“How Can I Keep from Singing… The Sweet though Far-Off Hymn”

“How can I keep from singing… The Sweet though Far-Off Hymn” 

“We need to discover a way of reading nature which includes the most possibilities.” (Flannery O Conner).

Who do we humans think we are, anyway? If something isn’t visible to us, does that mean it isn’t there? If we can’t hear something, does that mean that particular sound doesn’t exist? Granted, we are made in the image of God, so that is our true and foundational identity. And since Jesus of Nazareth is the exact perfect image of God, then we assume we are each made in the image of Christ. Our identity can only be found in Jesus Christ. But that doesn’t mean we human beings are the center of the universe… God is all of that. So why do we assume that something that is outside our awareness doesn’t in fact exist? Why are we so slow to believe in nature’s way of life? The fact is that we humans are ignorant of how creation works, of nature and all its inner mysteries. God has hidden much from us in His creation that is beyond us, outside of our understanding. If nature is full of sounds that are not audible to the human ears, so be it. As has been said often, “Some things have to be believed to be seen. Belief comes before understanding.” 

Nature’s Sound waves. God created sound to be a form of energy, a vibration, that must have a source from somewhere, and sound waves ripple from the source through matter, whether air, liquid, gas, or solid matter. Without some kind of source and some kind of matter to act as a medium, sound apparently doesn’t exist in the way we understand sound. Since much of outer space is a vacuum and doesn’t contain air, space is completely silent. Except, except, there is, lo and behold, some obvious matter in space… stars, planets, meteors, other pieces of substance. So therefore, there are indeed sound waves in space that vibrate through these pieces of matter. In fact, these sounds are now picked up and measured by scientists in amazing new technologies that collect all the data that is coming from these space materials. And now we can actually translate the sound waves from stars and planets into what the astrophysicists call “harmonious songs.” Yes, as proclaimed in Job 38:7, the “morning stars sang together in chorus” at creation, and the fact is they are still singing! Literally! There is a natural song of the universe, given by God, sung by the matter in space, and all we have to do is translate nature’s soundtrack so that we can truly hear and understand what nature is singing! Nature communicates in a foreign tongue, an otherworldly language to us humans, and all we need are translators. Music is in the DNA of the whole world. Why would our musical creator, who must have sung the universe into being, limit the profound gift of music to us mere humans? Doesn’t it make more sense that our Trinity-God, the world’s eternal Heavenly Trio, would be more than happy to offer the gift of music to all of creation, and not just us people?

1. “My life flows on in endless song;
   Above earth’s lamentation,
   I catch the sweet, though far-off hymn
   That hails a new creation.
   • Refrain:
     No storm can shake my inmost calm
     While to that Rock I’m clinging;
     Since Christ is Lord of heav’n and earth,
     How can I keep from singing?
2. Through all the tumult and the strife,
   I hear that music ringing;
   It finds an echo in my soul—
   How can I keep from singing?
3. What though my joys and comforts die?
   I know my Savior liveth;
   What though the darkness gather round?
   Songs in the night He giveth.
4. The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
   A fountain ever springing!
   All things are mine since I am His—
   How can I keep from singing?”

Words and Music, Robert Lowry, 1869.