Category Archives: Hymn devotional

October 12, 2021 · 12:22 PM

Delighting in the Greatness of God

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness . . . (1 Chronicles 16:29 ESV)

In his book “Providence,” John Piper tackles the question of why it is good that God desires to receive praise from his creation, while the same desire in human beings would be considered egotistical.

He first answers the question qualitatively. He writes that God’s “. . . glory is of infinite value. It is infinitely beautiful. Therefore, God, in all his glory, will prove to be more satisfying than anything or anyone else.”[1] Then to illustrate, Piper tells how C. S. Lewis discovered that “. . . all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise . . . we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.”[2]  So, the call to “ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name” (1 Chronicles 16:29) is a call to enjoy the perfections of God and to freely express that enjoyment.

Walter Chalmers Smith has given us a beautiful means of expressing our enjoyment and praise of God with his hymn Immortal, Invisible. This hymn guides us to particularly praise God for four attributes which belong to God alone – or as the theologians describe them, God’s incommunicable attributes. First is God’s attribute of being eternal.

Immortal, invisible, God only wise;
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes;
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days;
Almighty, victorious – Thy great name we praise.

“God has no beginning or end and is in no way bound by time, although he sees events and acts in his world in time . . . Those who trust the God of eternity can know peace, rest, and comfort in the busyness of life and despite impending death, for God keeps them in safety and joy forever.”[3]  Therefore, the psalmist writes:

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalm 90:2 ESV)

The second stanza of Smith’s hymn speaks of God as being independent.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light;
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might.
Thy justice, like mountains high soaring above;
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

“God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything, yet we and the rest of creation can glorify him and bring him joy. God never experiences need, so serving God should never be motivated by the thought that he needs us. He is the provider in everything.”[4] As the apostle Paul noted when addressing the people of Athens:

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. (Acts 17:24-25 ESV)

Paul’s words lead us to the third stanza of the hymn, which gives praise to God as the unchangeable giver of life to all.

To all, life Thou givest – to both great and small.
In all life, Thou livest – the true Life of all.
Thy wisdom so boundless, Thy mercy so free;
Eternal Thy goodness, for naught changeth Thee.

God is immutable. “He is unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises . . . God can always be trusted because he always keeps his word and is never capricious or moody.”[5]  He says through the prophet Malachi:

For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6 ESV)

And this eternal, independent, and immutable God is omnipresent. He is everywhere at once, receiving the adoration of angelic beings and the praise of his people on earth, which is celebrated in the hymn’s final stanza.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight.
All praise we would render – O help us to see
‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee.

“God is present everywhere with his whole being. God can be sought anywhere regardless of place. Believers should never feel lonely, and the wicked should never feel safe.”[6] As God says through Jeremiah:

Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him, declares the LORD? Do I not fill heaven and earth? (Jeremiah 23:23-24 ESV)

Immortal. Invisible. Eternal. Independent. Immutable. Omnipresent. Just. Good. Loving. The Essence and Giver of life. The list could go on and on. Hymns like this one from Walter Chalmers Smith, and the words that fill holy Scripture, keep us mindful of how God’s glory is of infinite value and beauty. May our enjoyment of the beauties of God lead us to daily – moment by moment – “ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.”

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To subscribe and receive A SONG TO THE LORD in your email, just follow this link: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community. A SONG TO THE LORD is just one of several audio resources that are available free at the website of The Fellowship of Ailbe – www.ailbe.org. There you will find many printed, audio, and video resources for individual and group study available free of charge.

T. M. Moore, the Principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, and Rusty Rabon host THE AILBE PODCAST which you can find on The Fellowship of Ailbe website here.

Rusty Rabon also hosts a Zoom book reading program called READING GREAT BOOKS five nights each week (Thursdays through Mondays). The Zoom link and current book information are available here on The Fellowship of Ailbe website. And if you are interested in other devotional writings by Rusty Rabon, click here  You can follow Rusty Rabon at www.rustyrabon.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rusty.raabon.9/, and on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/RustyRabon.

Join the Ailbe Community!

As a member of The Fellowship of Ailbe Community you join a movement of men working for revival, renewal, and awakening, built upon prayer, sharing, and mutual edification. The Ailbe Community is devoted to practicing the Kingship of Jesus in every area of our lives. Go to ailbe.org to learn more.

[1] Piper, John. Providence. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Publishers, 2020, p. 53.
[2] Piper, Ibid., p. 54.
[3] ESV Study Bible
[4] ESV Study Bible
[5] ESV Study Bible
[6] ESV Study Bible

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September 21, 2021 · 6:52 PM

Food for Life

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4 NKJV)

In chapter 6 of the Gospel of John we find the account of Jesus feeding over five thousand people.  John records how this miracle impacted the twelve: “Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world’” (John 6:14 NKJV).  John says that Jesus then went away by himself because the people wanted to “. . . come and take Him by force to make Him king” (John 6:15 NKJV).  John then adds an application to this event later in chapter 6.  Sometime later that evening, Jesus and the apostles went across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum.  The next morning, people who had been in the crowd got into boats to find Jesus.  When they found Him, He gave this critique of their motives: “You seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you . . .” (John 6:26-27 NKJV).  Jesus was saying that the people were guilty of seeking the “blessing” more than the “Blesser.”  They wanted to find Jesus not because the miracle had opened their eyes to who He was, but because they were pleased with the benefit that being with Him brought to them.

We are often guilty of the same thing.  Our prayers are often filled with lists of things we desire rather than with words of praise for our Sovereign King or words of conversation with our Faithful Friend.  Instead of allowing the Bible to be the “Gospel food” that whets our appetite for more time in God’s presence, we are satisfied to find an answer to a question or a boost for our emotions.  As John quoted Jesus, we are looking just to be filled but not seeking the One who alone can fully fill forever.

This is the point that Mary Lathbury made in her Gospel hymn, Break Thou the Bread of Life.

Break Thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me, as Thou didst break the loaves beside the sea.
Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord; my spirit pants for Thee, O Living Word.

Jesus, the Living Word – the Bread of Life – makes Himself known to us and feeds our souls through the written word – the Bible.  But knowing Bible facts or truths alone is not what we need.  I heard someone pray recently that the Lord would deliver us from “dead orthodoxy – being right in the head but wrong in the heart.”  We can have a lot of Bible knowledge without that knowledge leading us to the Source.  The written word was given so that we might know and love the Living Word.

Break Thou the bread of life, O Lord, to me, that hid within my heart Thy Word may be.
Mold Thou each inward thought, from self set free, and let my steps be all controlled by Thee.

This is the point that is made in Psalm 119: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11 NKJV).  The purpose of the written word is that we hear from the Spirit of the Living Word and open ourselves up to being changed from the inside out.

Open Thy Word of Truth that I may see Thy message written clear and plain for me.
Then in sweet fellowship, walking with Thee, Thine image on my life engraved will be.

This is also the point that the apostle Paul made when writing to the Corinthians.  God is not interested in us just knowing about Him, but in our transformation as we spend time with Him. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV).

O send Thy Spirit, Lord, now unto me, that He may touch my eyes and make me see.
Show me the truth concealed within Thy Word; and in Thy Book revealed I see the Lord.

May the Spirit of God do such a work in us that we will “. . . pant for Thee, O Living Word;” that all our steps will be “. . . controlled by Thee;” that His “image on [our lives] engraved will be;” and that in Him we will truly find our “. . . peace, [our] all in all.”

Bless Thou the truth, dear Lord, to me, to me, as Thou didst bless the bread by Galilee.
Then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall, and I shall find my peace, my All in All.

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To subscribe and receive A SONG TO THE LORD in your email, just follow this link: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community. A SONG TO THE LORD is just one of several audio resources that are available free at the website of The Fellowship of Ailbe – www.ailbe.org.  There you will find many printed, audio, and video resources for individual and group study available free of charge.

T. M. Moore, the Principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, and Rusty Rabon host THE AILBE PODCAST which you can find on The Fellowship of Ailbe website here.

Rusty Rabon also hosts a Zoom book reading program called READING GREAT BOOKS five nights each week (Thursdays through Mondays).  The Zoom link and current book information are available here on The Fellowship of Ailbe website.  And if you are interested in other devotional writings by Rusty Rabon, click here  You can follow Rusty Rabon at www.rustyrabon.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rusty.raabon.9/, and on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/RustyRabon.

Join the Ailbe Community!
As a member of The Fellowship of Ailbe Community you join a movement of men working for revival, renewal, and awakening, built upon prayer, sharing, and mutual edification. The Ailbe Community is devoted to practicing the Kingship of Jesus in every area of our lives. Go to ailbe.org to learn more.

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September 17, 2021 · 9:19 AM

All His Good Promise

There has not failed one word of all His good promise . . . (1 Kings 8:56 NKJV)

I was blessed with two grandmothers who were women of prayer and the Word.  My maternal grandmother taught a Bible class in her church right up to her death in 1970, and her class is still identified with her name in that church over 50 years later. 

My paternal grandmother was always admonishing her family, “Don’t forget the read (the Bible) and pray!”  She particularly emphasized “claiming the promises” found in Scripture.  On my desk I keep a little book titled “Personal Promises from God’s Word” that belonged to her. The pages of this book are filled with Bible promises concerning many different emotions and life situations.  There are promises to claim when you feel afraid, discouraged, hopeless, lonely, or angry.  There are promises listed for when you need comfort, forgiveness, patience, or peace. The cover is tattered.  Within the book are handwritten notes and many Scripture verses are highlighted and underlined.  Before passing it on to me, my grandmother kept this little book of Bible promises with her at all times, referring to it frequently. Daily.

God is a promise-making, promise-keeping God.  In 1 Kings 8, King Solomon affirmed this attribute of God in his prayer dedicating the Temple he had built for the worship of God in Jerusalem.  The fact that Solomon had been able to build the Temple was evidence that God kept His promise to King David (8:24).  It was also evidence of God keeping His promise to Moses that the Ark of the Covenant – and the nation of Israel – now had a permanent home in the land.  In fact, Solomon declares, “There has not failed one word of all His good promise” (8:56).  God was faithful to the promises He made to the people of Israel, just as He is faithful to the promises He has made in His Word to us.

This is a truth that Kelso Carter wrote about in a Gospel hymn that he set to a robust, enthusiastic tune for singing.

Standing on the promises of Christ my King!
Through eternal ages let His praises ring.
“Glory in the highest!” I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

“Standing on the Promises” can be a motto for Christian living.  When the apostle Paul writes that “. . . the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God . . .” (Galatians 2:20 NKJV), he is saying that his daily living is grounded in his confidence in the faithfulness of God to His promises, the ultimate example of which is seen in death of Christ on the cross in fulfillment of many Old Testament promises and prophesies.

Therefore, when trouble comes, we can confidently stand on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail!
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God, I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

When the Enemy of your soul wages war against you with strong temptations, you can put your faith in the promises of God.

Standing on the promises, I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me.
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

When doubts or fears fill your thoughts, you can stand securely on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises of Christ, the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s Sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

As you live in the assurance that God is faithful to all His promises, you can patiently and confidently wait for the leading of the Spirit as you discern His will for you.

Standing on the promises, I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my All in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

The promises of God are one piece of the armor God gives us to wage spiritual warfare in this life – the sword of the Spirit – the Word of God.  So, we take up this armor to “. . . be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13 NKJV).  So, stand.  Stand on the promises of God – this moment, this day, and every day.

Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior
Standing, standing, I’m standing on the promises of God.

Enjoy this beautiful performance of Standing on the Promises by the One Voice Choir from Ghana, West Africa.

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September 7, 2021 · 6:55 PM

A Melody in My Heart

“. . . speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:19 NKJV)

I have been reading about the suffering and persecution of Christians in the Middle East in a 2016 book titled THEY SAY WE ARE INFIDELS by Mindy Belz.[1]  Despite their persecution and suffering, Belz wrote that the Christians she met in war-torn Iraq still used music in their worship.  She shared one experience.

On a rainy evening I visited one of the Pentecostal charismatic congregations that had sprung up in out-of-the-way residential areas of Baghdad.   With the lights out and rain beating down on streets already covered with standing sewer water, a group of 120 had gathered to worship in a large, rented house, led by a thirty-year-old single pastor from Eritrea named Joseph.  They were singing Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” when I arrived.[2]

While under great pressure and with their lives at risk, Christians in Baghdad could still be found lifting their voices in songs of praise to God.  Elton Roth captured this spirit in a short Gospel hymn titled, “In My Heart There Rings a Melody.” The only explanation for the determination and ability of Christians to sing while suffering is the “song” that Jesus gives.

I have a song that Jesus gave me; it was sent from heaven above.
There never was a sweeter melody; ‘tis a melody of love.
In my heart there rings a melody; there rings a melody with heaven’s harmony.
In my heart there rings a melody; there rings a melody of love.

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible affirms the use of music in the worship of the True and Living God – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – the God who became one of us in the person of Jesus Christ.  An entire book of Scripture – the Psalms – is filled with songs written by King David, Asaph, the Sons of Korah, and others to be used in worship and prayer to God.  Psalm 40 is an example, written “to the choirmaster – a psalm of David,” in which he proclaims, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God” (Psalm 40:3 ESV).

In the New Testament, as the apostle Paul gives instructions for daily Christian living, he writes that one outworking of the filling of the Holy Spirit is “. . . speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord . . .” (Ephesians 5:19 NKJV).  Paul and Silas were living examples of this as they “. . . were praying and singing hymns to God . . .” (Acts 16:25 NKJV) while in jail in Philippi.

I love the Christ who died on Calvary, for He washed my sins away.
He put within my heart a melody, and I know it’s there to stay.
In my heart there rings a melody; there rings a melody with heaven’s harmony.
In my heart there rings a melody; there rings a melody of love.

And the glimpse into eternity that we get in the book of Revelation (Revelation 5:9-10 as one example) lets us know that singing the praises of God will be our joyous experience forever in the Kingdom of God.

Twill be my endless theme in glory; with the angels I will sing.
Twill be a song with glorious harmony when the courts of heaven ring.
In my heart there rings a melody; there rings a melody with heaven’s harmony.
In my heart there rings a melody; there rings a melody of love.

So why postpone the joy of heaven?  Let the peace and joy and hope you have in Christ fill your mind and heart with songs of praise, and let those songs make their way to your lips and voice.

Sing along with this audio accompaniment of “In My Heart There Rings a Melody.”

[1] Belz, Mindy.  THEY SAY WE ARE INFIDELS: On the Run from ISIS with Persecuted Christians in the Middle East.  Carol Stream, IL:  Tyndale House Publishers, 2016.

[2] Belz, p. 71.

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August 30, 2021 · 11:27 AM

Our Highest Goal

“. . . that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:10 NKJV)

It is always good to get started “on the right foot.”  Whether it is a project, a job, or a relationship, it is good when things begin well.  The prospects for a successful venture seem good when they get started in the right way.  But it is also important to finish well.  No matter the way something begins in our lives, the goal is that when we reach the end, we can know that it was “well done.”

King Solomon started well.  We read in 1 Kings 3 that as Solomon began his reign as king of Israel, succeeding his father David, Solomon “. . . loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David . . . Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings . . .” (3:3-4 NKJV).  When God asked him what he desired from the Lord, he did not ask for things that would make him look good in the eyes of the kings of the surrounding nations (like wealth and riches), but rather he asked God for “. . . an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9 NKJV).  A good beginning to his reign as king.  Had he lived and reigned during the New Testament era, he might have prayed in words like those written by Thomas Chisholm in his Gospel hymn, I Want to Be Like Jesus.

I have one deep, supreme desire – that I may be like Jesus.
To this I fervently aspire – that I may be like Jesus.
I want my heart His throne to be, so that a watching world may see
His likeness shining forth in me.  I want to be like Jesus.

We don’t know a lot about Jesus’ earthly life except for the approximately thirty-six months of his ministry.  The Scriptures record just thirty-six months – a short three years – during which Jesus declared by word and example that “the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe the Gospel” (Mark 1:15 NKJV).

He spent His life in doing good; I want to be like Jesus.
In lowly paths of service trod; I want to be like Jesus.
He sympathized with hearts distress, He spoke the words that cheered and blessed,
He welcomed sinners to His breast.  I want to be like Jesus.

“He spent His life in doing good.”  That sounds like something I would like written on my tombstone.  Think of all that Jesus did in those three years of ministry.  He healed the sick.  He raised the dead.  As Thomas Chisholm wrote, “He sympathized with hearts distressed; He spoke the words that cheered and blessed.”  But most of all, “He welcomed sinners to His breast.”  Jesus came to “. . . seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10 NKJV).  He lived to do the will of his heavenly Father, which ultimately led Him to the cross.

A holy, harmless life He led; I want to be like Jesus.
The Father’s will – His drink and bread; I want to be like Jesus.
And when at last He comes to die, “Forgive them, Father,” was His cry
For those who taunt and crucify.  I want to be like Jesus.

What are your goals in life?  What do you want your “life message” to be?  Have you gotten off to a good start, or is your life a story of brokenness and strife?  Of sin and failure?  No matter how you have begun, you can finish well.  Solomon started strong, but over the course of his life he drifted from his love for the Lord and finished his life a broken and compromised man.  You and I do not have to finish that way. As you day by day – moment by moment – yield the control of your life to the Lord, His Spirit will fill you and empower you “. . . that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:10 NKJV)

O perfect life of Christ, my Lord!  I want to be like Jesus.
My recompense and my reward – that I may be like Jesus.
His Spirit fill my hungering soul, His power all my life control.
My deepest prayer, my highest goal – that I may be like Jesus.

Enjoy an arrangement of this hymn by David and Steven Au at this link:

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To subscribe and receive A SONG TO THE LORD in your email, just follow this link: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community   And if you are interested in other devotional writings by Rusty Rabon, click here. T. M. Moore and Rusty Rabon host THE AILBE PODCAST which you can find on The Fellowship of Ailbe website here. Rusty also hosts a Zoom book reading program called READING GREAT BOOKS five nights each week (Thursdays through Mondays).  The Zoom link and current book information are available here on The Fellowship of Ailbe website.

You can follow Rusty at his website – www.rustyrabon.com – and you can contact him at rustyrabon@gmail.com

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August 24, 2021 · 4:10 PM

Our Help for Every Need

The 17th century English poet and pastor George Herbert held the office of the pastor (or “country parson” as he called it) in high regard and held the person filling that office to a high standard of living.

“Because the two highest points of life, wherein a Christian is most seen, are patience and mortification, patience in regard of afflictions, mortification in regard of lusts and affections and the stupefying and deadening of all clamorous powers of the soul, therefore he hath thoroughly studied these that he may be an absolute master and commander of himself for all the purposes which God hath ordained him.”[1]

Patient in affliction and putting to death the lusts and temptations that are within the human heart, to be “an absolute master and commander of himself.”  A high standard to be sure, but no higher than the apostle Paul set for every follower of Christ in Romans 12:9-12:

Abhor what is evil.  Cling to what is good.  Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer . . .” (NKJV)

In other words, Paul says that a Christian should live like . . . a Christian.  But regardless of whether we are parson or parishioner, reading statements like Herbert’s or Scriptures like those in Romans cause us to realize how far short of the standard we fall.  We struggle with patience.  Too often, the “lusts and affections and . . . clamorous powers” within show themselves in our words and actions.  Too often people see our lack of love and striving for preference, and in trying to cling to what is good, we often find that we do not “abhor what is evil” as we should.  As followers of Christ, we take this seriously and grieve over how we fail our Lord.  But at such times we can be encouraged because we can turn to Jesus, bring to him all our sin and failure, and rest in His love and provision for us.  Horatius Bonar’s hymn “I Lay My Sins on Jesus” helps us celebrate and praise God for this.

I lay my sins on Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God.
He bears them all and frees us from the accursed load.
I bring my guilt to Jesus, to wash my crimson stains
White in His blood most precious, till not a spot remains

The promise of forgiveness of sin and cleansing from sin is a precious truth in Scripture.  But so is the fact that we can cast “. . . all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 NKJV).

I lay my wants on Jesus; all fullness dwells in Him.
He heals all my diseases, He doth my soul redeem.
I lay my griefs on Jesus, my burdens, and my cares.
He from them all releases, He all my sorrows shares.

We can know inner rest and peace as we receive, from Jesus, freedom from the “accursed load” of our sin, cleansing from the filth of our guilt, provision of our needs, and comfort and help in our times of sorrow or struggle.

I rest my soul on Jesus, this weary soul of mine.
His right hand me embraces, I on His breast recline.
I love the name of Jesus – Immanuel, Christ the Lord.
Like fragrance on the breezes His name abroad I poured.

A sign that we are making progress in the spiritual life is when our inmost desires begin to align with the desires of the Holy Spirit – when we begin to sense a genuine desire to be more like Jesus.

I long to be like Jesus – meek, loving, lowly, mild.
I long to be like Jesus, the Father’s holy Child.
I long to be with Jesus amid the heavenly throng,
To sing with saints His praises, to learn the angel’s song.

Meek.  Lowly.  Loving.  Mild.  Living like Jesus in the power of the Spirit.  May this be a continuous and growing desire and experience in our lives.

Click on the following link to hear the hymn performed.

[1] George Herbert, A PRIEST TO THE TEMPLE, chapter 3 “The Parson’s Life.”

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August 11, 2021 · 3:49 PM

A LOVE THAT HOLDS ON TIGHT

“O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go”[1]

Circumstances can affect our outlook on life.  Pastor Ray Ortlund experienced this, sharing in a blog post that

“. . . some years ago, I was compelled to dig back down to the very foundations and ask, ‘Have I been wrong, thinking God loves me?  Isn’t it possible that God hates my guts? After all, look at the facts.  Look at this bombed-out, smoking rubble called my ministry.  Has God rejected me?’”[2] 

It is in the dark and difficult experiences of life that we most need to be reminded of the great love that God has for us, of the direction he gives us in times of uncertainty, and of the joy he provides in our times of great pain.  George Matheson found God to be the one who both is and gives love and light and joy in the dark places of life, and he shared that discovery in his hymn, “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.”

O Love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee.
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be.

In our dark times we think we are abandoned, but God is never far from us.  God spoke through Isaiah the prophet to say: “. . . I will not forget you.  See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands . . .” (Isaiah 49:15-16 NRSV).  Too often we think we must hold on to God, when the truth is that He holds on to us.  It was Paul’s prayer that the Ephesian believers would understand “. . . what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ . . .” (Ephesians 3:18-19 NRSV).  God, in his love “. . . wilt not let me go.”

O Light that followest all my way, I yield my flickering torch to thee.
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day may brighter, fairer be.

The children’s Sunday School song proclaims that “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.”  But in our dark times our minds become confused, and we often do not know the next step to take.  Our light of daily guidance seems to “flicker.”  We only see our problems and uncertainties.  We are like King Jehoshaphat of Judah who, when facing an invading army, cried out to God, “. . . we are powerless . . . we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12 NRSV).  Our task is to hold on in these times – to keep our faith focused on the Lord – and know that He will restore our brokenness, and the brightness and joy of life will be brighter and fairer as the Lord’s light guides us in our difficult experiences.

O Joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee.
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain that morn shall tearless be.

Feeling abandoned and losing our way in dark times is a painful experience, but I love how Matheson describes God’s work in us and for us during these times.  He is our “Joy” who seeks us amid our pain, and his pursuit is irresistible. God helps us to “trace the rainbow through the rain” – what a beautiful phrase!  The Lord works to help us see that “. . . all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 NRSV).  “Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5 NRSV).  Praise His name!

O cross that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to fly from thee.

I lay in dust life’s glory dead,

And from the ground there blossoms red – life that shall endless be.

In our dark times we must remember the One who faced the deepest of darkness – the One who sweat drops of blood as He agonized in the garden prior to crucifixion – the One who cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 NRSV).  Our Lord Jesus Christ endured the abandonment, darkness, and pain of the cross to provide “. . . life that shall endless be.”  It is in remembering what Jesus endured on the cross that can reassure us that He understands our circumstances. 

As well, it is in remembering what Jesus accomplished by his death on the cross and his resurrection that can reassure us that He will be for us – and give to us – the love and light and joy that we need.  And because we can rest in the love and light and joy that Christ gives to us – and is for us – then we can also share in the sufferings that comes in this life – the crosses we must bear.  Jesus has gone to the cross for us, and as his followers, we have the privilege of “. . . sharing his sufferings by becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10 NRSV).

Enjoy this rendition of the hymn by Kristyn Getty and Dana Masters, released in June 2021.

[1] George Matheson, TRINITY HYMNAL, #708

[2] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/ray-ortlund/its-been-a-journey/

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Filed under God's love, Hope, Hymn devotional