We bear the strain of earthly care

471 Azmon. C. M.

1 We bear the strain of earthly care,
   But bear it not alone;
   Beside us walks our Brother Christ
   And makes our task His own.

2 Through din of market, whirl of wheels,
   And thrust of driving trade,
   We follow where the Master leads,
   Serene and unafraid.

3 The common hopes that make us men
   Were His in Galilee;
   The tasks He gives are those He gave
   Beside the restless sea.

4 Our brotherhood still rests in Him,
   The Brother of us all,
   And o'er the centuries still we hear
   The Master's winsome call.
                         Ozora S. Davis
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

Χριστὸς ἀνέστη!

That's all. But that's more than enough, isn't it?

Where cross the crowded ways of life

465 Germany. L. M.

1 Where cross the crowded ways of life,
   where sound the cries of clan and race,
   above the noise of selfish strife,
   O Christ, we hear your voice of grace.

2 In haunts of wretchedness and need,
   on shadowed thresholds fraught with fears,
   from paths where hide the lures of greed,
   we catch the vision of your tears.

3 From tender childhood's helplessness,
   from human grief and burdened toil,
   from famished souls, from sorrow's stress,
   your heart has never known recoil.

4 The cup of water given for you
   still holds the freshness of your grace;
   yet long these multitudes to view
   the strong compassion of your face.

5 O Master, from the mountainside
   make haste to heal these hearts of pain;
   among these restless throngs abide;
   O tread the city's streets again.

6 Till all shall learn compassion's might,
   following where your feet have trod,
   till glorious from your realm of light
   shall come the city of our God.
                         Frank Mason North
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

the way of the cross

The Way of the Cross is not the Way of the Sword.—Scot McKnight, The Audacity of Peace, 97

<idle musing>
An appropriate ending to this little book. Monday we start another book from way back in 2016 that I'm finally getting around to reading: Margaret Sim, A Relevant Way to Read. I hope you enjoy it. Here's the publisher blurb:

In A Relevant Way to Read, Margaret G. Sim draws on her in-depth knowledge of New Testament Greek to forge a new exegesis of the Gospels and Paul's letters. Locating her studies in the linguistic concept of relevance theory, which contends that all our utterances are laden with crucial yet invisible context, Sim embarks on a journey through some of the New Testament's most troubling verses. Here she recovers lost information with a meticulous analysis that should enlighten both the experienced scholar and the novice. Whether discussing Paul's masterful use of irony to shame the Corinthians, or introducing the ground-breaking ideas behind relevance theory into a whole new field of study, the author demonstrates her vast learning and experience while putting her complex subject into plain words for the developing student.

</idle musing>

Thy kingdom come! On bended knee…

463 Irish. C. M.

1 Thy kingdom come! On bended knee
   the passing ages pray;
   and faithful souls have yearned to see
   on earth that kingdom's day.

2 But the slow watches of the night
   not less to God belong;
   and for the everlasting right
   the silent stars are strong.

3 And lo, already on the hills
   the flags of dawn appear;
   gird up your loins, ye prophet souls,
   proclaim the day is near:

4 The day in whose clear-shining light
   all wrong shall stand revealed,
   when justice shall be throned in might,
   and every hurt be healed;

5 When knowledge, hand in hand with peace,
   shall walk the earth abroad:
   the day of perfect righteousness,
   the promised day of God.
                         Frederick L. Hosmer
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

The way of the lamb

They [the early Christians] do this first in their small house church gatherings: they embody the Way of the Lamb and they resist as dissident disciples the way of the Dragon. Their habits emerge over time into a living reality, the agency of goodness in the Way of the Lamb. So emergent is this living reality of goodness that goodness itself becomes an agent constraining the believers to act in all spheres of life as those who have learned an alternative reality. That is, when they enter the agora they behave not as Romans but as Christotorm humans. They worship God, they are not driven by power and opulence and status and arrogance, they resist military victories, and they choose the ways of economic generosity and equity.

That is the peace ethic of Revelation. It is the Way of the Lamb and the challenge is to follow the Lamb while living in Babylon.—Scot McKnight, The Audacity of Peace,—Scot McKnight, The Audacity of Peace, 96–97

<idle musing>
And that's still the challenge today, isn't it? But when was the last time you heard a sermon or read a book or sang a song that pointed that out?

Just an
</idle musing>

From thee all skill and science flow

462 Gräfenburg. C. M.

1. From Thee all skill and science flow,
   All pity, care and love,
   All calm and courage, faith and hope;
   O pour them from above.

2. And part them, Lord, to each and all,
   As each and all shall need,
   To rise, like incense, each to Thee,
   In noble thought and deed.

3. And hasten, Lord, that perfect day
   When pain and death shall cease;
   And Thy just rule shall fill the earth
   With health, and light, and peace.

4. When ever blue the sky shall gleam,
   And ever green the sod;
   And man’s rude work deface no more
   The paradise of God.
                         Charles Kingsley
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
According to cyberhymnal, the original version of this hymn started with these verses:

Accept this building, gracious Lord,
No temple though it be;
We raised it for our suffering kin,
And so, good Lord, for Thee.

Accept our little gift, and give,
To all who may here dwell,
The will and power to do their work,
Or bear their sorrows well.

According to the bio at hymnary.org (see link above), the hymn was six stanzas and composed for the celebration of building a hospital.
</idle musing>

A new understanding of violence

But the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the person of Jesus reveals to us a new understanding of violence; the tables are turned. Whereas the old kingdom was established by the use of violence, the new Kingdom was established in the receipt of violence. God the Warrior becomes the Crucified God, the one who receives in himself the full force of human violence.—Peter Craigie, The Problem of War in the Old Testament, 99 (emphasis original), cited in Scot McKnight, The Audacity of Peace, 83

The voice of God is calling

454 Meirionydd. 7. .6 7. 6. D.

1 The voice of God is calling
   It summons unto men;
   as once he spake in Zion,
   so now he speaks again:
   whom shall I send to succor
   my people in their need?
   Whom shall I send to loosen
   the bonds of shame and greed?

2 I hear my people crying
   in cot and mine and slum;
   no field or mart is silent,
   no city street is dumb.
   I see my people falling
   in darkness and despair.
   Whom shall I send to shatter
   the fetters which they bear?

3 We heed, O Lord, thy summons,
   and answer: Here are we!
   Send us upon thine errand,
   let us thy servants be.
   Our strength is dust and ashes,
   our years a passing hour,
   But thou canst use our weakness
   to magnify thy power.

4 From ease and plenty save us;
   from pride of place absolve;
   purge us of low desire;
   lift us to high resolve;
   take us, and make us holy;
   teach us thy will and way.
   Speak, and behold! we answer;
   command, and we obey!
                         John Haynes Holmes
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
Not a terribly popular hymn, only occurring in 65 hymnals! But it is a good hymn in the finest social gospel way. Indeed, its author was a Unitarian, which is reflected in its general call as opposed to a specifically Jesus-centered call. Nonetheless, a solid hymn.
</idle musing>

Absorbing the violence

I have come to the conclusion that the war texts express human evil at times. My conclusion comes from the Bible’s witness to the Way of the Cross. in Christ God has come to humans in all their evil, has entered into that history and reality, has gone all the way to the bottom of that reality in the brutality and hideousness and injustice of Jesus’ crucifixion, has unmasked the evil at work in such systems of injustice, has absorbed the injustice in order to redeem its agents (all humans), has redemptively liberated humans from such injustice and evils, has been raised to the world's true Lord, and has sent the Spirit to transform humans into the Way of the Cross, or Christoformity. In Christ God ends the violence of humans by absorbing the violence in his Son for all of us.—Scot McKnight, The Audacity of Peace, 82–83

Tozer for Tuesday

If it is true that that is what happens when the Word comes in power—and the text opens the doors to the belief that the Word can come nominally and without power—then exactly the opposite would be true. Without Holy Spirit power, they would become Christians by some decision, but without much assurance, and would not be followers of the Lord, except in name. When affliction came, they would not take it very well, and they would not have very much joy; they would have to work it up—it would not stay long. And they would not be very good examples; they would be lukewarm when it came to the missionary zeal.—A.W. Tozer, Reclaiming Christianity, 92

<idle musing>
Boy, does he ever describe the state of the US church! The word came without power and the "converts" are without power...
</idle musing>

Hushed was the evening hymn (Samuel)

451 Samuel. 6. 6. 6. 6. 8. 8.

1. Hushed was the evening hymn,
   The temple courts were dark;
   The lamp was burning dim
   Before the sacred ark;
   When suddenly a voice divine
   Rang thro' the silence of the shrine.

2. The old man, meek and mild,
   The priest of Israel, slept;
   His watch the temple-child,
   The little Levite, kept;
   And what from Eli's sense was sealed
   The Lord to Hannah's son revealed.

3. O give me Samuel's ear,
   The open ear, O Lord,
   Alive and quick to hear
   Each whisper of Thy word,
   Like him to answer at Thy call,
   And to obey Thee first of all.

4. O give me Samuel's heart,
   A lowly heart, that waits
   Where in Thy house Thou art,
   Or watches at Thy gates;
   By day and night, a heart that still
   Moves at the breathing of Thy will.

5. O give me Samuel's mind,
   A sweet unmurm'ring faith,
   Obedient and resigned
   To Thee in life and death;
   That I may read with child-like eyes
   Truths that are hidden from the wise.
                         James D. Burns
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

Christoformity

Christoformity is a hermeneutic for real life decisions by real followers in real situations. Nor is it as simple as ‘What would Jesus do.’ Rather we ask, how do I embody the incarnation of God's redemptive love in this moment for this person or persons or situation as one who is in communion with Christ through the Spirit?—Scot McKnight, The Audacity of Peace, 69–70

Savior, teach me day by day

449 Innocents 7. 7. 7. 7.

1 Savior, teach me day by day
   Love's sweet lesson to obey;
   Sweeter lessons cannot be,
   Loving Him who first loved me.

2 With a childlike heart of love,
   At Thy bidding may I move:
   Prompt to serve and follow Thee,
   Loving Him who first loved me.

3 Teach me all Thy steps to trace,
   Strong to follow in Thy grace;
   Learning how to love from Thee;
   Loving Him who first loved me.

4 Thus may I rejoice to show
   That I feel the love I owe;
   Singing, till Thy face I see,
   Of His love who first loved me.
                         Lane E. Leeson
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
I don't recall ever singing this hymn, but that could be said for almost all the children's hymns in this hymnal. At least it isn't moralistic, instead encouranging a following of Jesus versus obey the authorities because God said so. It is fairly popular, occurring in a little over 450 hymnals. Hymnary.org inserts a verse after verse 3:

4 Love in loving finds employ,
   In obedience all her joy;
   Ever new that joy will be,
   Loving Him who first loved me.

All things bright and beautiful

447 Royal Oak. 7. 6. 7. 6. with Refrain.

Refrain (also sung as verse 1)
   All things bright and beautiful,
   All creatures great and small,
   All things wise and wonderful:
   The Lord God made them all.

2. Each little flower that opens,
   Each little bird that sings,
   He made their glowing colors,
   He made their tiny wings. [Refrain]

3. The purple headed mountains,
   The river running by,
   The sunset and the morning
   That brightens up the sky. [Refrain]

4. The cold wind in the winter,
   The pleasant summer sun,
   The ripe fruits in the garden,
   He made them every one. [Refrain]

5. He gave us eyes to see them,
   And lips that we might tell
   How great is God Almighty,
   Who has made all things well. [Refrain]
                         Cecil F. Alexander
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
I was very surprised to see that this hymn, made famous by the James Herriot books, is only in 330 or so hymnals. I knew it long before the books came out, so I assumed that it was far more popular. I guess not! Hymnary.org adds another verse:

The tall trees in the greenwood, The meadows where we play, The rushes by the water, To gather every day. [Refrain]

</idle musing>

Tell me the stories of Jesus

441 Stories of Jesus. 8. 4. 8. 4. 5. 4. 5. 4.

1 Tell me the stories of Jesus
   I love to hear;
   Things I would ask Him to tell me
   If He were here:
   Scenes by the wayside,
   Tales of the sea,
   Stories of Jesus,
   Tell them to me.

2 First let me hear how the children
   Stood 'round His knee,
   And I shall fancy His blessing
   Resting on me;
   Words full of kindness,
   Deeds full of grace,
   All in the love-light
   Of Jesus' face.

3 Into the city I'd follow
   The children's band,
   Waving a branch of the palm tree
   High in my hand;
   One of His heralds,
   Yes, I would sing
   Loudest hosannas,
   "Jesus is King!"
                         William H. Parker
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
We're still working through the children's hymn section. Most of them are pretty moralistic and, frankly, boring. No wonder they didn't stick in my mind. This one, however, was always a favorite of mine. I loved to hear the gospel stories read, and I loved to read them. I'd like to think that some of them stuck...

I was surprised to see that this hymn only occurs in about 150 hymnals. I had assumed it was far more popular!

According to cyberhymnal, there are two more verses (and note that they break up the lines a bit differently):

3. Tell me, in accents of wonder, how rolled the sea,
   Tossing the boat in a tempest on Galilee;
   And how the Maker, ready and kind,
   Chided the billows, and hushed the wind.

5. Show me that scene in the garden, of bitter pain.
   Show me the cross where my Savior for me was slain.
   Sad ones or bright ones, so that they be
   Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

</idle musing>

A consistent pacifistic christoform hermeneutic

Bonhoeffer operated with one of the most consistently pacifistic christoform hermeneutics in the history of the church. But it was a hermeneutic, not a rule. As a hermeneutic it had to be worked out in specific contexts and I turn now to explore a christoform hermeneutic in the face of dying for others, perhaps the most exacting explication in the history of the church on what elf-denial as participation in Christ means. Here we find utter Christoformity.

Bonhoeffer was against rule-making. Discernment — rather than law-making or undeviating principle-formation — was his method of knowing what to do in a concrete situation.—Scot McKnight, The Audacity of Peace, 66–67

I am so glad that our Father in Heaven

435 Gladness (Bliss). 10. 10. 10. 10. with Refrain

1. I am so glad that our Father in Heaven
   Tells of His love in the Book He has given;
   Wonderful things in the Bible I see,
   This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

Refrain
   I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
   Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me.
   I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
   Jesus loves even me.

2. Though I forget Him, and wander away,
   Still He doth love me wherever I stray;
   Back to His dear loving arms I do flee,
   When I remember that Jesus loves me. [Refrain]

3. Oh, if there’s only one song I can sing,
   When in His beauty I see the great King,
   This shall my song through eternity be,
   Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me! [Refrain]
                         Emily S. Oakey
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
I didn't realize it until yesterday, but this hymnal has a section entitled "Hymns for Children." When I was growing up, I don't recall singing hardly any of them. Of course, we had a separate songbook for Sunday School, but I don't recall ever being terribly fond of any of those either. I preferred the "big people" hymnal and the hymns in it, but of the hymns in this section, I recall precious few. This one is an exception, and not because it's terribly impressive theology wise, but because the Philip P. Bliss tune is catchy.

Cyberhymnal has a few more verse, none of which I had ever seen before:

4. Jesus loves me, and I know I love Him;
   Love brought Him down my poor soul to redeem;
   Yes, it was love made Him die on the tree;
   Oh, I am certain that Jesus loves me! [Refrain]

5. If one should ask of me, how can I tell?
   Glory to Jesus, I know very well!
   God’s Holy Spirit with mine doth agree,
   Constantly witnessing Jesus loves me. [Refrain]

6. In this assurance I find sweetest rest,
   Trusting in Jesus, I know I am blessed;
   Satan, dismayed, from my soul now doth flee,
   When I just tell him that Jesus loves me. [Refrain]

</idle musing>

But how?

Christoformity, however, occurs not through valiant efforts or white-knuckling discipline but through the quiet surrender of participation in Christ.—Scot McKnight, The Audacity of Peace, 62

Shepherd of tender youth (Clement of Alexandria)

429 Kirby Bedon. 6 .6 .4. 6. 6. 6. 4.

1 Shepherd of tender youth,
   guiding in love and truth
   through devious ways,
   Christ, our triumphant King,
   we come your name to sing
   and here our children bring
   to join your praise.

2 You are our holy Lord,
   Christ, the incarnate Word,
   healer of strife.
   You did yourself abase
   that from sin's deep disgrace
   you might now save our race,
   and give us life.

3 You are the great High Priest,
   you have prepared the feast
   of holy love;
   and in our mortal pain
   none calls on you in vain;
   our plea do not disdain;
   help from above.

4 O ever be our guide,
   our shepherd and our pride,
   our staff and song.
   Jesus, O Christ of God,
   by your enduring Word
   lead us where you have trod;
   make our faith strong.

5 So now and till we die
   sound we your praises high
   and joyful sing:
   infants and all the throng
   who to your Church belong,
   unite to swell the song
   to Christ, our King!
                         Clement of Alexandria
                         Tr. by Henry M. Dexter
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
According to the note below the hymn, this is the oldest extant Christian hymn!
</idle musing>