Yes God is Real

"Yes God is real for I can feel, Him in my soul."

One of the things I've decided to do is to blog about my favorite songs. Some songs have inspired me over the years and some experiences have inspired me to write songs. Either way, songs have always played an integral part in my life because it have allowed me to identify/connect with an emotion, experience, or season I have encountered in life. I decided to start with one of my favorite hymns of all time, "Yes God is Real."

Growing up in a traditional Baptist church, devotional service was apart of our custom. Every Sunday, the deacons or deaconess would begin the service by "lining a hymn" or singing a song. I wasn't always a "fan" of devotional service (it really depend on which deacon/deaconess was singing), but there was one deaconess, one of the mothers of the church I love to hear sing. I can remember hearing the Hammond B3 organ in the background, Mother Manley, would sing "Yes God is Real." Mother Manley was a conversative and petite lady. But when she sang, she sang with so much conviction, it captivated me. The words, "There are some things, I may not know. There are some places I can't go. But I am sure of this one thing, that God is real for I can feel Him deep within," allowed me to connect with the song because in my youth, I didn't know the Bible from cover to cover (still don't). But one thing I knew... God was real in my life. This hymn is very meaningful for me it continues to remind me of how authentic Christ is in my life regardless of what I am facing.

Similarly, “Yes, God is real” expresses the surety of faith of many Christians. Kenneth Morris wrote the hymn in 1944. Diagnosed with tuberculosis, the refrain validates the reality of God’s presence “deep within” because God had cleansed Morris through his blood and has thus been “made . . . whole.” The second stanza acknowledges God’s presence in the face of persecution and abandonment. The final stanza rephrases some of the ideas of earlier ones, stressing again “God’s holy power” in ones life.

Though coming from an African-American context, the message of the song extends to others. This is Morris’ “most commercially successful composition. It has been translated into twenty-four languages and is sung all over the world.” Attached is a link of me singing "Yes God is Real." I have add a twist to the hymn. Check it out and enjoy!

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