David’s Daily Devotion, March 19

March 19, 2022 - Good Morning!  It’s Saturday, March 19.

Tomorrow is the first day of spring. In 1931, the British children’s author Eleanor Farjeon wrote a hymn for children. She titled it “A Morning Song For the First Day of Spring”. It was published in a few hymnals but, at her death in 1965, was largely unknown.

In 1971, a 22-year old British musician named Cat Stevens was making a record album.  He was short one song.  Browsing through a bookstore for song ideas, he came upon an old hymnal. Inside he found a simple, lovely hymn of creation that had been written 40 years before.

Steven’s record producer liked the song but told him it was too short.  Working as a session musician in the recording studio was a 21-year old classically trained pianist named Rick Wakeman, who wrote a new intro to the old hymn. Wakeman later became famous as a member of the rock group Yes and often complained that he never got paid by Cat Stevens.  

As a 15-year old aspiring pianist, I spent an entire week in 1971 learning Wakeman’s solo - note for note. And “Morning Has Broken” became one of my favorite hymns. It still is. The music is probably already playing in your head.  Here are Eleanor Farjeon’s beautiful words - for the first day of spring.

Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from The Word

Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one Light Eden saw play 
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God’s re-creation of the new day

Meet you back here on Monday (the second day of spring!)

Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org