Hymn: “Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers” – Laurentius Laurenti (1660-1722)
Tune: HAF TRONES LMAPA FARDIG (Swedish folk tune)
“Pleading” is a word we use for crying out in desperation. It is an end-of-my-rope kind of crying out – the kind of language we use when we have nowhere else to turn.
In this hymnline, we assume the posture of worship (“with hearts and hands uplifted”) to make a distress call to the throne of God, begging for the kind of redemption that sets people free… all people everywhere, whatever their imprisonment.
The Old Testament believers looked forward to a coming monarch who would rule on their behalf and give preference to the people of God. Their awaiting was for an earthly leader… a hero, if you will. We Post-New Testament Christians are looking forward to the return of Christ; however, we know from Scripture that his leadership style did not include warring and domination. Therefore, we anticipate his grace-filled redemptive intervention to (among other actions) unlock various kinds of prison doors.
If you’ve read these blogposts for a while, you know that Carlita and I support a couple of mission efforts whose sole purpose is to free people from enslavement… especially women and children. One of these is International Justice Mission (www.IJM.org). Large non-profit organizations like this are putting feet to the desperate pleas for the freedom of others.
At the end of our ropes, we continue our anxious plea for all who know no freedom - only bondage and oppression - fully believing that this is ONE of the many miracles the Lord Christ will bring in his ever-loving hand.
Meanwhile, we should be about our Father’s business, doing what WE can to see that such cruel persecution might come to an end. Hearts and hands uplifted... feet and funds on the move!
A High School Academy Sings This Hymn
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