As I have said before in the “Back to the Future in Belfast” series I believe ‘The Belle of Belfast City.’ song is a prophecy not only for Belfast but about what God is doing bringing forth his beautiful bride and Queen in cities, towns, villages and homes across the world, including in our other home city, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.(MSP)
Here is a remarkable story illustrating the same.
In 2012 our youngest daughter Abby (from Abigail = Father’s joy’) got married to Stephen (‘crown’)
The wedding was here in MSP but they planned to then have a service of blessing back in Belfast. We were assigned the task of bringing the wedding dress from here to there.
As we were riding the bus between terminals at Boston airport where we had a connection, Hilary who was carrying the wedding dress, got into conversation with the Asian lady sitting beside her. One thing lead to another and finally she said she attended a church in a village in northern Thailand that was pastored by a couple from Belfast.
‘What are their names?” We asked.
“Carol and Ivor Greer.” She replied
‘What!’ Hilary exclaimed. ‘Carol and Ivor were my best friends at Queen’s University!”
In fact the hotel where 37 years earlier we had our wedding reception was owned by Ivor’s family!
……..and what’s more the hotel was called Abbey-lands!….. Yes – the land of Father’s delight!
We had a little time to spare, so continued the conversation over a cup of coffee. It was then that it came out that I had written the song, ‘Lord Jesus we enthrone You” ‘
Really!!’ Our new friend exclaimed.” Last Sunday in our little rural church we sang that song in Thai!’
Over the last 50 years, this song has been sung billions of times in the languages of many nations, in homes, villages, towns and cities throughout the earth. It is the heart cry of the true bride………. Abigail – ‘the Father’s joy’, as even now he prepares her, a beautiful Belle, as a Queen, fit for Stephen, His crowned one…… our King Jesus!
I was encouraged when I recently received my ‘2023 Wrapped’ report from Spotify.
Apparently this year my songs were listened to on Spotify in 101 countries! My listenership was up 44%, but what brought me the greatest joy was (not the $10 a month income this generates🙂) but that the country with the fastest growing listenership was……..Papua, New Guinea
Somehow in mission terms this country represents, “the ends of the earth.” As with the spread of Lord Jesus We Enthrone You……..God is sovereignly without any help from me sowing the seed of his word through the songs he has given and reaping ‘the harvest of the earth’ which is ‘ripe’
The good news is sounding forth from our Father, that, “On the day you were born I danced over you!”
‘When all the Sons of Heaven’ the song above, is a fleshed out version of this tragedy through mystery to glory story, of our Bridegroom, Jesus, and his Bride. Enjoy as a Christmas gift and hope.🙂
P.S. I just came across this interview again linking Ireland and the USA. Although geopolitical, at the end it is clear that the bottom line for both Hermann and Mel is……..God wins!