A Net in Time

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Faith

Am I A Soldier Of the Cross?

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This song popped out at me as I was leafing through another older hymnal that I was looking at.  (see what tidying does for a body!).   Oh.. it’s been fun this afternoon browsing and listening to songs of worship.  Isaac Watts asks a good question in this hymn though: Am I a soldier of the cross?

am I a soldier of the cross?

Isaac Watts, born in 1647, is the author of Am I A Soldier of the Cross.  He was born in England, son of a nonconformist father and became a nonconformist pastor.   Being a nonconformist meant he didn’t belong to the Church of England.  

He not only wrote hymns (for which is best known today) but also educational books covering geography, astronomy, philosophy and grammar.   A inspiring pastor he preached at Mark Lane Independent.  Poor health led him to live with the Abney’s in Herdfordshire for the remainder of his life. 

Lyrics

Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His name?

Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord.
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.

Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
By faith’s discerning eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all Thy armies shine
In robes of victory through the skies,
The glory shall be Thine.

 

Other Isaac Watts Songs

Down to The River

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As I was searching out youtube videos for last week’s song this one popped up in my feed.  I so enjoyed it I thought I would let you do so as well!  🙂

Down in the River is not a song I am highly familiar with but it suited my mood well on a quiet Friday afternoon.   I hope it suits you too.

down to the river

We are not sure who is the author of this baptistic hymn Down To The River.  It is thought to be an song of slaves.  A gospel song that might also have originated in the Appalachian region.   It did appear in an early hymnal with slave spirituals published in 1867. It was entitled Slave songs of the United States.   This hymn does have a variety of names “Down in the River”, “Come, let us all go down”, and “The Good Old Way”. 

Lyrics

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown?
Good Lord show me the way!

O sisters let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O sisters let’s go down
Down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the robe & crown?
Good Lord show me the way

O brothers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
Come on brothers, let’s go down
Down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown?
Good Lord show me the way

O fathers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O fathers let’s go down
Down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the robe and crown?
Good Lord show me the way

O mothers let’s go down
Come on down, don’t you wanna go down?
Come on mothers, let’s go down
Down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown?
Good Lord show me the way

O sinners, let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O sinners, let’s go down
Down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the robe and crown?
Good Lord show me the way

The Sinai Covenant

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Well, the last time we chatted about Harman’s book Learning about the Old Testament we discussed The Exodus.   Today we will look at the covenant at Sinai.

The Sinai Covenant

Mount Sinai is located in the Sinai peninsula.  The mount is traditionally seen in being smack in the triangle between the dead and red sea. 

Explanation of Sinai Covenant

Anyways, the Sinai covenant is the first time that God went from having individual covenants with people to having one with the whole nation.   God made this covenant in a manner they were familiar with (Hittite covenant style). 

God also called Israel his son (Ex.4:22-23),not only his son but his FIRST-born son. That position has authority and expectations with it. As such God expected Israel as a nation to act in a manner befitting that relationship.  They were to be holy, a treasured possession, a people who worshipped and served him. In 1 Peter 2:9 we find those expectation repeated for the Christian church.  They are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that (they) might declare the praises of him who called (them) out of darkness into his marvellous light.  

The Importance

THIS is the importance of the Sinai covenant.  Learning who God’s people are.  HIS sons!  First-born none-the-less!

But issues

God has set up this covenant and now it time to set the terms.   He meets with Israel’s representative and gives out the ten commandments.    We aren’t told how they were written down, just that they were on stone tablets. As a people chosen it was expected they would live in a particular way.   The Decalogue would help them know how to live. 

The people sinned.  Moses intervened.  The tablets were broken to show that the covenant had been broken and it was remade. 

Beyond the 10 Commandments God issued other commands to help the people retain their differences from the nations around them.  How they dressed, ate, and worshipped needed to show their uniqueness. 

He also showed his uniqueness by dwelling among them in the “tent of meeting”.   God lived in a tent just as they did…foreshadowing how Christ would dwell among people…becoming man himself.    

He taught all the important elements of worship

  • Sacrifice is a part of worship
  • meeting together in a place of his choosing
  • The need for a humble and contrite heart
  • and the symbolism of the goat, sheep and bull blood.  It didn’t remove sin, it was just a sign of God’s action and encouragement to look forward to the completion that would come.
The Sinai Covenant

My Reflection

You know I haven’t really thought about how the covenants of the Old Testament showed us things in the New.  Like I have understood the concept up until this point but never truly stopped to THINK on it.  

Like God dwelling with his people.  The tent of meeting being a foreshadowing of Christ.   I just never connected those ideas. It’s a powerful one if you really stop to think on it. 

I also have to ponder on.. how do I show my uniqueness to the world around me?  How do other people see my faith?  Or don’t they?  I don’t always know.  I’m often tired, and I like to do things my own way, and I don’t know if that shows Christ’s love.  Doubt is something I live with.

Sometimes I think it might be easier to live like the old-order Mennonites.  Having my unique dress and standoffishness from the world show my faith, but I don’t truly think that’s the answer. Is my relationship with the Lord readily apparent?  

I love that verse in Peter eh?   When I die.. I want a GOOD sermon preached on that text.  It’s the verse that reminds me of who I am in Christ.  Chosen, wanted, desired, with a PURPOSE…to glorify God.  I just … I don’t know.   Struggle with the execution I suppose.  Or at least thinking I execute at all in the showing of God’s glory.  

O Jesus, We Adore Thee

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Ah, the adoration of our saviour. It’s a good thing you know? To truly adore the Lord Jesus. O Jesus, We Adore Thee is as hymn to help us do exactly that.

O Jesus, We Adore Thee

Arthur T. Russell wrote this hymn back in the mid-1800’s. He was an English Clergyman serving in the Unitarian church. He was a man of poor health and died when he was 68 years old. He wrote 140 hymns over his lifetime and translated over 100 others. He occasionally wrote verses for other hymns wanting to improve their theology.

Lyrics

O Jesus, we adore Thee,
Upon the cross, our King!
We bow our hearts before Thee,
Thy gracious name we sing.
That name hath brought salvation,
That name in life our stay,
Our peace, our consolation,
When life shall fade away.

Yet doth the world disdain Thee,
Still passing by the cross;
Lord, may our hearts retain Thee;
All else we count but loss.
Ah, Lord, our sins arraigned Thee,
And nailed Thee to the tree;
Our pride, our Lord, disdained Thee;
Yet deign our Hope to be.

O glorious King, we bless Thee,
No longer pass Thee by;
O Jesus, we confess Thee
The Son enthroned on high.
Lord, grant to us remission;
Life through Thy death restore;
Yea, grant us fruition
Of life forevermore.

Did you know?

SchoolhouseTeachers.com has a music course where you can learn more about hymns? I know!  Rather cool eh?  It’s called Music Throughout History.  Now it does more than hymns, but it has a whole section on hymns which is rather cool.  Anyways, membership is cheap right now, so you may as well give it a boo eh?

The Exodus

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In the time leading up to the Exodus, God remembered his covenant with Noah, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham.  This led the way to the birth of Moses. A man, born into a people enslaved in Egypt.  Pulled out of that, pulled away from his Jewishness, and yet he intervened into the life of a Jewish slave and his life fell apart. 

The Exodus

Moses, a well-educated man, took off.  Afraid of the repercussions from his actions.  He met a gal and worked for his father-in-law. 40 years passed.

God came to him.

Moses learned three important details

  1. God was holy.
  2. God was a covenantal God.  God is the same God who made covenants with forefathers. 
  3. This covenantal God has the special name. Jehovah. YHWH. LORD. This name is indicative of a gracious, loving God who works to redeem his covenantal people. 
  4. Moses would be his messenger, the one through whom he would deliver his people from slavery. 
  5. God would display his power against the Egyptians.  This would be God’s work, not the work of Moses.  God’s alone. 

This information was pivotal to Moses as he was prepared to lead the exodus.

The Exodus

And so God acted.  Moses, his chosen instrument. The Exodus took place with God doing much in the lives of his people.  His grace was shown clearly to his people. The Passover meal became a part of their lives.  The Israelites saw miraculous signs and wonders accomplished by their God.  YHWH God worked in their lives. 

There is much more in this chapter, but this is what I picked out as easiest to share. 

Thinking on what I read

God’s grace was poured out on his people.  He remembered his agreements that he made with Noah and Abraham. So when they called out to him in their distress, he remembered and then acted.

He made it clear to Moses that he would use him as his chosen instrument that it was not Moses who would be saving the people, but God and God alone. 

I wonder how often we forget that.  It is not us who lead people to God.   It is not us who clearly presents God to people.  It is YHWH God himself.  The Lord God himself who works through us to present himself to the people around us.  Do we remember that?  I don’t know about you, but it something I often forget.  I’m to be a vessel for God.  Just like Moses needed to learn and act as God told him to.  

Others in this series

Peace & Security, Surprise News

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Today’s passage in Micah is 5:1-6.  Last time we met the discussion was about The daughter of Jerusalem being rescued. 

Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops;
    siege is laid against us;
with a rod they strike the judge of Israel
    on the cheek.
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
    one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
    from ancient days.
3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time
    when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return
    to the people of Israel.
4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
    to the ends of the earth.
5 And he shall be their peace.

When the Assyrian comes into our land
    and treads in our palaces,
then we will raise against him seven shepherds
    and eight princes of men;
6 they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
    and the land of Nimrod at its entrances;
and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian
    when he comes into our land
    and treads within our border.

Looking at Scripture

We know that rescue is coming to Jerusalem, but in the meantime, the call is out.  Gather in your armies, trouble is coming!

Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops;
    siege is laid against us;
with a rod they strike the judge of Israel
    on the cheek.

But it’s different for Bethlehem.  The smallest of all.  Considered too little to be one of Israel’s clans.  A people too little to matter much of anything. 
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

Something important is going to happen with this insignificant place.  

A ruler is going to come out. This ruler is going to be the ruler of Israel. This ruler is one talked about long ago, days from so long ago it’s ancient. He IS coming forth from Bethlehem.
from you shall come forth for me
    one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
    from ancient days.

This line “therefore he shall give them up until the time” I think is talking about God and how, for a while, he is giving Bethlehem up.  This small, insignificant place.  He is giving them up til the time this ruler shall come forth. 
3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time
    when she who is in labor has given birth;

When that time comes, all of Israel shall be one family again. 
then the rest of his brothers shall return
    to the people of Israel.

This ruler will be a shepherd to Israel. Not only that, he will shepherd his people in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the Lord HIS God. That is the kind of shepherd that shall rise out of Bethlehem.
4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

He will be the type of shepherd that makes his flock feel secure.  In fact their shepherd is great to the ends of the earth.  One who makes you that secure, is one who can be in charge.  A leader, protector, a shepherd.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
    to the ends of the earth.
5 And he shall be their peace.

BUT all is not at peace for the Assyrians are going to come.   I will freely admit I don’t understand everything about this passage beyond the fact that Israel shall defend herself.  She will be raising up shepherds and princes of men.  They will shepherd Israel.  In the end, the shepherd, who is coming, will deliver Israel from the Assyrians.  

When the Assyrian comes into our land
    and treads in our palaces,
then we will raise against him seven shepherds
    and eight princes of men;
6 they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
    and the land of Nimrod at its entrances;
and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian
    when he comes into our land
    and treads within our border.

Pondering

Can you imagine it? Looking back at verse 4-5.  That feeling of security? That ability to rest secure.  Sheep like feeling secure.  We know from scripture that people are like sheep.  We like to being in groups, we like that whole feeling of security.  Now imagine being so secure that you have peace.  Oh the contentment that would bring. 

Hanging on to that thought, helps make everything alright. 

Challenges faced in life are not a worry when you have peace and security.  To know that in the end, it will be okay.  It’s huge!

I also have to look at how a place deemed insignificant really wasn’t. Out of  a small, unimportant place, the one who would save his people would be born.   Would rise up out of it. A shepherd who would save his people.

It’s amazing if you stop and think about it. 

In the Cross of Christ I Glory

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Do you glory in the cross? I am slowly starting to really see the significance of it. I know Christ’s death and sacrifice is uber important and believe in it highly. But sometimes I fail to GLORY in it. This hymn helps In the Cross of Christ I Glory.

In the cross of Christ I glory

John Bowring is the author of this familiar hymn. Recalling us to the power of the cross. I found this interesting tidbit on Cyberhymnal:

There is a tradition that while Bowring was governor of Hong Kong, he visited nearby Macao and saw the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral, which had been gutted by fire in 1835. Above the ruins, he saw the church’s cross still standing. The story is likely apocryphal, though—the hymn was published a decade before the fire, and more than 20 years before Bowing was in Hong Kong: He was appointed British consul in 1849, and governor in 1854.

John Bowring was born in England, son of a merchant Charles Bowring, whose main market was China. Over his lifetime he wrote 88 hymns. Worked in his father’s business, started his own company, travelled extensively and learned several languages. He had a good reputation as a political economist and parliamentary reformer.

Lyrics

In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o’er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.

When the woes of life o’ertake me—
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me,
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more luster to the day.

Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.