Open Your Hymnal - Devotions That Harmonize Scripture With Song: How Our Favorite Hymns Reveal God's Amazing Grace Through Hymn Story Devotions

by Denise K. Loock

Do you ever catch yourself singing a song in church without paying attention to the words? Open Your Hymnal is a collection of thirty devotions that transport the wisdom of classic hymns and gospel songs into the twenty-first century. Introduce yourself to the rich spiritual heritage that hymnals contain or gain a new perspective on songs you’ve sung since childhood. Whether you sing in the choir loft, the worship team, or the pew, the refreshing biblical insights in this book will enhance your appreciation of the words you sing every time you open a hymnal.

From the Foreword:

“Through witty, insightful, and sometimes poignant writing, Denise draws on the richness of the doctrine and the personal nature of these hymns to encourage us in our Christian faith. Whether or not hymns are a part of your worship tradition, you will find the timeless truths expressed in these meditations a blessing and encouragement to your soul.” Mark Hahn, Minister of Music,
Montgomery Evangelical Free Church, Belle Mead, NJ

Endorsements:

“As wonderful as contemporary Christian music is to me, I would miss singing the great hymns of the faith. Their words tell the gospel, provide great insight and inspiration, and lift my faith. In this book of devotions, Denise Loock skillfully reflects on some of these hymns by connecting them with Scripture and with our personal spiritual lives. The result is a unique collection of devotions that will touch your heart as you open your hymnal along with your Bible.” - Kathleen Hayes, Editor, The Secret Place

“Few things are quite so moving, reassuring, and comforting as the familiar texts of inspiring hymns we have loved and sung for generations. Thank you, Denise, for rekindling these messages and shedding new light on songs so near to the hearts of people of faith!” - Dave and Cheryl Ellington, Career Worship Leaders, Covington, KY

“Denise Loock's Open Your Hymnal powerfully relates Scripture, hymns, and biblical knowledge to everyday life. Her 30 devotions are written in such a way that it creates in the reader a desire to reflect upon what has been shared and then to delve deeper. These easy-to-read insights also make the reader want to become familiar with hymns once again and be blessed by their inspired words.” - Jane Carrier Allen, Minister of Worship and Bible Professor, Sneads Ferry, NC

"These devotions have poured into my soul a deep love for the God we serve, rooted in the history of biblical and religious figures throughout the ages. What a gift. Denise's style is light but penetrating. It convicts and comforts and draws my heart to the Lord." - Connie Cartisano, PhD, Stay-at-Home-Mom and Retreat Speaker, Hackettstown, NJ

“Reaching across all denominations, Denise Loock ties together beloved hymns with their scriptural backgrounds. She brings old-fashioned wording to life by adding a contemporary twist to her devotions. The reader is enlightened, not bewildered, by her inclusion of Greek roots for key words. I would recommend Open Your Hymnal to anyone who enjoys singing hymns or wants to give a treasured gift.” - Cathy Smith, State Newsletter Editor for United Methodist Women, Ocean, NJ

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Devotional, Christian Living, Christian Non Fiction

Nook

First published May 7, 2010

About the author

Born as the fourth child of Don and Dot Kelso. I attended Lakeland Christian School and The Evangelical Free Church until age 18.

I always wanted to be a teacher, so after I graduated with an education degree from Cedarville University, OH, I taught in Detroit, MI, and West Palm Beach, FL.

Once I earned a MA in English from Florida Atlantic University, I taught at Cairn University, PA and Somerset Christian College, NJ.

I married Mace Loock in 1991. We have two adult children.

I retired from teaching to pursue a writing career in 2007. My first book was published in 2010.

Currently, I work as a book editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas and as a staff writer and editor for The Journey Christian Newspaper.

Reviews

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUMMARY: Do you ever catch yourself singing a song in church without paying attention to the words? Open Your Hymnal, Again is another collection of hymnal devotions that transport the wisdom of classic hymns and gospel songs into the twenty-first century.

Giving God glory, honor, and thanks nourishes our souls and invigorates our faith. For centuries hymn writers have exalted God's sovereignty and splendor in their lyrics. With biblical insights and practical applications, the 31 devotions in Open Your Hymnal Again use the worship models of hymns and gospel songs to awaken a fresh wonder for God in your heart. Open Your Hymnal, Again and worship with me.

Introduce yourself to the rich spiritual heritage that hymnals contain or gain a new perspective on songs you’ve sung since childhood. Whether you sing in the choir loft, the worship team, or the pew, the refreshing biblical insights in this book will enhance your appreciation of the words you sing every time you open a hymnal.

REVIEW: If you enjoy the older hymns of the church, you would definitely enjoy this well-written devotional book. Each devotion is focused on one hymn and the Biblical truths we can learn from the lyrics. The author also gives a little bit of history about the hymn itself and/or the composer. I found this very easy reading and an inspirational short daily devotional that connected me to my love of the older hymns.

[Wendy Sparkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this devotional - for someone who loves to sing & still enjoys the old hymns this devotional was ideal. A Bible verse to start of the devotional, then a thought linked with a hymn & often a little insight into why the hymn was written, & then a Rest & Reflect to finish off.

I did find it a little odd though on the day for Amazing Grace when the 1st verse wasn't reflected on at all, as I find that verse is the most powerful in conveying the wretch I am with God's amazing grace, but the thought for that day was still conveyed well.

A nice way to start the day.

Now reading the 2nd in the series

[Lonny Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written reviews of hymns. Gave me desire to sing along with good songs.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 2.5 stars but I'll round up. I love learning about the history of hymns and other liturgical elements of my own and other faith traditions, but this was more shallow than I was expecting.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not at all what I hoped it would be. Since I am a member of the LDS faith I love our hymns and we have a great book that discusses the history of the hymns, the composers, and the authors of the lyrics. I thought I might would find this kind of thing with loved Christian hymns from other churches. (Our hymnal has more hymns that are not LDS in orgin so I hoped to learn more) Instead I seemed to find someones thoughts on each of the hymns. The hymns were not laid out in verse, and then a discourse, but you would find them within the discourse. It felt more like reading a sermon with the a hymn that fit the topic rather than about the hymn itself.

I'm sure someone belonging to a non denomination Christian church, and perhaps some other evangelical Christians will find it satisfying and inspiring, it just wasn't what I hoped or expected.

Oh, I have the kindle edition.

[Lillie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Traditional hymns are filled with Scripture and sound doctrine. This book includes devotions on old favorites plus some I didn't know.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you know me at all, you know that music, especially music that testifies of God's love and mercy, is an integral part of who I am. This little devotional book was then the perfect choice for me to read as the start of my devotions this year.
I really enjoyed how the author used the thoughts she had to weave the hymns and scriptures together. Some of the hymns were familiar to me, but some were not: so I chose to find YouTube clips of each of the hymns so I could familiarise myself with them. Doing that brought a whole new dimension to the readings each day.
I'm definitely looking forward to starting "Open Your Hymnal Again" tomorrow!

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Denise Loock is clearly from a different denominational background than I am and I'm not familiar with 100% of the hymns she references, I did enjoy her endeavor to dig into the history and scriptural relevance of various hymns and classic gospel songs. A few of them were so well done and relevant, that I felt the need to share them as devotions with my family. I would enjoy reading future volumes if Loock decided to write more.

[Diane Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love

As a singer, I loved this devotional. I relived some old hymns I haven't sang in a while. I learned so much through this. Understanding the inspiration for these songs was heartwarming.

[Melanie Ransome · Rating 3 out of 5]

An overall enjoyable read. I wish that the complete songs were included.