The words of my husbands' sermon fed my heart with assurance. Easter music was also reassuring.  I will never forget singing the  familiar hymn, "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today."

In my book, 52 Hymn Story Devotions I write:

"This majestic hymn brings a smile to my face as I joyfully sing it and proclaim the central belief of the Christian faith.  Without this truth we would have only a history of a man named Jesus. Charles Wesley wrote these words to tell the Good News: Jesus died, but was raised from the dead and remains alive through the power of the Holy Spirit."

Wesley's life had been immersed  in this knowledge. He was born into a Christian home in Epworth, England, in1707. His mother, Susannah Wesley, was his teacher who used the Bible as the basic teaching to all of her nineteen children. Charles attended Oxford university with his brother, John, and they were ordained as priests in the Church of England.

Both brothers felt called by God to be missionaries in America where they would evangelize the Indians. After arriving in this new land, they  became restless and unfulfilled. Their lives were empty of religions fervor. The only alternative to their restlessness was returning to their home in England.

Several months after their arrival, both brothers had personal revivals in their own souls. For Charles it was on Sunday, May 21, 1738. He was touched by the fire of the Holy Spirit and he wrote this extraordinary event in his journal: 

"At nine my brother and some friends came and sang a hymn to the Holy Ghost. In about half an hour they went. I betook myself to prayer. Yet still the Spirit of God strove with my own and the evil spirit till by degrees He chased away the darkness of my unbelief. I found myself convinced and fell into intercession." 

In 1739 to commemorate his powerful Spirit re-birth, he wrote, "Christ The Lord Is Risen Today." Until his death, in 1788, Charles Wesley composed over six thousand hymns. Each one proclaims the simple but profound truth that Jesus is "the way the truth and the life..." (John 14:6).

Lord Jesus, we walk through this week in remembrance of the steps you took toward the horrors of crucifixion. We also remember the times our lives have led us through footsteps of grief.  But because  we follow You, our steps toward the healing of broken hearts and broken bodies set us free.  Praise you Risen Lord, for coming to each one who opens the heart to invite You in to live for eternity. We pray in your holy and powerful name. Amen.

Lucy Neeley Adams  has always loved music. She began telling the story of hymns on Christian radio WWGM in Nashville, TN, in the '80s. She then wrote a newspaper column titled "Song Stories" for five years. During that time Lucy's book, 52 Hymn Story Devotions, was published by Abingdon Press in Nashville. Each of the 52 stories contained in the book is written in a devotional format, with the words of the hymn concluding each devotion.
Lucy, dubbed "The hymn lady," can be heard on the first Thursday of each month when she discusses hymn stories during a telephone interview with Michelle Mendoza of "Living Christian".  The program is aired on station  KCIS in Seattle, WA.
Lucy lives at Lake Junaluska, NC, with her minister husband, Woody. They have four children and fourteen grandchildren. She may be reached for comment at lucya424@aol.com. Visit her at 52hymns.com.