I admit that there are not many hymns I really enjoy singing in church on a Sunday. The reason is simple: imagine if you are feeding a few hundred people and you need to provide a broad range of dishes. You are simply not going to please everyone. On the flip side, as a guest, you need to accept that you are not going to enjoy everything offered.
This is the challenge facing the music director week after week as he chooses the hymns to accompany the sermon for that service. Some people will enjoy some of the hymns but it would be impossible to have everyone enjoy every hymn.
Last Sunday there was a gem of a song which remained with me for some time. I had sung it before but this time I thought back to a previous conversation I had with Mr Gochugaru a few nights earlier, as we were watching a pivotal scene in the K-drama 힐러 Healer. In fact I made him pause the video as I impressed upon him that
if I say I will do something, and you are apart from me and cannot know what it is that I am doing, you need to trust that I will do what I said I would do.
I know, it is a bit wordy. The background to the scene is this: Jeong Hu (a private messenger for hire, codename Healer) has in the course of his business upset some institutional thugs masquerading as businessmen. Because of Jeong Hu’s skills, they want him to work for them instead of against them. Jeong Hu refuses, and a trap is set. They kidnap his two closest friends, Mun Ho and Yeong Shin, who are isolated in separate locations. Jeong Hu himself is in a third location but unbeknown to the other two, there is a video link in his room and he can see them being threatened.
Here is the deal: if Healer makes a false confession to say he was the murderer in a recent case, then the thugs will let Mun Ho and Yeong Shin go. He has only two choices, which is to confess and take the punishment for a murder he did not commit, or to sacrifice his two friends.
Yeong Shin, Jeong Hu (Healer) and Mun Ho
You would have guessed that Healer makes the false confession. His friends are released but he now has to go on the run as the police are after him. In a moment of reflection I thought that a) I would like to have a self-sacrificing friend like that and b) if called, then I would like to be that friend.
As in the drama, sometimes as Christians we cannot see the bigger picture when we are isolated from it. This is when we need to trust that when God makes a promise, he will fulfil it at whatever cost.
In the Old Testament there were situations where the Israelites (as God’s chosen people) faced difficulties and where forging ahead seemed impossible. The word from God through his prophets always encouraged faith in a God who keeps his promises. Deuteronomy 31 verse 6 exhorts the Israelites: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Later in verse 8 the reminder is that The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Here are the lyrics to He Will Hold Me Fast. A short history of the song from Getty Music is here. You can listen to it being sung here and watch it being performed here.
When I fear my faith will fail
Christ will hold me fast
When the tempter would prevail
He will hold me fast
I could never keep my hold
Through life’s fearful path
For my love is often cold
He must hold me fast
Chorus:
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast
Those He saves are His delight
Christ will hold me fast
Precious in His holy sight
He will hold me fast
He’ll not let my soul be lost
His promises shall last
Bought by Him at such a cost
He will hold me fast
CHORUS
For my life He bled and died
Christ will hold me fast
Justice has been satisfied
He will hold me fast
Raised with Him to endless life
He will hold me fast
Till our faith is turned to sight
When he comes at last
CHORUS
(Original words vv 1-2 by Ada Habershonnew. Words and music by Matt Merker © 2013 Getty Music Publishing (BMI) / Matt Merker Music (BMI) (admin by musicservices.org)
I entitled this post The Real Healer because if you have read the Gospels, which are an account of the life of Jesus, then you will know that Jesus takes things very seriously. When he said he was coming to save the world, he really meant it and that is the kind of commitment you can expect from beginning to end. We are all made in God’s image. Watching Healer the K-Drama allows us a tiny glimpse into the nature of God through the work of Healer Jeong Hu.