Journal Week 42: The Blood Medley

Out at the prison on Monday night I was leading, as I do every week, our hymn sing, where we open up hymnals and the inmates call out the numbers to hymns they want to sing.

This week we found ourselves in "the Blood Medley."

Do you know the Blood Medley?

In many old hymnals some songs are arranged thematically. For example, songs about heaven or faith might be grouped together to create a "medley," songs to be sung in succession around a common theme.

Well, in many of these hymnals there is a group of songs called "the Blood Medley." What ties the Blood Medley songs together is their reflection upon the saving power of Jesus' blood shed on the cross. Songs that are often found in the Blood Medley are "Victory in Jesus," "Are You Washed in the Blood?," "Nothing But the Blood" and "Power in the Blood."

If you've never heard these songs, the Christian group Anthem Lights has a video on YouTube with them singing a mashup of the Blood Medley.

Now, I know these blood-themed hymns are currently out of favor. They are theologically "problematic" for many. But oh my goodness, how these songs move the inmates in prison. They live in a world of blood. And these songs speak to them.

And they speak to me as well.

Problematic and out of fashion they may be, but I love the Blood Medley.

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