Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Functionally disenchanted
But will it last? (Tozer for Tuesday)
<idle musing>
A good word for our time. Back about 15–20 years ago there was a YouTube guy who was selling a blender. His tag line was "But, will it blend?" And he would proceed to show the robustness of his blender. It was quite popular among geeks. He would blend things like a new iPhone. Anything to get attention.
That's where the title to today's post comes from, "But will it last?" We build these huge artifices. God comes along and asks, "But will it last?," examining the foundation. If it isn't Christ, well, you know what a blender does to stuff…
Just an
<idle musing>
Monday, October 14, 2024
Two roads—not what you think
O Love Divine, How Sweet Thou Art
1 O love divine, how sweet thou art!
When shall I find my longing heart
all taken up by thee?
I thirst, I faint, I die to prove
the greatness of redeeming love,
the love of Christ to me.
2 Stronger his love than death or hell;
its riches are unsearchable:
the first-born sons of light
desire in vain its depth to see;
they cannot reach the mystery,
the length and breadth and height.
3 God only knows the love of God;
O that it now were shed abroad
in this poor stony heart!
For love I sigh, for love I pine;
this only portion, Lord, be mine,
be mine this better part.
4 Thy only love do I require,
nothing on earth beneath desire,
nothing in heaven above:
let earth and heaven, and all things go,
give me thine only love to know,
give me thine only love.
Charles Wesley
The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition
<idle musing>
Not one of Wesley's better known hymns, only occurring in about 375 hymnals. I can't say that I recall ever singing it. Hymnary.org inserts a verse:
4 For ever would I take my seat</idle musing>
with Mary at the Master's feet:
be this my happy choice;
my only care, delight, and bliss,
my joy, my heaven on earth, be this,
to hear the Bridegroom's voice!
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Lord Jesus, Think on Me
1. Lord Jesus, think on me
And purge away my sin;
From earthborn passions set me free
And make me pure within.
2. Lord Jesus, think on me,
With care and woe oppressed;
Let me Thy loving servant be
And taste Thy promised rest.
3. Lord Jesus, think on me
Amid the battle’s strife;
In all my pain and misery
Be Thou my Health and Life.
4. Lord Jesus, think on me
Nor let me go astray;
Through darkness and perplexity
Point out your chosen way.
5. Lord Jesus, think on me
That, when the flood is past,
I may th’eternal brightness see
And share Thy joy at last.
6. Lord Jesus, think on me
That I may sing above
To Father, Spirit, and to Thee
The strains of praise and love.
Synesius of Cyrene c. 375–430
Trans. by Allen W. Chatfield
The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition
<idle musing>
Not a very popular hymn, only occurring in a little over 100 hymnals. I don't recall ever singing it. Cyberhymnal inserts a verse:
5. Lord Jesus, think on me</idle musing>
When floods the tempest high;
When on doth rush the enemy,
O Savior, be Thou nigh!
Friday, October 11, 2024
Everyday holiness
God of All Power and Truth and Grace
1 God of all power, and truth, and grace,
which shall from age to age endure,
whose word, when heaven and earth shall pass,
remains and stands for ever sure;
2 That I thy mercy may proclaim,
that all mankind thy truth may see,
hallow thy great and glorious name,
and perfect holiness in me.
3 Thy sanctifying Spirit pour
to quench my thirst and make me clean;
now, Father, let the gracious shower
descend, and make me pure from sin.
4 Give me a new, a perfect heart,
from doubt, and fear, and sorrow free;
the mind which was in Christ impart,
and let my spirit cleave to thee.
5 O that I now, from sin released,
thy word may to the utmost prove,
enter into the promised rest,
the Canaan of thy perfect love!
Charles Wesley
The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition
<idle musing>
Not one of Wesley's more popular hymns, occurring in less than 100 hymnals. Cyberhymnal adds some verses:
2 Calmly to Thee my soul looks up,Did a say a few? OK, a bunch! Charles always wanted to pack his hymns full of theology. Sometimes he took longer than other times : )
And waits Thy promises to prove,
The object of my steadfast hope,
The seal of Thine eternal love.4 Chose from the world if now I stand
Adorned in righteousness divine;
If brought unto the promised land,
I justly call the Savior mine.5 Perform the work Thou hast begun
My inmost soul to Thee, convert;
Love me, for ever love Thine own,
And sprinkle with Thy blood my heart.7 Purge me from every sinful blot,
My idols all be cast aside,
Cleanse me from every evil thought,
From all the filth of self and pride.9 O take this heart of stone away!
Thy sway it doth not, cannot own;
In me no longer let it stay;
O take away this heart of stone.10 The hatred of the carnal mind
Out of my flesh at once remove;
Give me a tender heart, resigned
And pure, and. full of faith and love.11 Within me Thy good Spirit place,
Spirit of health, and love, and power;
Plant in me Thy victorious grace,
And sin shall never enter more.12 Cause me to walk in Christ my way;
And I Thy statutes shall fulfill,
In every point Thy law obey,
And perfectly perform Thy will.13 Hast Thou not said, who cannot lie,
That I Thy law shall keep and do?
Lord, I believe; though men deny:
They are all false, but Thou art true.15 There let me ever, ever dwell,
Be Thou my God, and I will be
Thy servant; O set to Thy seal,
Give me eternal life in Thee.16 From all remaining filth within,
Let me in Thee salvation have,
From actual, and from inbred sin,
My ransomed soul persist to save.17 Wash out my deep original stain,
Tell me no more, it cannot be,
Demons, or men! The Lamb was slain,
His blood was all poured out for me.18 Sprinkle it, Jesu, on my heart!
One drop of Thy all cleansing blood
Shall make my sinfulness depart,
And fill me with the life of God.19 Father, supply my every need;
Sustain the life Thyself has giv’n:
Call for the never failing Bread,
The Manna that comes down from Heav’n.20 The gracious fruits of righteousness,
Thy blessings’ unexhausted store
In me abundantly increase
Nor let me ever hunger more.21 Let me no more in deep complaint
My leanness, O my leanness, cry,
Alone consumed with pining want
Of all my Father’s children I!22 The painful thirst, the fond desire,
Thy joyous presence shall remove,
While my full soul doth still require
Thy whole eternity of love.23 Holy, and true, and righteous Lord,
I wait to prove Thy perfect will,
Be mindful of Thy gracious word,
And stamp me with Thy Spirit’s seal.24 Thy faithful mercies let me find,
In which Thou causest me to trust;
Give me the meek and lowly mind,
And lay my spirit in the dust.25 Show me how foul my heart hath been,
When all renewed by grace I am,
When Thou hast emptied me of sin,
Show me the fullness of my shame.26 Open my faith’s interior eye:
Display Thy glory from above,
And all I am shall sink, and die,
Lost in astonishment and love.27 Confound, o’erpower me with Thy grace!
I would be by myself abhorred;
All might, all majesty, all praise,
All glory be to Christ my Lord!28 Now let me gain perfection’s height;
Now let me into nothing fall!
Be less than nothing in Thy sight,
And feel that Christ is all in all.
</idle musing>
Thursday, October 10, 2024
A Division of Labor
Blest are the pure in heart
1 Blest are the pure in heart,
For they shall see our God;
The secret of the Lord is theirs,
Their soul is His abode.
2 The Lord, who left the heavens
His life and peace to bring,
Who dwelt in lowliness with men,
Their Pattern and their King;
3 He to the lowly soul
Doth still Himself impart,
And for His temple and His throne
Selects the pure in heart.
4 Lord, we Thy presence seek;
May ours this blessing be;
O give the pure and lowly heart,
A temple meet for Thee.
John Keble
The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition
<idle musing>
You might have noticed that there is no link on the Methodist hymnal. That's because the Internet Archive is down. I received an email last night from a notification site I subscribe to that let's me know when one of my accounts anywhere on the internet has been hacked. I don't reuse passwords (neither should you!), but it's always nice to know when a site you used has been hacked and credentials leaked. Anyway, it stated that the Internet Archive had been hacked and all the hashed passwords and account credentials had been leaked. So, I suspect that's why the site is down today.
If I were a conspiracy person, I would say that it is because the publishers don't like the site. But I'm not. I suspect it was a group looking to extort cash. (I'm leaving unsaid what some of you are thinking...)
</idle musing>
Wednesday, October 09, 2024
Cosmos? Who needs it, we have the universe!
In contrast to this, the modern imaginary finds us in a “universe” that has its own kind of order, but it is an immanent order of natural laws rather than any sort of hierarchy of being (p. 60).… At this point, we simply recognize that the shift from cosmos to universe — from “creation” to “nature” — makes it possible to now imagine meaning and significance as contained within the universe itself, an autonomous, independent “meaning” that is unhooked from any sort of transcendent dependence.—James K. A. Smith, How (Not) to Be Secular, 34–35
Lead, Kindly Light
1 Lead, kindly Light, amid th'encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
2 I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will; remember not past years.
3 So long Thy power hath blessed me, sure it still
Will lead me on
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone;
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since and lost awhile!
John Henry Newman
The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition
Tuesday, October 08, 2024
What's left?
O Love divine, that stooped to share
1 O Love divine, that stooped to share
Our sharpest pang, our bitterest tear!
On Thee we cast each earth-born care;
We smile at pain while Thou art near.
2 Though long the weary way we tread,
And sorrow crown each lingering year,
No path we shun, no darkness dread,
Our hearts still whispering, "Thou art near!"
3 When drooping pleasure turns to grief,
And trembling faith is turned to fear,
The murmuring wind, the quivering leaf,
Shall softly tell us Thou art near!
4 On Thee we fling our burdening woe,
O Love divine, for ever dear!
Content to suffer, while we know,
Living and dying, Thou art near!
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition
<idle musing>
As I've said before, not that Oliver Wendell Holmes!
</idle musing>