"Praise him still the same as ever, slow to chide and swift to bless."

Hymn: “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” – Henry F. Lyte (1793-1847)
Common Tune: ANDREWS,

I think we have established that this is one of my favorite hymns, especially sung to the ANDREWS tune.

Today’s hymnline emphasizes in a few words two of my favorite attributes of God: 1) he never changes, and 2) he is more likely to bless us than to condemn us.

The changelessness of God is paramount to my being able to trust him in any and every situation. His faithful, un-waffling nature is at the core of all he is and does… universally and personally. This truth is borne out in Scripture and history; there is little else I need to say about that!

In Scripture, we are often reminded to 'fear' God. That word is more akin to the word ‘respect.’ It is not the cower-in-the-corner kind of posture that never knows what to expect next – a spanking or a hug. He is by his very perfected parental nature more likely to encourage and treat me with loving-kindness than he is to take me to the wood shed for corporal punishment!

Throughout the Old Testament, God is referred to as “slow to anger… abounding in steadfast love.” That’s exactly what this hymnline is getting at.

It is more comforting to face the day with a consistent Savior… one who is much more likely to bless me than to discipline me without cause. Recalling hymnlines like this one helps me remember this, even when I feel like I’m being pushed around and treated unfairly. With that confidence, I can praise him still. I can also be reminded to be consistently gracious and merciful - never quick to punish.


This hymn to the ANDREWS tune… a bit slower than I like it

"Praise with elation! Praise ev'ry morning, God's recreation of the new day!"

Hymn: “Morning Has Broken” – Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965)
Tune: BUNESSAN

Elation is one of those super-superlative words: it’s a word we reserve for true excitement… probably about as excited as we can get! So this early morning praise should be done with exhilaration and enthusiasm. [You know that enthusiasm has at its root “theos”; so it originally meant excited about God!] The assigning of worthiness should be unbridled… nothing held back.

I’ve always wondered if the next line is about God’s re-creating a new day for us to enjoy… or if it means that his providing a fresh start for his creation is a form of recreation… like we use the word for something we do in our spare time to re-energize ourselves. I think it could mean either one, and I’m not sure anyone ever pegged down the English author of children’s stories and plays to find out.

On some days I hear it as re-creation… on others, I think of it as recreation. Either way, God is to be praised for providing us with yet another morning – a start-over point.

My favorite moment from the movie version of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is when the cast realizes they have not handled the Messiah appropriately and begins to board the bus as they sing, “Could we start again please?” Each fresh morning is God’s answer to that question: “Yes, you may.”

From Lamentations 3:22-23 – “The Lord treats us with great loving-kindness, and it is new every morning.”

Art Garfunkel and Diana Krall

"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 another hymn: “Help of the helpless, O abide with me. Amen.”

This Hymn Played by US Marine Band

[07/19/2016 - I'm reposting this after my pastor's sermon yesterday about True Religion from James 1.]

Blessed Are the Saints Who from Their Labors Rest

I am going to get back to posting hymn devotionals one day soon, but for the time being, here's a hymn somewhat related to this weekend.
I guess I need to write a real Labor Day Hymn... since it is such the sacred holiday! However, here is one about rest from one's labors... that would be FINAL REST! Sorry to post a funeral hymn on such a festive weekend!
[For those of you who know "Fill the Earth with Music": Yes, this is that same tune. I seem to often fall into the 11.11.11.11 pattern... and not everybody knows KING'S WESTON]

Engaging

This Dan Cogan quote seemed worthy of posting here:

"While contemporary worship seem to take the listener on an exciting and emotional rollercoaster, the hymns engage the mind with deep and glorious truths that when sincerely pondered cause a regenerated heart to humbly bow before its King."