Get Out of Jail Free: Hurt people hurt people (sometimes)

It's been a long time since I've blogged...since Easter Sunday, in fact!

What brings me to blogging again? An excellent post on another blog, on forgiveness. "AnneDroid" writes:

Forgiving has absolutely nothing to do with human fairness which demands an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, and it doesn't mean excusing and brushing things aside. When we forgive someone we still recognise the hurt for what it is, but instead of lashing out or biting back, we try to see beyond it and to view the person with good will rather than ill will, whether they deserve it or not, because forgiving them makes us better.

The entire post is chock-full-o-wisdom. Check it out.

hat tip: 42: Bitterness vs forgiveness

christ the lord is risen today

It's no longer Lent--it's Easter Sunday! And here's one last Charles Wesley Hymn to celebrate.

Easter Sunday

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
(United Methodist Hymnal #302)

1.
Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

2.
Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

3.
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where's thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

4.
Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

5.
Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

6.
King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!

christ, whose glory fills the skies

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Holy Saturday

Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies
(United Methodist Hymnal #173)

1.
Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true, the only light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise,
triumph o'er the shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Daystar, in my heart appear.

2.
Dark and cheerless is the morn
unaccompanied by thee;
joyless is the day's return,
till thy mercy's beams I see;
till thy inward light impart,
cheer my eyes and warm my heart.

3.
Visit then this soul of mine;
pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
fill me, Radiancy divine,
scatter all my unbelief;
more and more thyself display,
shining to the perfect day.

'tis finished the messiah dies

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Good Friday
a bonus hymn for Good Friday, since I couldn't make up my mind

'Tis Finished the Messiah Dies

(United Methodist Hymnal #282)

1.
'Tis finished! the Messiah dies,
cut off for sins, but not his own.
Accomplished is the sacrifice,
the great redeeming work is done.

2.
The veil is rent; in Christ alone
the living way to heaven is seen;
the middle wall is broken down,
and all the world may enter in.

3.
'Tis finished! All my guilt and pain,
I want no sacrifice beside;
for me, for me the Lamb is slain;
'tis finished! I am justified.

4.
The reign of sin and death is o'er,
and all may live from sin set free;
Satan hath lost his mortal power;
'tis swallowed up in victory.

o love divine, what hast thou done

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Good Friday

O Love Divine, What Hast Thou Done

(United Methodist Hymnal #287)

1.
O Love divine, what has thou done!
The immortal God hath died for me!
The Father's coeternal Son
bore all my sins upon the tree.
Th' immortal God for me hath died:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

2.
Is crucified for me and you,
to bring us rebels back to God.
Believe, believe the record true,
ye all are bought with Jesus' blood.
Pardon for all flows from his side:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

3.
Behold him, all ye that pass by,
the bleeding Prince of life and peace!
Come, sinners, see your Savior die,
and say, "Was ever grief like his?"
Come, feel with me his blood applied:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

o the depth of love divine

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Maundy Thursday

O the Depth of Love Divine
(United Methodist Hymnal #355)

1.
O the depth of love divine,
the unfathomable grace!
Who shall say how bread and wine
God into us conveys!
How the bread his flesh imparts,
how the wine transmits his blood,
fills his faithful people's hearts
with all the life of God!

2.
Let the wisest mortals show
how we the grace receive;
feeble elements bestow
a power not theirs to give.
Who explains the wondrous way
how through these the virtue came?
These the virtue did convey,
yet still remain the same.

3.
How can spirits heavenward rise
by earthly matter fed
drink herewith divine supplies
and eat immortal bread?
Ask the Father's wisdom how:
Christ who did the means ordain;
angels round our altars bow
to search it out, in vain.

4.
Sure and real is the grace,
the manner be unknown;
only meet us in thy ways
and perfect us in one.
Let us taste the heavenly powers,
Lord, we ask for nothing more.
Think to bless, 'tis only ours
to wonder and adore.

come, sinners, to the gospel feast

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 37

Come, Sinners, to the Gospel Feast
(United Methodist Hymnal #616)

1.
Come, sinners, to the gospel feast;
let every soul be Jesus' guest.
Ye need not one be left behind,
for God hath bid all humankind.

2.
Sent by my Lord, on you I call;
the invitation is to all.
Come, all the world! Come, sinner, thou!
All things in Christ are ready now.

3.
Come, all ye souls by sin oppressed,
ye restless wanderers after rest;
ye poor, and maimed, and halt, and blind,
in Christ a hearty welcome find.

4.
My message as from God receive;
ye all may come to Christ and live.
O let his love your hearts constrain,
nor suffer him to die in vain.

5.
This is the time, no more delay!
This is the Lord's accepted day.
Come thou, this moment, at his call,
and live for him who died for all.

sinners, turn: why will you die

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 36

Sinners, Turn: Why Will You Die
(United Methodist Hymnal #346)

1.
Sinners, turn: why will you die?
God, your Maker, asks you why.
God, who did your being give,
made you himself, that you might live;
he the fatal cause demands,
asks the work of his own hands.
Why, you thankless creature, why
will you cross his love, and die?

2.
Sinners, turn: why will you die?
God your Savior, asks you why.
God, who did your souls retrieve,
died himself, that you might live.
Will you let him die in vain?
Crucify your Lord again?
Why, you ransomed sinners, why
will you slight his grace, and die?

3.
Sinners, turn: Why will you die?
God, the Spirit, asks you why;
he, who all your lives hath strove,
wooed you to embrace his love.
Will you not his grace receive?
Will you still refuse to live?
Why, you long-sought sinners, why
will you grieve your God, and die?

4.
You, on whom he favors showers,
you, possessed of nobler powers,
you, of reason's powers possessed,
you, with will and memory blest,
you, with finer sense endued,
creatures capable of God;
noblest of his creatures, why,
why will you forever die?

5.
You, whom he ordained to be
transcripts of the Trinity,
you, whom he in life doth hold,
you, for whom himself was sold,
you, on whom he still doth wait,
whom he would again create;
made by him, and purchased, why,
why will you forever die?

6.
You, who own his record true,
you, his chosen people, you,
you, who call the Savior Lord,
you, who read his written Word,
you, who see the gospel light,
claim a crown in Jesu's right;
why will you, ye Christians, why
will the house of Israel die?

7.
Turn, he cries, ye sinners, turn;
by his life your God hath sworn;
he would have you turn and live,
he would all the world receive;
he hath brought to all the race
full salvation by his grace;
he hath no one soul passed by;
why will you resolve to die?

8.
Can ye doubt, if God is love,
if to all his mercies move?
Will ye not his word receive?
Will ye not his oath believe?
See, the suffering God appears!
Jesus weeps! Believe his tears!
Mingled with his blood they cry,
why will you resolve to die?

Notes

• Charles was brilliant.
• The first three stanzas have a trinitarian form: Maker, Savior, Spirit. I'll forgive Charles if there's a hint of modalism there.
• I've always loved the imagery of God wooing us sinners. I'm pleased to see it in the third stanza.
• Stanza eight seems to be a direct response to the Calvinist doctrine of limited atonement.

how can we sinners know

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 35

How Can We Sinners Know
(United Methodist Hymnal #372)

1.
How can we sinners know
our sins on earth forgiven?
How can my gracious Savior show
my name inscribed in heaven?

2.
What we have felt and seen,
with confidence we tell,
and publish to the ends of earth
the signs infallible.

3.
We who in Christ believe
that he for us hath died,
we all his unknown peace receive
and feel his blood applied.

4.
We by his Spirit prove
and know the things of God,
the things which freely doth impart
and signs us with his cross.

5.
The meek and lowly heart
that in our Savior was,
to us that Spirit doth impart
and signs us with his cross.

6.
Our nature's turned, our mind
transformed in all its powers,
and both the witnesses are joined,
the Spirit of God with ours.

o for a thousand tongues to sing

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, the day we remember and celebrate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and the kick-off to Holy Week. Charles wrote O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing to commemorate his own conversion--Christ's entry into his heart.

The original poem that Charles wrote contained 18 stanzas, 17 of which are included in the United Methodist Hymnal as #58. I'm only including here the seven stanzas found in #57, including the "optional" sixth stanza. Apparently, there was some fear of causing offense when the Hymnal was edited.

Lent Day 34

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing
(United Methodist Hymnal #57)

1.
O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!

2.
My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad
the honors of thy name.

3.
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
'tis music in the sinner's ears,
'tis life, and health, and peace.

4.
He breaks the power of canceled sin,
he sets the prisoner free;
his blood can make the foulest clean;
his blood availed for me.

5.
He speaks, and listening to his voice,
new life the dead receive;
the mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
the humble poor believe.

6.
Hear him, ye deaf, his praise, ye dumb,
your loosened tongues employ;
ye blind, behold your Savior come,
and leap, ye lame, for joy.

7.
In Christ, your head, you then shall know,
shall feel your sins forgiven;
anticipate your heaven below,
and own that love is heaven.

jesus, united by thy grace

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 33

Jesus, United by Thy Grace
(United Methodist Hymnal #561)

1.
Jesus, united by thy grace
and each to each endeared,
with confidence we seek thy face
and know our prayer is heard.

2.
Help us to help each other, Lord,
each other's cross to bear;
let all their friendly aid afford,
and feel each other's care.

3.
Up unto thee, our living Head,
let us in all things grow;
till thou hast made us free indeed
and spotless here below.

4.
Touched by the lodestone of thy love,
let all our hearts agree,
and ever toward each other move,
and ever move toward thee.

5.
To thee, inseparably joined,
let all our spirits cleave;
O may we all the loving mind
that was in thee receive.

6.
This is the bond of perfectness,
thy spotless charity;
O let us, still we pray, possess
the mind that was in thee.

jesus, lover of my soul

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 32

Jesus, Lover of My Soul
(United Methodist Hymnal #479)

1.
Jesus, lover of my soul,
let me to thy bosom fly,
while the nearer waters roll,
while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Savior, hide,
till the storm of life is past;
safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last.

2.
Other refuge have I none,
hangs my helpless soul on thee;
leave, ah! leave me not alone,
still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed,
all my help from thee I bring;
cover my defenseless head
with the shadow of thy wing.

3.
Thou, O Christ, art all I want,
more than all in thee I find;
raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is thy name,
I am all unrighteousness;
false and full of sin I am;
thou art full of truth and grace.

4.
Plenteous grace with thee is found,
grace to cover all my sin;
let the healing streams abound,
make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art,
freely let me take of thee;
spring thou up within my heart;
rise to all eternity.

"translating" john wesley

I subscribe to Sojourners SojoMail a part of which is Verse and Voice. Yesterday's edition included a quote from John Wesley, which I paraphrase (in contemporary English):

What should you do? ... Do good. Do all the good you can. Let your abundance supply your neighbor's needs, and you will never be bored. Can't you find any who don't have the basics of life, who are worn down by cold or hunger; any who don't have clothes to wear or a place to live; any who are depressed; any who are languishing in prison? If you would pay attention to our Lord's words, "You will always have the poor with you," you would never ask, "What should I do."

Here's the original quote:

What shalt thou do? ... Do good. Do all the good thou canst. Let thy plenty supply thy neighbor’s wants; and thou wilt never want something to do. Canst thou find none that need the necessaries of life, that are pinched with cold or hunger; none that have not raiment to put on, or a place where to lay their head; none that are wasted with pining sickness; none that are languishing in prison? If you duly considered our Lord’s words, "The poor have you always with you," you would no more ask, "What shall I do?"

From "On Worldly Folly"

First of all, I wanted to post this because I think JW has an excellent point, one that I need to be reminded of from time to time.

Second, I've been following a series of articles by Wayne Leman over at Better Bibles Blog about translation equivalence, which is the task of expressing the thought written by the biblical author in contemporary language.

So, my "translation" of John Wesley was an amateur attempt at using translation equivalence from a text written in 1700's English to contemporary English.

I found the exercise fascinating. What to do with "pinched with cold or hunger"? It's actually a nice turn of phrase--should I "translate it literally" (leave it as is), or should I try to "modernize" it?

How about "pining sickness"? Or "languishing in prison"?

I made my decisions, and you see the result. How would you have approached it?

come, and let us sweetly join

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 31

Come, and Let Us Sweetly Join
(United Methodist Hymnal #699)

1.
Come, and let us sweetly join,
Christ to praise in hymns divine;
give we all with one accord
glory to our common Lord.

2.
Hands and hearts and voices raise,
sing as in the ancient days;
antedate the joys above,
celebrate the feast of love.

3.
Jesus, dear expected Guest,
thou art bidden to the feast;
for thyself our hearts prepare;
come, and sit, and banquet there.

4.
Sanctify us, Lord, and bless,
breathe thy Spirit, give thy peace;
thou thyself within us move,
make our feast a feast of love.

come, let us join our friends above

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 30

Come, Let Us Join Our Friends Above
(United Methodist Hymnal #709)

1.
Come, let us join our friends above
who have obtained the prize,
and on the eagle wings of love
to joys celestial rise.
Let saints on earth unite to sing
with those to glory gone,
for all the servants of our King
in earth and heaven are one.

2.
One family we dwell in him,
one church above, beneath,
though now divided by the stream,
the narrow stream of death;
one army of the living God,
to his command we bow;
part of his host have crossed the flood,
and part are crossing now.

3.
Ten thousand to their endless home
this solemn moment fly,
and we are to the margin come,
and we expect to die.
E'en now by faith we join our hands
with those that went before,
and greet the blood-besprinkled bands
on the eternal shore.

4.
Our spirits too shall quickly join,
like theirs with glory crowned,
and shout to see our Captain's sign,
to hear this trumpet sound.
O that we now might grasp our Guide!
O that the word were given!
Come, Lord of Hosts, the waves divide,
and land us all in heaven.

let us plead for faith alone

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 29

Let Us Plead for Faith Alone
(United Methodist Hymnal #385)

1.
Let us plead for faith alone,
faith which by our works is shown;
God it is who justifies,
only faith the grace applies.

2.
Active faith that lives within,
conquers hell and death and sin,
hallows whom it first made whole,
forms the Savior in the soul.

3.
Let us for this faith contend,
sure salvation is the end;
heaven already is begun,
everlasting life is won.

4.
Only let us persevere
till we see our Lord appear,
never from the Rock remove,
saved by faith which works by love.

come, let us use the grace divine

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 27 28

Come, Let Us Use the Grace Divine
(United Methodist Hymnal #606)

1.
Come, let us use the grace divine,
and all with one accord,
in a perpetual covenant join
ourselves to Christ the Lord;
Give up ourselves, thru Jesus' power,
his name to glorify;
and promise, in this sacred hour,
for God to live and die.

2.
The covenant we this moment make
be ever kept in mind;
we will no more our God forsake,
or cast these words behind.
We never will throw off the fear
of God who hears our vow;
and if thou art well pleased to hear,
come down and meet us now.

3.
Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
let all our hearts receive,
present with thy celestial host
the peaceful answer give;
to each covenant the blood apply
which takes our sins away,
and register our names on high
and keep us to that day!

christ, from whom all blessings flow

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 26 27

Christ, from Whom All Blessings Flow
(United Methodist Hymnal #550)

1.
Christ, from whom all blessings flow,
perfecting the saints below,
hear us, who thy nature share,
who thy mystic body are.

2.
Join us, in one spirit join,
let us still receive of thine;
still for more on thee we call,
thou who fillest all in all.

3.
Move and actuate and guide,
diverse gifts to each divide;
placed according to thy will,
let us all our work fulfill;

4.
Never from thy service move,
needful to each other prove;
use the grace on each bestowed,
tempered by the art of God.

5.
Many are we now, and one,
we who Jesus have put on;
there is neither bond nor free,
male nor female, Lord, in thee.

6.
Love, like death, hath all destroyed,
rendered all distinctions void;
names and sects and parties fall;
thou, O Christ, art all in all!

o for a heart to praise my god

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 26

O For a Heart to Praise My God
(United Methodist Hymnal #417)

1.
O for a heart to praise my God,
a heart from sin set free,
a heart that always feels thy blood
so freely shed for me.

2.
A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
my great Redeemer's throne,
where only Christ is heard to speak,
where Jesus reigns alone.

3.
A humble, lowly, contrite heart,
believing, true, and clean,
which neither life nor death can part
from Christ who dwells within.

4.
A heart in every thought renewed
and full of love divine,
perfect and right and pure and good,
a copy, Lord, of thine.

5.
Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart;
come quickly from above;
write thy new name upon my heart,
thy new, best name of Love.

lo, he comes with clouds descending

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 25

Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending
(United Methodist Hymnal #718)

1.
Lo, he comes with clouds descending,
once for favored sinners slain;
thousand, thousand saints attending
swell the triumph of his train.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
God appears on earth to reign.

2.
Every eye shall now behold him,
robed in dreadful majesty;
those who set at naught and sold him,
pierced and nailed him to the tree,
deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing,
shall the true Messiah see.

3.
The dear tokens of his passion
still his dazzling body bears;
cause of endless exultation
to his ransomed worshipers;
with what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture,
gaze we on those glorious scars!

4.
Yea, Amen! Let all adore thee,
high on thy eternal throne;
Savior, take the power and glory,
claim the kingdom for thine own.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Everlasting God, come down!

Remarks:

• I love the phrase from verse 2, "dreadful majesty". I think there's danger of our relationship to Christ becoming either too "cuddly" or too distant. In the current environment, we probably should renew the use of phrases such as dreadful majesty to describe Christ.
• This is a hymn about the second coming of Christ, and in verse 3, Wesley uses the term rapture. But he's not talking about the faithful being taken up into heaven. I wish I knew my history well enough to know if Charles was doing this on purpose, or if it's just a wonderfully ironic coincidence.
  

love divine, all loves excelling

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 24

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
(United Methodist Hymnal #384)

1.
Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven, to earth come down;
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.

2.
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
into every troubled breast!
Let us all in thee inherit;
let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.

3.
Come, Almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.

4.
Finish, then, thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee;
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.

blow ye the trumpet, blow

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 23

Blow Ye the Trumpet, Blow
(United Methodist Hymnal #379)

1.
Blow ye the trumpet, blow!
The gladly solemn sound
let all the nations know,
to earth's remotest bound:
The year of jubilee is come!
The year of jubilee is come!
Return, ye ransomed sinners, home.

2.
Jesus, our great high priest,
hath full atonement made;
ye weary spirits, rest;
ye mournful souls, be glad:
The year of jubilee is come!
The year of jubilee is come!
Return, ye ransomed sinners, home.

3.
Extol the Lamb of God,
the all atoning Lamb;
redemption in his blood
throughout the world proclaim.
The year of jubilee is come!
The year of jubilee is come!
Return, ye ransomed sinners, home.

4.
Ye slaves of sin and hell,
your liberty receive,
and safe in Jesus dwell,
and blest in Jesus live:
The year of jubilee is come!
The year of jubilee is come!
Return, ye ransomed sinners, home.

5.
Ye who have sold for nought
your heritage above
shall have it back unbought,
the gift of Jesus' love:
The year of jubilee is come!
The year of jubilee is come!
Return, ye ransomed sinners, home.

6.
The gospel trumpet hear,
the news of heavenly grace;
and saved from earth, appear
before your Savior's face:
The year of jubilee is come!
The year of jubilee is come!
Return to your eternal home.

and can it be that i should gain

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 22

And Can It Be that I Should Gain
(United Methodist Hymnal #363)

1.
And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the Savior's blood!
Died he for me? who caused his pain!
For me? who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

2.
'Tis mystery all: th' Immortal dies!
Who can explore his strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
to sound the depths of love divine.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
let angel minds inquire no more.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
let angel minds inquire no more.

3.
He left his Father's throne above
(so free, so infinite his grace!),
emptied himself of all but love,
and bled for Adam's helpless race.
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
for O my God, it found out me!
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
for O my God, it found out me!

4.
Long my imprisoned sprit lay,
fast bound in sin and nature's night;
thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
my chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.

5.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in him, is mine;
alive in him, my living Head,
and clothed in righteousness divine,
bold I approach th' eternal throne,
and claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th' eternal throne,
and claim the crown, through Christ my own.

soldiers of christ arise

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 21

Soldiers of Christ, Arise
(United Methodist Hymnal #513)

1.
Soldiers of Christ arise,
and put your armor on,
strong in the strength which God supplies
thru his eternal Son;
strong in the Lord of Hosts,
and in his mighty power,
who in the strength of Jesus trusts
is more than conqueror.

2.
Stand then in his great might,
with all his strength endued,
but take to arm you for the fight
the panoply of God;
that having all things done,
and all your conflicts passed,
ye may o'ercome thru Christ alone
and stand entire at last.

3.
Pray without ceasing, pray,
(your Captain gives the word)
his summons cheerfully obey
and call upon the Lord;
to God your every want
in instant prayer display,
pray always, pray and never faint,
pray, without ceasing pray.

4.
From strength to strength go on,
wrestle and fight and pray,
tread all the powers of darkness down
and win the well-fought day.
Still let the Spirit cry
in all his soldiers, "Come!"
till Christ the Lord, descends from high
and takes the conquerors home.

jesus! the name high over all

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 20

Jesus! the Name High over All
(United Methodist Hymnal #193)

1.
Jesus! the name high over all,
in hell or earth or sky;
angels and mortals prostrate fall,
and devils fear and fly.

2.
Jesus! the name to sinners dear,
the name to sinners given;
it scatters all their guilty fear,
it turns their hell to heaven.

3.
O that the world might taste and see
the riches of his grace!
The arms of love that compass me
would all the world embrace.

4.
Thee I shall constantly proclaim,
though earth and hell oppose;
bold to confess thy glorious name
before a world of foes.

5.
His only righteousness I show,
his saving truth proclaim;
'tis all my business here below
to cry, "Behold the Lamb!"

6.
Happy, if with my latest breath
I may but gasp his name,
preach him to all and cry in death,
"Behold, behold the Lamb!"

maker, in whom we live

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 19

Maker, in Whom We Live
(United Methodist Hymnal #88)

1.
Maker, in whom we live, in whom we are and move,
the glory, power, and praise receive for thy creating love.
Let all the angel throng give thanks to God on high,
while earth repeats the joyful song and echoes to the sky.

2.
Incarnate Deity, let all the ransomed race
render in thanks their lives to thee for thy redeeming grace.
The grace to sinners showed ye heavenly choirs proclaim,
and cry, "Salvation to our God, salvation to the Lamb!"

3.
Spirit of Holiness, let all thy saints adore
thy sacred energy, and bless thine heart-renewing power.
No angel tongues can tell thy love's ecstatic height,
the glorious joy unspeakable, the beatific sight.

4.
Eternal, Triune God, let all the hosts above,
let all on earth below record and dwell upon thy love.
When heaven and earth are fled before thy glorious face,
sing all the saints thy love hath made thine everlasting praise.

forth in thy name, o lord

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 18

Forth in Thy Name, O Lord
(United Methodist Hymnal #438)

1.
Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go,
my daily labor to pursue;
thee, only thee, resolved to know
in all I think or speak or do.

2.
The task thy wisdom hath assigned,
O let me cheerfully fulfill;
in all my works thy presence find,
and prove thy good and perfect will.

3.
For thee delightfully employ
what e'er thy bounteous grace hath given;
and run my course with even joy,
and closely walk with thee to heaven.

and are we yet alive

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 17

And Are We Yet Alive
(United Methodist Hymnal #553)

1.
And are we yet alive,
and see each other's face?
Glory and thanks to Jesus give
for his almighty grace!

2.
Preserved by power divine
to full salvation here,
again in Jesus' praise we join,
and in his sight appear.

3.
What troubles have we seen,
what mighty conflicts past,
fightings without, and fears within,
since we assembled last!

4.
Yet out of all the Lord
hath brought us by his love;
and still he doth his help afford,
and hides our life above.

5.
Then let us make our boast
of his redeeming power,
which saves us to the uttermost,
till we can sin no more.

6.
Let us take up the cross
till we the crown obtain,
and gladly reckon all things loss
so we may Jesus gain.

spirit of faith, come down

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 16

Spirit of Faith, Come Down
(United Methodist Hymnal #332)

1.
Spirit of faith, come down,
reveal the things of God,
and make to us the Godhead known,
and witness with the blood.
'Tis thine the blood to apply
and give us eyes to see,
who did for every sinner die
hath surely died for me.

2.
No one can truly say
that Jesus is the Lord,
unless thou take the veil away
and breathe the living Word.
Then, only then, we feel
our interest in his blood,
and cry with joy unspeakable,
"Thou art my Lord, my God!"

3.
O that the word might know
the all atoning Lamb!
Spirit of faith, descend and show
the virtue of his name;
the grace which all may find,
the saving power, impart,
and testify to humankind,
and speak in every heart.

4.
Inspire the living faith
(which whosoe'er receive,
the witness in themselves they have
and consciously believe),
the faith that conquers all,
and doth the mountain move,
and saves whoe'er on Jesus call,
and perfects them in love.

jesus, thine all-victorious love

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 15

Jesus, Thine All-Victorious Love
(United Methodist Hymnal #196)

1.
Jesus, thine all victorious love
shed in my heart abroad;
then shall my feet no longer rove,
rooted and fixed in God.

2.
O that in me the sacred fire
might now begin to glow;
burn up the dross of base desire
and make the mountains flow!

3.
O that it now from heaven might fall
and all my sins consume!
Come, Holy Ghost, for thee I call,
Spirit of burning, come!

4.
Refining fire, go through my heart,
illuminate my soul;
scatter thy life through every part
and sanctify the whole.

come, thou long-expected jesus

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 14

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
(United Methodist Hymnal #196)

1.
Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

2.
Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.

thou hidden source of calm repose

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 13

Thou Hidden Source of Calm Repose
(United Methodist Hymnal #153)

1.
Thou hidden source of calm repose,
thou all-sufficient love divine,
my help and refuge from my foes,
secure I am if thou art mine;
and lo! from sin and grief and shame
I hide me, Jesus, in thy name.

2.
Thy mighty name salvation is,
and keeps my happy soul above,
comfort it brings, and power and peace,
and joy and everlasting love;
to me with thy dear name are given
pardon and holiness and heaven.

3.
Jesus, my all in all thou art,
my rest in toil, my ease in pain,
the healing of my broken heart,
in war my peace, in loss my gain,
my smile beneath the tryrant's frown,
in shame my glory and my crown.

4.
In want my plentiful supply,
in weakness my almighty power,
in bonds my perfect liberty,
my light in Satan's darkest hour,
in grief my joy unspeakable,
my life in death, my heaven in hell.

ye servants of god

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 12

Ye Servants of God
(United Methodist Hymnal #181)

1.
Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,
and publish abroad his wonderful name;
the name all-victorious of Jesus extol,
his kingdom is glorious and rules over all.

2.
God ruleth on high, almighty to save,
and still he is nigh, his presence we have;
the great congregation his triumph shall sing,
ascribing salvation to Jesus, our King.

3.
"Salvation to God, who sits on the throne!"
Let all cry aloud and honor the Son;
the praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,
fall down on their faces and worship the Lamb.

4.
Then let us adore and give him his right,
all glory and power, all wisdom and might;
all honor and blessing with angels above,
and thanks never ceasing and infinite love.

jesus, lord, we look to thee

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 11

Jesus, Lord, We Look to Thee
(United Methodist Hymnal #562)

1.
Jesus, Lord, we look to thee;
let us in thy name agree;
show thyself the Prince of Peace,
bid our strife forever cease.

2.
By thy reconciling love
every stumbling block remove;
each to each unite, endear;
come, and spread thy banner here.

3.
Make us of one heart and mind,
gentle, courteous, and kind,
lowly, meek, in thought and word,
altogether like our Lord.

4.
Let us for each other care,
each the other's burdens bear;
to thy church the pattern give,
show how true believers live.

5.
Free from anger and from pride,
let us thus in God abide;
all the depths of love express,
all the heights of holiness.

6.
Let us then with joy remove
to the family above;
on the wings of angels fly,
show how true believers die.

blest be the dear uniting love

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 10

Blest Be the Dear Uniting Love
(United Methodist Hymnal #566)

1.
Blest be the dear uniting love
that will not let us part;
our bodies may far off remove,
we still are one in heart.

2.
Joined in one spirit to our Head,
where he appoints we go,
and still in Jesus' footsteps tread,
and do his work below.

3.
O may we ever walk in him,
and nothing know beside,
nothing desire, nothing esteem,
but Jesus crucified!

4.
We all are one who him receive,
and each with each agree,
in him the One, the Truth, we live;
blest point of unity!

5.
Partakers of the Savior's grace,
the same in mind and heart,
nor joy, nor grief, nor time, nor place,
nor life, nor death can part.

i want a principle within

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 9

I Want a Principle Within
(United Methodist Hymnal #410)

1.
I want a principle within
of watchful, godly fear,
a sensibility of sin,
a pain to feel it near.
I want the first approach to feel
of pride or wrong desire,
to catch the wandering of my will,
and quench the kindling fire.

2.
From thee that I no more may stray,
no more thy goodness grieve,
grant me the filial awe, I pray,
the tender conscience give.
Quick as the apple of an eye,
O God, my conscience make;
awake my soul when sin is nigh,
and keep it still awake.

3.
Almighty God of truth and love,
to me thy power impart;
the mountain from my soul remove,
the hardness from my heart.
O may the least omission pain
my reawakened soul,
and drive me to that blood again,
which makes the wounded whole.

For Those Who Mourn

Northern Illinois University is about 30 miles from my home. There are at least several connections within our congregations to NIU, including a few students. We all mourn with the families of those who were affected by yesterday's senseless violence.

From the United Methodist Hymnal, #461

Gracious God,
as your Son wept with Mary and Martha at the tomb of Lazarus,
look with compassion on those who grieve,
especially the families and friends of those who were killed yesterday.
Grant them the assurance of your presence now
and faith in your eternal goodness,
that in them may be fulfilled the promise
that those who mourn shall be comforted;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

o come and dwell in me

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 8

O Come and Dwell in Me
(United Methodist Hymnal #388)

1.
O come and dwell in me,
Spirit of power within,
and bring the glorious liberty
from sorrow, fear, and sin.

2.
Hasten the joyful day
which shall my sins consume,
when old things shall be done away,
and all things new become.

3.
I want the witness, Lord,
that all I do is right,
according to thy mind and word,
well-pleasing in thy sight.

4.
I ask no higher state;
indulge me but in this,
and soon or later then translate
to thine eternal bliss.

a charge to keep i have

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 7

A Charge to Keep I Have
(United Methodist Hymnal #413)

1.
A charge to keep I have,
a God to glorify,
a never-dying soul to save,
and fit it for the sky.

2.
To serve the present age,
my calling to fulfill;
O may it all my powers engage
to do my Master's will!

3.
Arm me with jealous care,
as in thy sight to live,
and oh, thy servant, Lord,
prepare a strict account to give!

4.
Help me to watch and pray,
and on thyself rely,
assured, if I my trust betray,
I shall forever die.

rejoice, the lord is king

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 6

Rejoice, the Lord Is King
(United Methodist Hymnal #715/716)

1.
Rejoice, the Lord is King!
Your Lord and King adore;
mortals, give thanks and sing,
and triumph evermore.
Lift up your heart,
lift up your voice; rejoice;
again I say, rejoice.

2.
Jesus the Savior reigns,
the God of truth and love;
when he had purged our stains,
he took his seat above.
Lift up your heart,
lift up your voice; rejoice,
again I say, rejoice.

3.
His kingdom cannot fail;
he rules o'er earth and heaven;
the keys of earth and hell
are to our Jesus given.
Lift up your heart,
lift up your voice; rejoice,
again I say, rejoice.

4.
Rejoice in glorious hope!
Jesus the Judge shall come,
and take his servants up
to their eternal home.
We soon shall hear
th'archangel's voice; the trump of God
shall sound, rejoice!

o thou who camest from above

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 5

O Thou Who Camest from Above
(United Methodist Hymnal #501)

1.
O Thou who camest from above,
the pure celestial fire to impart
kindle a flame of sacred love
upon the mean altar of my heart.

2.
There let it for thy glory burn
with inextinguishable blaze,
and trembling to its source return,
in humble prayer and fervent praise.

3.
Jesus, confirm my heart's desire
to work and speak and think for thee;
still let me guard the holy fire,
and still stir up thy gift in me.

4.
Ready for all thy perfect will,
my acts of faith and love repeat,
till death thy endless mercies seal,
and make my sacrifice complete.

come, holy ghost, our hearts inspire

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 4

Come, Holy Ghost, Our Hearts Inspire
(United Methodist Hymnal #603)

1.
Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire,
let us thine influence prove;
source of the old prophetic fire,
fountain of life and love.

2.
Come, Holy Ghost (for moved by thee
the prophets wrote and spoke),
unlock the truth, thyself the key,
unseal the sacred book.

3.
Expand thy wings, celestial Dove,
brood o'er our nature's night;
on our disordered spirits move,
and let there now be light.

4.
God, through the Spirit we shall know
if thou within us shine,
and sound, with all thy saints below,
the depths of love divine.

spirit of faith, come down

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 3

Spirit of Faith, Come Down
(United Methodist Hymnal #332)

1.
Spirit of faith, come down,
reveal the things of God,
and make to us the Godhead known,
and witness with the blood.
'Tis thine the blood to apply
and give us eyes to see,
who did for every sinner die
hath surely died for me.

2.
No one can truly say
that Jesus is the Lord,
unless thou take the veil away
and breathe the living Word.
Then, only then, we feel
our interest in his blood,
and cry with joy unspeakable,
"Thou art my Lord, my God!"

3.
O that the world might know
the all atoning Lamb!
Spirit of faith, descend and show
the virtue of his name;
the grace which all may find,
the saving power, impart,
and testify to humankind,
and speak in every heart.

4.
Inspire the living faith
(which whosoe'er receive,
the witness in themselves they have
and consciously believe),
the faith that conquers all,
and doth the mountain move,
and saves whoe'er on Jesus call,
and perfects them in love.

love your neighbor...

I've been engaged in a bit of a debate on the blog Locusts & Honey over how we are to treat the aliens in our midst. John is a thoughtful Christian, and I recommend his blog, though he and I are not completely in sync on this topic.

Then today, Jesus' General's post about "illegal alien" Flor Crisostomo said many things that I wish I'd said. Please read it!

hark! the herald angel sing

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Lent Day 2

Hark! the Herald Angel Sing
(United Methodist Hymnal #240)

1.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King,
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th' angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King!"

2.
Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
late in time behold him come,
offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th' incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King!"

3.
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King!"

Comments

• Hark! means "Listen!" A herald is someone who announces important news. So the first line and title of this famous hymn and Christmas carol essentially means, "Listen up! There are angles singing about important news." The next three lines are the actual content of that important news. See Luke 2:8-14
• Even in a hymn about the birth of Christ, Charles includes the good news of reconciliation: "God and sinners reconciled."
• The second and third verses proclaim the profound mystery of the incarnation, that God has become flesh and lived among us. Remember that without Christmas, there is no Easter.
• These are not Charles' original words. See why they were changed?

depth of mercy

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.

Ash Wednesday

Depth of Mercy
(United Methodist Hymnal #355)

1.
Depth of mercy! Can there be
mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God his wrath forbear,
me, the chief of sinners, spare?

2.
I have long withstood his grace,
long provoked him to his face,
would not hearken to his calls,
grieved him by a thousand falls.

3.
I my Master have denied,
I afresh have crucified,
oft profaned his hallowed name,
put him to an open shame.

4.
There for me the Savior stands,
shows his wounds and spreads his hands.
God is love! I know, I feel;
Jesus weeps and loves me still.

5.
Now incline me to repent,
let me now my sins lament,
now my foul revolt deplore,
weep, believe, and sin no more.

don't forget about charles

If you hang around in United Methodist circles for a while, eventually you’ll hear about John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement—which led to what we call the United Methodist Church. You’ll also hear about another Wesley, John’s brother Charles, who probably doesn’t get enough credit for his contributions to the Methodist movement. Charles was a great writer of hymns, many of which became the core of the hymnbooks used by the early Methodists.

Charles’ hymns were deeply theological; he wasn’t much for writing praise choruses! For a good part of the history of the Methodist Church, hymns like those that Charles wrote became the primary way that Methodists learned about the great truths of the faith. Methodists were known as people who “sang their theology”.

Many of Charles’ hymns are well-loved even today: “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing”, “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today”, and “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” are a few examples.

Our United Methodist Hymnal contains about 50 hymns that were written by Charles Wesley, plus several poems and responses. Unfortunately, Charles wrote the words to hymns, not the music. And many of Charles hymns have been saddled with music that no longer seems to appeal to people today. An example is “And Can It Be that I Should Gain” (# 363). Although the tune is far from terrible, it’s not easy for everyone to sing, and so we sing it rarely.

But if you read the lyrics to this hymn, you find an amazing depth of Christian truth. Ok, you do have to work a bit to dig through the wording, but the reward is there!

For Lent this year, I suggest that you include in your disciplines a reading of Charles Wesley’s hymns. I’ll be posting one of his hymns for each day of Lent here on my blog.

email icons

I've been messing around with the email subscription on the site, and I'd like to pass along something I discovered.

I was trying to find a decent looking icon for email subscriptions, and I found this post on Jon Dyer's blog. He created a set of icons that are exactly what I was looking for:





Thanks, Jon!

free and open source software

Everyone likes free things, right? What would you say if I told you that you could get a free office suite for your computer? What if I told you that you could legally get a free office suite for your computer?

That's exactly the sort of thing you can get when you explore the world of Free and Open Source Software, or FOSS.

First, a few clarifications:

The word Software refers to any of the programs you run on your computer. Microsoft Word is software. Internet Explorer is software. When you run iTunes on your computer, you're using a specific piece of software. For that matter, your operating system, like Windows XP or Vista, is software. Without software, your PC is just an expensive doorstop.

Free in as used in "Free and Open Source Software", does not refer to the price, although I hasten to say that Free and Open Source Software is almost always available free of charge. Instead, and more importantly, free refers to certain freedoms you have in relation to the software. With this kind of software, you are free to:

• use the software for any purpose
• change the software for any use (this means you have access to the source code)
• give copies of the software to anyone you want

For most of us, the key here is that you can get a copy of the software (usually by downloading it), and then install that software on as many computers as you need, and even pass it on to friends and neighbors, all firmly within the law and within the intent of the software authors.

By the way, source code refers to the "instructions, written in a form readable and understandable by programmers, that direct how an application should run." (definition from the NOSI Primer. See below.) Basically, a program is a very detailed set of instructions to the computer of what to do and when to do them. Some person (the programmer) has to write out all these instructions: the source code. These instructions are then compressed and translated into a language that the computer can act on directly: the program.

When you buy Word or download iTunes, you get the compressed and translated program, but not the source code. It's virtually impossible to make any change to the program without the source code. With Free and Open Source Software, you can also get the source code for the program. If you know how to program, you can make changes to the software: fix a bug, add a feature, adapt it to a new situation.

The difference between just having the program and having the source code is much like the difference between renting and buying a house. If you rent, you can move the furniture around, but you can't remove a wall or add on a room.

I've been a user of FOSS for quite a while--the Firefox web browser for instance. But Dave Warnock tipped me off to the Nonprofit Open Source Initiative or NOSI, and their Primer. It has a good explanation of FOSS, help evaluating where and how FOSS might help you, and lists of highly rated FOSS programs you can get for no cost.

Oh! That free office suite I mentioned? It's called OpenOffice.org.

I'll be sharing some of my experiences with FOSS in upcoming posts. Until then, have any of you used Free and Open Source Software? Do you still use it? Why or why not? Share your experiences.