Wake, awake

Wake, awake, for night is flying;
The watchmen on the heights are crying:
Awake, Jerusalem, at last!
Midnight hears the welcome voices
And at the thrilling cry rejoices;
Come forth, ye virgins, night is past;
The Bridegroom comes, awake;
Your lamps with gladness take;
Alleluia! And for His marriage feast prepare
For ye must go and meet Him there.

Zion hears the watchmen singing,
And all her heart with joy is springing;
She wakes, she rises from her gloom;
For her Lord comes down all glorious,
The strong in grace, in truth victorious.
Her Star is risen, her Light is come.
Ah come, Thou blessèd One, God’s own belovèd Son:
Alleluia! We follow till the halls we see
Where Thou hast bid us sup with Thee.

Now let all the heavens adore Thee,
And saints and angels sing before Thee,
With harp and cymbal’s clearest tone;
Of one pearl each shining portal,
Where we are with the choir immortal
Of angels round Thy dazzling throne;
Nor eye hath seen, nor ear hath yet attained to hear
What there is ours, but we rejoice and sing to Thee
Our hymn of joy eternally.

Not I, but Christ

Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted;
Not I, but Christ, be seen be known, be heard;
Not I, but Christ, in every look and action,
Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.

O to be saved from myself, dear Lord,
O to be lost in Thee,
O that it might be no more I,
But Christ, that lives in me.

Not I, but Christ, to gently soothe in sorrow,
Not I, but Christ, to wipe the falling tear;
Not I, but Christ, to lift the weary burden,
Not I, but Christ, to hush away all fear.

O to be saved from myself, dear Lord,
O to be lost in Thee,
O that it might be no more I,
But Christ, that lives in me.

Not I, but Christ, my every need supplying,
Not I, but Christ, my strength and health to be;
Christ, only Christ, for body, soul, and spirit,
Christ, only Christ, my all in all to be.

O to be saved from myself, dear Lord,
O to be lost in Thee,
O that it might be no more I,
But Christ, that lives in me.

Christ, only Christ! no idle words e’er falling,
Christ, only Christ; no needless bustling sound;
Christ, only Christ; no self important bearing;
Christ, only Christ; no trace of I be found.

O to be saved from myself, dear Lord,
O to be lost in Thee,
O that it might be no more I,
But Christ, that lives in me.

Christ, only Christ, ere long will fill my vision;
Glory excelling soon, full soon I’ll see—
Christ, only Christ, my every wish fulfilling—
Christ, only Christ, my all in all to be.

O to be saved from myself, dear Lord,
O to be lost in Thee,
O that it might be no more I,
But Christ, that lives in me.

Rest in the Lord

From Mendelssohn's Elijah.

O rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him,
And He shall give thee thy heart's desires,
And He shall give thee thy heart's desires.
Commit thy way unto Him, and trust in Him,
Commit thy way unto Him, and trust in Him,
And fret not thyself because of evildoers.
O rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him.
And He shall give thee thy heart's desires,
And He shall give thee thy heart's desires.
O rest in the Lord, O rest in the Lord,
And wait, wait patiently for Him.

Love unto the end

John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

John 14:8 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 15:9-17

9  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

11  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

17  These things I command you, that ye love one another.

John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

John 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 17:20-26

20  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

24  Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

25  O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

26  And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Our Lord's love is truly amazing.

 

How much I owe

When this passing world is done,

When has sunk yon glaring sun,

When we stand with Christ in glory,

Looking o'er life's finished story,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know -

Not 'til then - how much I owe.

When I hear the wicked call

On the rocks and hills to fall,

When I see them start and shrink

On the fiery deluge brink,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know -

Not 'til then - how much I owe.

When I stand before the throne

Dressed in beauty not my own,

"When I see Thee as Thou art,"

Love Thee with unsinning heart,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know -

Not 'til then - how much I owe.

Even on earth, as through a glass,

Darkly, let Thy glory poss,

Make forgiveness feel so sweet,

Make Thy Spirit's help so meet,

Even on earth, Lord, make me know

Something of how much I ose.

Chosen not for good in me,

Wakened up from wrath to flee,

Hidden in the Savior's side

By the Spirit sanctified,

Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,

By my love, how much I ose.

Oft I walk beneath the cloud,

Dark as midnight's gloomy shroud;

But, when fear is at the height,

Jesus comes, and all is light:

Blessed Jesus! bid me show

Doubting saints how much I owe.

When in flowery paths I tread,

Of by sin I'm captive led;

Oft I fall, but still arise,

The Spirit comes - the tempter flies:

Blessed Spirit! bid me show

Weary sinners all I owe.

Oft the nights of sorrow reign -

Weeping, sickness, sighingm pain,

But a night the anger burns -

Morning comes, and joy returns:

God of comforts! bid me show

To Thy poor, how much I owe.

How great is our God

I've been reading through Job in the past few days, and it is so full of descriptions of the might and power of our God.  When you look at His creation, how can you help but praise Him?

Job 36:22-33

22  Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?

23  Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

24  Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.

25  Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.

26  Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

27  For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:

28  Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

29  Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?

30  Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.

31  For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.

32  With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.

33  The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.

Job 37:14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

Psalm 9:1 I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. 

I know that my Redeemer liveth

(Job 19:25) For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
(Job 19:26) And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
(Job 19:27) Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Happy New Year!

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.