Our Wonderful Lord

OUR WONDERFUL LORD

HOOK – (Read Isaiah 9:6) We are all familiar with the hymn “His Name Is Wonderful.” Lucy Adams writes:

Hugging my young son, Ben, was always a joy. Now that he is a grown man, I don't remember every hug, of course, but one special one I will never forget. It happened on the first school day in January. In his class they were to bring a favorite Christmas gift for show-and-tell so they could tell why it was special. Ben was leaving the house with nothing to share and I asked why.

That dear little six year old boy dropped his head and said (he was grateful) but he really didn't get anything he wanted for Christmas. I knelt beside him and almost cried. However, we hugged and I expressed my sorrow that we had not chosen gifts that made him very happy. In the days to come we went shopping and he chose a favorite toy that he had wished for.

There may be many of those experiences following our elaborate yearly Christmas giving. Sometimes we don't hear such an honest appraisal of our choice, so I am happy that I heard from Ben. I could do something to remedy his disappointment.

There is a gift, however, that is perfect. One of my favorite songs, His Name Is Wonderful, describes that gift. In fact, it was "a gift from heaven" said composer Audrey Mieir. It has become a treasured gift to millions of Christians worldwide. It was born at Christmas while Mieir was at church.

She said she never intended to write a song on that Christmas day in 1955. She was focused on the children's Nativity scene and the sermon as she quietly sat in church.

At Bethel Union Church in Duarte, California, her husband's brother, Dr. Luther Mieir was the pastor. The joyful congregation was focused on the re-enactment of the Nativity scene.

The children, dressed as shepherds, were covered in oversized bathrobes. Some of the angels' halos were slightly crooked. Singing the glorious old carols and hearing the scripture passages had great meaning.

The powerful prophecy of Isaiah 9:6 went down deep into Mieir's soul as she cherished those words: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given... and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."

When that familiar scripture was concluded, the pastor lifted his hands, closed his eyes and said, "His name is wonderful."

There must have been a holy hush in Mrs.Mieir's soul. "I felt as if I heard the rustle of angel wings and a musical chorus came to my mind," she exclaimed. On the flyleaf of her Bible she quickly wrote the words that her brother in-law had just proclaimed, "His name is wonderful." After she wrote it three times, she added the sacred name of her Lord.

"HIS NAME IS WONDERFUL, HIS NAME IS WONDERFUL, HIS NAME IS WONDERFUL, Jesus, my Lord.

It remained as only a short chorus for a few days, until she completed all of the music and a fuller description of who Jesus is:

He is the mighty King, Master of everything, HIS NAME IS WONDERFUL, Jesus, my Lord.

He's the Great Shepherd, The Rock of all Ages, Almighty God is He.

The last line is a personal reflection on the One whose name is wonderful.

Bow down before Him, Love and adore Him, HIS NAME IS WONDERFUL, Jesus, my Lord.

Before Audrey Mieir died in 1996 at 80 years of age, some of her last words were: "His Name is Wonderful will outlive the chubby human hands chosen to write a few black notes on five lines and four spaces. But it will never outlive the Father who glories in His Son's name and who glories in our praise." Lucy Neely Adams

TITLE – Our Wonderful Lord

• There is much meaning and importance attached to a name. A name identifies a person.

• Associated with a particular name are all sorts of character and personality traits.

• When we mention someone’s name we associate not only a face, but also the whole personality of that person.

• In our day parents often give a particular name to a child either because they like the sound of the name, or because a favorite relative had the same name.

• But in the beginning names were given with certain meanings in mind.

• Going all the way back to the Garden of Eden, we find that God named the first man with a meaning in mind.

• God called the first man, “Adam,” which means, “red earth.” because he was made from the dust of the earth.

• Adam likewise named his wife, “Eve,” “…for she is the mother of all living.”