Stories of Song & Scripture is our new blog series through which members of the Huddersfield Parish Church family share their favourite hymns, songs of worship and passages from scripture, giving an insight into what it means to them and why.

Today’s hymn and passage from scripture have been chosen by Revd Carol.

“My favourite hymn? I have a few but for today I’ll go with ‘I The Lord of Sea and Sky.’

The words just fit my faith journey. But this song led a friend to change her mind on something and that is why I want to share this.

About 23 years ago I had to go to Cookridge Hospital for radiotherapy. Because I had to go Monday to Friday for four weeks, a friend at church organised a rota of drivers to take me, which in itself was amazing.

Another friend, Rita, said she couldn’t offer because she didn’t feel confident driving to somewhere she didn’t know. No problem, I understood. However the first thing we sang? ‘I The Lord of Sea and Sky.’

Halfway through Rita turned to me and said, I will put my name down for the Cookridge run. Wow!

To add to the wow, before we set off I prayed “Lord please lead us on this journey. ‘Please give us clear directions to follow.’ Ha ha, you know when you ask for something? Well we got to the junction off the motorway, cue me saying ‘Oooh Rita, follow the pink and green van!’ This van was in front of us through every turn we made! Thank you Lord and thank you Pink Link. Awesome.

I, The Lord Of Sea And Sky,
I Have Heard My People Cry.
All Who Dwell In Dark And Sin,
My Hand Will Save.
I Who Made The Stars Of Night,
I Will Make Their Darkness Bright.
Who Will Bear My Light To Them?
Whom Shall I Send?

Here I Am Lord, Is It I, Lord?
I Have Heard You Calling In The Night.
I Will Go Lord, If You Lead Me.
I Will Hold Your People In My Heart.

I, The Lord Of Snow And Rain,
I Have Borne My People’s Pain.
I Have Wept For Love Of Them, They Turn Away.
I Will Break Their Hearts Of Stone,
Give Them Hearts For Love Alone.
I Will Speak My Word To Them
Whom Shall I Send?

Here I Am Lord…

I, The Lord Of Wind And Flame
I Will Tend The Poor And Lame.
I Will Set A Feast For Them,
My Hand Will Save
Finest Bread I Will Provide,
Till Their Hearts Be Satisfied.
I Will Give My Life To Them,
Whom Shall I Send?

Here I Am Lord, Is It I, Lord?
I Have Heard You Calling In The Night.
I Will Go Lord, If You Lead Me.
I Will Hold Your People In My Heart.

My favourite scripture? has to be the famous John 3:16. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’

It just sums up what our faith is about. God had to save his final creation. Only one could fit the bill; God’s one and only son. Another wow!

Another at the top of the list is Psalm 8:

‘1 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory in the heavens.
2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
5 You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet:
7 all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,
8 the birds in the sky,and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!’

It reminds me how God loves us, but also that He gave us dominion over his creation, but we have not done a great job of it. Psalm 8 reminds me that we need to look after this planet, not the whole on our own, but if we each took more care of the places we live, work or play this world will be much more nurtured and maybe can heal. Indeed the current situation is showing us that the earth can heal if we let it.”

Thank you for reading. Blessings.

Revd Carol.