Give thanks!
An imperative from one who who knows in her heart
that God is Good
all the time.
He never changes.
His love endures past seasons of joy and despair
and draws me to Himself
no matter have far
I’ve wandered.
That’s grace!
Unmerited.
Undeserved.
Love even though.
Because of Jesus
who wandered our earth
far from His Father’s throne
to live and die and rise again for me.
Imperative.
Give thanks to the One who alone has the power to save,
restore,
renew.
Give thanks!
Photo by Chris Meirose
“In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
“Flee like a bird to your mountain,
for behold, the wicked bend the bow;
they have fitted their arrow
to the string to shoot in the dark
at the upright in heart;
if the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?
The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord’s throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids test,
the children of man.
Let him rain coals on the wicked;
fire and sulfur and a scorching wind
shall be the portion of their cup.
For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face.”
Psalm 11
Troubled world, troubled people
striking out blindly but boldly in the name of their cause.
Whether race, economics, politics, or creed
all are in vain for none of them can save.
Only One can save, give peace;
the One who gave His life as a ‘ransom for many’
for you, for me.
Turn away from strife, pride, ego, self-seeking
Turn to Him–Jesus Christ–who makes us new creations
through faith–
New creations capable of loving and forgiving and reconciling
peoples of all races, economics, politics and creed.
In the name of Jesus
Believe.
Lord God Heavenly Father, when we were dead in our sins You came to us and gave us life in Your Name. Through the Water and the Word you placed your name–Father, Son and Holy Spirit upon us. We are Yours. Open our mouths that we might declare your praise in this world where many other voices can be heard. May Your sweet Gospel ring true above the din. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
O keep me watchful, then, and humble;
Permit me nevermore to stray.
Uphold me when my feet would stumble,
And keep me on the narrow way.
Fill all my nature with Thy light,
O radiance strong and bright!
~Johann Scheffler, 1624-77
Hope of the world, Thou Christ of great compassion; speak to our fearful hearts by conflict rent. Save us, Thy people, from consuming passion, Who by our own false hope and aims are spent.
Hope of the world, God’s gift from highest heaven, bringing to hungry souls the bread of life, still let thy Spirit unto us be given to heal earth’s wounds and end our bitter strife.
Hope of the world, afoot on dusty highways, showing to wand’ring souls the path of light, walk Thou beside us lest the tempting byways lure us away from Thee to endless night.
Hope of the world, who by thy cross didst save us from death and dark despair, from sin and guilt, we render back the love thy mercy gave us; take thou our lives and use them as thou wilt.
Hope of the world, O Christ, o’er death victorious, who by this sign didst conquer grief and pain, we would be faithful to thy Gospel glorious. Thou art our Lord! Thou dost forever reign
~ Hymn by Georia Harkness, 1891-1974
Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us Hope through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. In His name we pray, Amen.
Awake O sleeper, rise from death, and Christ shall give you light; So learn His love, its length and breadth, its fullness, depth and height.
To us on earth He came to bring from sin and fear release, to give the Spirit’s unity, the very bond of peace.
Then walk in love as Christ has loved, Who died that He might save; with kind and gentle hearts forgive as God in Christ forgave.
For us Christ lived, for us He died, and conquered in the strife; awake, arise, go forth in faith, and Christ shall give you life. ~ hymn by F. B. Tucker
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-16
Lord God, as we anticipate celebrating Independence Day in America may we remember the greater freedom won for us through Jesus Christ on the Cross. We are both citizens of heaven and earth so we thank you for the gift of freedoms allowed to us under the Constitution. Bless all the lawmakers and lawkeepers of this land that we might live in peace. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
There is a time for everything, a time for all that life may bring: A time to plant, and time to reap, a time to laugh and time to weep, a time to heal, a time to slay, a time to build where rubble lay, a time to die, a time to mourn, a time for joy and to be born.
A time to hold, then be alone, a time to gather scattered stone, a time to break, a time to mend, a time to search and then to end, a time to keep, then throw away, a time to speak, then nothing say, a time for war till hatreds cease, a time for love, a time for peace.
Eternal Lord, Your wisdom sees and fathoms all life’s tragedies; You know our grief, You hear our sighs–In mercy, dry our tear-stained eyes. From evil times, You bring great good; Beneath the cross, we’ve safely stood. Though dimly now life’s path we trace, one day we shall see face to face.
Before all time had yet begun, You, Father, planned to give Your Son; Lord Jesus Christ, with timeless grace, You have redeemed our time-bound race; O Holy Spirit, Paraclete, Your timely work in us complete; Blest Trinity, Your praise we sing–There is a time for everything! ~Stephen P. Starke
O Lord, whatever this day may bring, we confidently know that it is in Your time. Help us to use the time you’ve given us wisely for Jesus’ sake, we pray, Amen.
I am content! My Jesus ever lives, in whom my heart is pleased. He has fulfilled the Law of God for me, God’s wrath He has appeased. Since He in death could perish never, I also shall not die forever. I am content! I am content!
I am content! My Jesus is my head; His member I shall be. He bowed His head when on the cross He died with cries of agony. Now death is brought into subjection for me by Jesus’ resurrection. I am content! I am content!
I am content! My Jesus is my light, my radiant sun of grace. His cheering rays beam blessings forth for all, sweet comfort, hope and peace. This Easter sun has brought salvation and everlasting exultation. I am content! I am content!
I am content! At length I shall be free, awakened from the dead, arising glorious evermore to be with You, my living head. The chains that hold my body, sever; Then shall my soul rejoice forever. I am content! I am content!
Hymn text by Johann J. Moller, 1600-1733
“And He [Jesus] said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Luke 24:46-47
Jesus I will ponder now on Your holy passion; with Your Spirit me endow for such meditation. Grant that I in love and faith may the image cherish of Your suff’ring, pain and death that I may not perish.
Make me see Your great distress, anguish and affliction, bonds and stripes and wretchedness and Your crucifixion; Make me see how scourge and rod, spear and nails did wound You, how for them You died, O God, who with thorns had crowned You.
Yet, O Lord, not thus alone make me see Your passion, but its cause to me make known and its termination. Ah! I also and my sin wrought Your deep affliction; this indeed the cause has been of Your crucifixion.
Grant that I Your passion view with repentant grieving. Let me not bring shame to You by unholy living. How could I refuse to shun every sinful pleasure since for me God’s only Son suffered without measure?
If my sins give me alarm and my conscience grieve me, let Your cross my fear disarm; peace of conscience give me. Help me see forgiveness won by Your holy passion. If for me He slays His Son, God must have compassion!
Graciously my faith renew; Help me bear my crosses, learning humbleness from You, peace mid pain and losses. May I give You love for love! Hear me, O my Savior, that I may in heav’n above sing Your praise forever.
Hymn text by Sigismund von Birken, 1626-1681
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32
Photo by suzie gallagher
Alas! And did my Savior bleed, and did my sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?
Was it for crimes that I had done He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity, grace unknown, and love beyond degree!
Well might the sun in darkness hide and shut his glories in when God, the mighty maker, died for His own creatures’ sin.
Thus might I hide my blushing face while His dear cross appears, dissolve my heart in thankfulness, and melt mine eyes to tears.
But drops of grief can ne’er repay the debt of love I owe; here, Lord, I give myself away: ‘Tis all that I can do.
Hymn Text by Isaac Watts, 1674-1748
“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” Colossians 1:19-20
Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain, sinners, ruined by the fall; Here a pure and healing fountain flows for you, for me, for all, in a full, perpetual tide, opened when our Savior died.
Come in poverty and meanness, come defiled, without, within; from infection and uncleanness, from the leprosy of sin, wash your robes and make them white; you shall walk with God in light.
Come in sorrow and contrition, wounded, impotent, and blind; here the guilty, free remission, here the troubled, peace may find. Health this fountain will restore; they that drink shall thirst no more.
They that drink shall live forever; ’tis a soul renewing flood. God is faithful; God will never break His covenant of blood, signed when our Redeemer died, sealed when He was glorified.
Hymn text by James Montgomery, 1771-1854
“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'” John 7:37-38
Photo by Ben Cross
My song is love unknown, my Savior’s love to me, love to the loveless shows that they might lovely be. Oh, who am I that for my sake my Lord should take frail flesh and die?
He came from His blest throne salvation to bestow; but men made strange and none the longed-for Christ would know. But, oh, my friend, my friend indeed, who at my need His life did spend!
Sometimes they strew His way and His sweet praises sing; resounding all the day Hosannas to their King. Then “Crucify!” is all their breath, and for His death they thirst and cry.
Why, what hath my Lord done? What makes this rage and spite? He made the lame to run, He gave the blind their sight. Sweet injuries! Yet they at these themselves displease and ‘gainst Him rise.
They rise and needs will have my dear Lord made a way; A murderer they save, the Prince of Life they slay. Yet cheerful He to suff’ring goes that He His foes from thence might free.
In life no house, no home my Lord on earth might have; In death no friendly tomb but what a stranger gave. What may I say? Heav’n was His home but mine the tomb wherein He lay.
Here might I stay and sing, no story so divine! Never was love, dear King, never was grief like Thine. This is my friend, in whose sweet praise I all my days could gladly spend!
Hymn text by Samuel Crossman, 1624-83
“but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
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