“God his own doth tend and nourish... in his mighty arms he bears them.”

Hymn: “Children of the Heavenly Father” – Caroline V. Sandell-Berg (1832-1903)
             Translated by Ernst W. Olson
Tune: TRYGGARE KAN INGEN VARA

“God his own doth tend and nourish.
In his holy courts they flourish.
From all evil things he spares them.
In his mighty arms he bears them.”

In most hymnals, this is the second-of-four stanzas and includes highlights from Psalm 23, describing God as the Shepherd - tending and nourishing the flock, inviting them into the house of the Lord forever, sparing them from all that might harm them, and ultimately enfolding them in his strong arms as he carries them through the meadow.

This is a beautiful picture of the One who takes great care to take care of us – we who are the sheep of his pasture – we following-lambs of the Lamb.

While God tends to us, giving us his undivided attention, he is seeing to it that we are given each day our daily bread. In our dual role as children of his and servants in his courts, we are allowed to succeed. Nothing truly wicked can overtake us because God is ever our Protector, delivering us from evil. When carried in his mighty arms, he keeps us above all that might distract us or harm us; in that position (close proximity to the heart of the Shepherd), we are less likely to be led astray by the temptations above which we are borne.

You may notice that this also parallels statements from the Lord’s Prayer: “Give us this day our daily bread,” “Deliver us from evil,” and “Lead us not into temptation,” reminding us that our prayer is being answered even as we speak it!

While this is often considered a “Children’s Hymn,” it speaks volumes to all who consider themselves children of the most high God, sheep of his pasture, pray-ers of the prayer he taught us to pray. Let’s not overlook the depth of the riches of this stanza of one of the great hymns.

Hymn sung by Mennonite men’s group

"Thy true religion in our hearts increase."

Hymn: “God of Our Fathers” – Daniel C. Roberts (1841-1907)
Tune: NATIONAL HYMN

“If anyone gives a different teaching, not in agreement with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the teaching which is in agreement with true religion, he has an over-high opinion of himself; being without knowledge, having only an unhealthy love of questionings and wars of words… But true faith, with peace of mind, is of great profit.” (from 1 Timothy 6:3-6 BBE)

I read a wonderful quote from Stephen Colbert online yesterday about how we Christians (and he is one) are going to either have to denounce our faith or get on with what we are called to do. He is absolutely right about that. I am convinced that in order to follow the true religion laid out for us in the gospel accounts of the words and actions of the One we call Lord, we must put that model into action.

“True religion, the kind that is pure and faultless before God the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their difficulties and to keep the world from contaminating us.” (James 1:27 CEB)

There’s a difference between caring about and caring FOR another person: the first is a distant concern; the latter is direct involvement. This scripture calls us to be a help to the helpless… not JUST women left without a husband and children living without parents.

It is a national holiday today, but I’m not going to become political here; taking sides on partisan issues is not my purpose with this blog. However, in order for “true religion” to increase in our hearts and our congregations, we have nowhere else to turn but to the life and ministry of Jesus. After all, “Where could I go but to the Lord?”

Do we want true religion to manifest itself in our hearts? Then we need to transfer that into our attitude and our actions. A good place to start might be caring FOR the marginalized… those whose support system has collapsed.

A prayer for today from yesterday’s hymn: “Help of the helpless, O abide with me. Amen.”

This Hymn Played by US Marine Band

"Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee."

"Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee."

Hymn: “Abide with Me” – Henry F. Lyte (1793-1847)
Tune: EVENTIDE

This hymnline bears out that great truth from Psalm 30:5 that we may go to bed distressed, but in the morning all that angst is turned to joy. Okay, that was my loose translation, but that’s basically what it says to ME.

There is something about the morning light breaking through the window that seems to bring hope for the day ahead. Until we are totally alert and able to drag the problems of all our yesterdays back to the forefront of our brain -- for those few fleeting moments, the shadows of earth’s difficulties are erased by the early sun rays.

I admit that I have a propensity towards worry. Whatever comes my way, I am inclined to be anxious… even before there is a real problem! I need to be re-programmed in this area, and I am still working on it actually!

If I could just allow that “I can start all over from scratch” attitude to over-ride my worry button, wouldn’t it be a more pleasant way to approach whatever comes my way in the new day? Well, yes it would.

Tomorrow morning, remember this little post. Let earth’s vain shadows flee. Before you jump out of bed, jump out of worry… and jump with both feet into hope.

Cynthia Clawson Sings This Hymn 
Nobody does it better!

"The kindling of the heav'n-descended Dove."

"The kindling of the heav'n-descended Dove."
Hymn: “Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart” – George Crowly (1780-1860)
Tune: MORECAMBE

I admit that I sang this hymn for years before I noticed what the last lines actually say… mean. Even though I grew up in a culture that knows all about kindling, I thought in this case it was some archaic rendering of the word “kind” – as in “Be ye kind one unto another.”

“The kindling of the heav’n-descended Dove,
My heart an altar, and thy love the flame.”

As we sing this, we are offering ourselves as kindling… a fire starter… for the Spirit of God when it falls on us from heaven. It’s as if on our hearts we stack up the small strips of wood or dried twigs so that when the purifying flames descend, we are ready to get this fire going! I’m reminded of Gene Bartlett’s more-recently-written hymn “Set My Soul Afire.”

Stephen King’s novel FIRESTARTER was made into a 1984 movie starring Drew Barrymore as a young girl whose gift of pyrokinesis is appropriated by the government. It’s a typical Stephen King thriller involving the paranormal. The sequel on the Sci-fi network was called… get this: FIRESTARTER: REKINDLED!

In reality, we who believe the power of the Spirit is of amazing proportions, able to achieve so much in our lives as individuals and corporately within the church, should be kindling our hearts so that we – yes, even WE might be the ones who get the fire going among our fellows: the fire starters!

What if those posters of Smokey the Bear were lining the halls of our churches, pointing at us like a furry Uncle Sam, saying, “Only YOU can prevent the spread of the fire.” That’s one fire I don’t want to put out – one movement I don’t want to impede.

If I miss out on being a fire starter, I hope I will at least be a flame fanner… and not a water tosser!


Hear Three Stanzas of This Hymn

"Faith has caught the joyful sound, the song of saints on higher ground."

"Faith has caught the joyful sound, the song of saints on higher ground."
Hymn: “Higher Ground” – Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856-1922)
Tune: HIGHER GROUND

Carlita and I were once discussing how different world religions have certain very definite “rewards” waiting for them in their final life beyond the grave. Some are reserved only for the men, and some are very sexual in nature. These beliefs in an exact prize (or bevy of prizes!) provide quite the incentive for their extremists to martyr themselves. After a few minutes of silence, I said, “And all we have to look forward in the next life is singing!”

In all honesty, that is not a bad thing to anticipate: the privilege to “thus surround the throne” as we march through Zion, the beautiful city of God. For those of us who delight in few things any more than we enjoy congregational singing, it gives us reason to look forward to heaven.

This entire hymn deals with pressing on the upward way toward new heights gained daily, catching a glimpse of the brightness of Glory, and eventually planting our feet there.

One stanza has an almost depressing statement: “My heart has no desire to stay…” That’s a bit too close to a death-wish for my tastes; but in the next stanza comes today’s hymnline which says that my faith during this life has caught an aural-glimpse (I think I just made that up) of what the sound might be like when the saints gather on heaven’s shore, process around the throne, cast down their golden crowns as acts of worship, and join the endless song.

Off and on through my life, I think I have caught that joyful sound, and I have a high anticipation of linking myself with members of the heavenly throng who have been assigned a singing position… not because of their great singing ability, but because of their heart-felt song.

Do you hear the people sing?


Nobody seems to sing OR record the third stanza, but here is a fun quartet singing this hymn:

[Those of you who wonder whatever possessed me to create and carry-out the Old Fashioned Singing Project and its theme “Heaven’s Front Porch” should be a little closer to understanding my madness!]