one of the...

[00:41:07] One of the things and why I think music is so important

[00:41:12] and why I think Martin Luther thought music was important

[00:41:15] and why I think anybody who is a pastor

[00:41:19] should think that music is important,

[00:41:22] is because of that.

[00:41:24] Because it doesn't matter the circumstance.

[00:41:28] Music can find its way through any circumstance

[00:41:35] to speak to the heart of something.

[00:41:38] Yes.

[00:41:39] And that's why I think these hymns are so important

[00:41:42] because they can apply to so many different circumstances.

[00:41:45] Absolutely.

[00:41:46] And same words, different circumstance

[00:41:48] and it still touches hearts.

[00:41:50] Yes.

[00:41:51] And just as you and I would know from our study of the Bible

[00:41:57] there is a circumstances change.

[00:42:01] The Bible does not.

[00:42:02] But the Bible speaks to those circumstances in every age.

[00:42:07] That's the way I feel about hymns also.

[00:42:11] They may be because they're based on Scripture.

[00:42:14] Maybe that's the reason that this happens.

[00:42:17] But whatever the circumstance there is an appropriate hymn.

[00:42:23] Amen.

[00:42:24] For that circumstance.

[00:42:25] For everything.

[00:42:26] Yes.

[00:42:27] This hymn is not based off of this Scripture.

[00:42:33] But every time I hear the song, it reminds me of Colossians,

[00:42:39] chapter 1.

[00:42:41] Because it says he is the image of the invisible God.

[00:42:46] Yes.

[00:42:47] The first born-of-all creation for by him all things were created

[00:42:52] in heaven and on earth visible and invisible

[00:42:55] whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.

[00:42:59] All things were created through him and for him.

[00:43:02] And he is before all things, and I love this.

[00:43:06] And in him all things hold together.

[00:43:11] Amen.

[00:43:12] All things hold it.

[00:43:14] Our immortal invisible God.

[00:43:17] That's right.

[00:43:18] The image of that invisible God is in Christ.

[00:43:23] That's Jesus.

[00:43:24] That's so we could understand.

[00:43:26] So that we can understand.

[00:43:27] There is not a religion on this earth where God would humble himself enough

[00:43:43] to be made into human flesh who would come to earth,

[00:43:50] who would want to lower himself to that of his creation.

[00:43:59] No, it would have been unthinkable.

[00:44:03] And really it amazes me because when the disciples asked Jesus

[00:44:11] to teach us to pray and He said, our Father, they didn't think of God as a Father.

[00:44:19] He was a distant, he was powerful.

[00:44:22] He was holy.

[00:44:23] I mean they had a lot of things right about Him, but they never, never thought of Him as our Father.

[00:44:31] And that makes all the difference in the world.

[00:44:36] And when Jesus said, our Father, He's saying to the disciples, we have the same Father

[00:44:46] and you're my brother.

[00:44:48] Yes, yes.

[00:44:49] And that we are adopted into that family.

[00:44:52] That's exactly right.

[00:44:53] Oh my goodness.

[00:44:54] I know.

[00:44:55] The picture of adoption is so beautiful.

[00:44:58] Yes it is.

[00:44:59] And the fact that again, it goes back to the fact that Jesus is the picture.

[00:45:08] This Him, Jesus is the picture of the immortal invisible God of wisdom and grace and mercy.

[00:45:23] And every other attribute you can think of, the picture of that is Jesus

[00:45:30] and that He wanted us to see that.

[00:45:34] He wanted us to see Him.

[00:45:36] He wanted us to know this God, this invisible God.

[00:45:42] That's right.

[00:45:43] And to think of Him as our Father.

[00:45:45] And He wanted to know us like that.

[00:45:47] No, no.

[00:45:48] He wanted to know our sorrow and our pain.

[00:45:52] And He wanted to take it away.

[00:45:54] I know.

[00:45:55] That's the ultimate compliment.

[00:45:56] That's the ultimate compliment.

[00:45:58] That He knew.

[00:46:00] And what's, what is so amazing is you really think back on it.

[00:46:07] God knew from the foundation of the world that we were going to send.

[00:46:12] Oh yeah.

[00:46:13] He knew before He created us.

[00:46:16] That we were going to fall and that He was going to have to step in.

[00:46:19] That He was going to have to give His life.

[00:46:22] And that it was going to be torturous and it was going to be humiliating.

[00:46:26] And it was going to be all of these things.

[00:46:28] And He made us anyway because He wanted us to experience the same love

[00:46:38] that the Father had for the Son and the Son for the Spirit

[00:46:40] and the triune nature of who He was, the relational nature of who God is.

[00:46:47] He wanted to share that with His creation.

[00:46:50] And He made us even knowing from the foundation of the world knowing

[00:46:54] we were going to fail miserably.

[00:46:56] And that He would have to take drastic steps to save us.

[00:47:01] And He still wanted to make us.

[00:47:04] It's amazing isn't it?

[00:47:06] It really is.

[00:47:07] I think to close this out, great Father of glory, pure Father of light,

[00:47:14] then angels adore the all-vailing their sight.

[00:47:18] All Lord, we would render, oh help us to see.

[00:47:23] It is only the splendor of light, high to thee.

[00:47:29] And it goes to that one day when there's a new heaven and a new earth

[00:47:35] and the light that we have will be Him.

[00:47:39] We don't need a Son anymore.

[00:47:41] We don't need a Son, we don't need a Star,

[00:47:44] the light of our Heavenly Father, of God Himself.

[00:47:49] It's the only thing that hides Him from us right now.

[00:47:53] He's too bright.

[00:47:55] He's too much for us to see.

[00:47:58] Yeah, we can't even look at the Son.

[00:48:00] Yeah, exactly.

[00:48:02] We've been taught just this last week.

[00:48:04] Exactly, exactly.

[00:48:05] Yes.

[00:48:06] And He would be His brightness, the Son would dim in comparison to His brightness.

[00:48:17] Well, thank you for being on the podcast.

[00:48:19] Thank you.

[00:48:20] I enjoyed it.

[00:48:22] I'm glad.

[00:48:23] I'm glad because I know at the beginning you're just like,

[00:48:27] this is not something I do.

[00:48:29] That's right.

[00:48:30] It is.

[00:48:31] But thank you so much.

[00:48:33] You're my brother.

[00:48:34] You probably...

[00:48:37] I know I've said it a lot of times but you probably really do not understand.

[00:48:42] Sorry.

[00:48:47] How formative.

[00:48:51] How much...

[00:48:54] what you did when I was a child to love these hymns?

[00:49:01] What that's done for me in my life and in growing spiritually.

[00:49:06] And I know that you've done that for a lot of other people.

[00:49:11] I hope so.

[00:49:12] I know so.

[00:49:14] I absolutely know so.

[00:49:16] And...

[00:49:17] Well, Andy let me say,

[00:49:20] I am a broken vessel.

[00:49:25] I always was a broken vessel.

[00:49:27] And it is encouraging to me to know that simple faithfulness

[00:49:38] to whatever task God gives you.

[00:49:42] He's the one in charge of the outcome.

[00:49:46] We follow our shepherd.

[00:49:48] We walk one step at a time, sometimes not seeing where the next step is.

[00:49:53] He's our shepherd.

[00:49:56] And we can make it so hard,

[00:50:00] you know, get theologically wound up, you know.

[00:50:07] And forget that what he requires of us is simple faithfulness.

[00:50:14] We just walk.

[00:50:16] And I was certainly blessed and I'm glad to know that it was this significant in your life.

[00:50:26] And as you say, I hope it was significant in the lives of many of the children.

[00:50:31] It's a wonderful thing to be able to work with children.

[00:50:37] So I don't want anyone thinking that I'm saint-faye because I'm not.

[00:50:44] And I made lots and lots of errors along the way for which God has forgiven.

[00:50:55] But to know that he blesses anyway, even when we're not perfect.

[00:51:03] He can still bless and that he works in spite of us sometimes.

[00:51:07] Absolutely.

[00:51:09] Well, again, thank you.

[00:51:13] You're more than welcome.

[00:51:33] Thank you.

[00:52:03] Thank you.

[00:52:33] Thank you.

[00:53:03] Thank you.

[00:53:33] Thank you.

[00:54:03] Thank you.

[00:54:33] Thank you.

[00:54:43] That was Immortal Invisible, performed by Nathan Drake of Reawaken Hems, from the album Hems of the Father.

[00:54:52] For more information about this song and all the amazing resources available at Reawaken Hems,

[00:54:59] check out the links in the show notes for this episode.

[00:55:03] I'd like to say another amazing thank you to Faye Peeby House, my aunt, for appearing on the podcast today.

[00:55:11] Recording in my hinks, she kept telling me not her thing.

[00:55:16] But let me tell you, you were a natural amphibian.

[00:55:19] And I loved getting to hear about your love of Hems and the stories of a life lived,

[00:55:26] loving Hems and seeing Hems transform the way you think and the way you worship.

[00:55:35] And great news.

[00:55:37] We will get to hear even more next week.

[00:55:42] So don't forget to tune in next week for our very special season finale episode of The Bright Forever.

[00:55:49] Please remember to follow us, review us and of course subscribe and check us out on our website at thebrightforever.com,

[00:55:58] post a comment on Facebook or a review on our website or any of the other myriad of platforms that you can find us on.

[00:56:07] We'd love to hear from you too.

[00:56:09] Consider sending us an email at podcast at thebrightforever.com, again that's podcast at thebrightforever.com.

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[00:56:36] Like I said last week, it has been absolutely amazing.

[00:56:39] Seeing one time gifts come into the podcast for help with equipment and for advertising and things that we can do.

[00:56:53] It's been absolutely amazing and humbling.

[00:56:57] If you feel a call to help us reach a greater audience with these amazing hymns, I would love for you to take a moment.

[00:57:03] Go to thebrightforever.com and click on the support the podcast tab in the menu.

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[00:57:33] Thank you again for listening and I hope you all have a great week before we go.

[00:57:38] Let me close this out in prayer.

[00:57:41] Lord, we thank you for revealing yourself to us in your word and through the hymns that praise your name.

[00:57:53] As we contemplate your immortal and invisible nature grant us deeper and deeper understanding of your majesty and your wisdom.

[00:58:06] Help us to trust in your sovereignty and goodness in all aspects of our lives.

[00:58:13] We pray that you would guide us as we seek to honor you in all that we do.

[00:58:20] May your light shine through us bringing glory to your name and drawing others closer to you.

[00:58:31] God, we love you and we praise you.

[00:58:34] And it's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen.

[00:58:39] God bless you all. Have a great week and we'll see you back here next week. We're out.

[00:59:00] You