Tag: blessings

Through the tears

This Remembrance Day has me filled with tears so much more than other years. Perhaps it’s because I’m older; feeling the loss of seeing loved ones and receiving hugs.

On Sunday I spoke about how “he (Jesus) began to weep”. Those types of tears we shed when a friend is gone; someone close to us dies is very real and raw.

Tears are a normal part of life. My fear when my Dad died was if I started to cry that I would not be able to stop. Of course, that was not real as I’ve had many, many days of joy and laughter, singing and being me, without tears.

Jesus wept. We weep as we remember. Emotions well up within us that are unbidden, unwanted perhaps, and almost always for me, over-whelming.

But that’s OK. We live, breathe, laugh and sing, and at some point say farewell to those we love. Right now I feel with the rest of this Nation and the world the tears shed long ago and tears shed today.

At the end of our days may we have someone to “Sing me (us) home”.

May you find the blessing in your tears today. I believe I’ve found mine.

Small Enough

God, the Divine and Holy, is so big that there is no way to draw the outline or put this Spirit into a box.

I believe as well that God is small enough to rest within our hearts; small enough to be the still small of voice that speaks love and compassion.

We prayer to hear this voice whether big or small.

May we find those blessings that are hiding in the stillness and in the small parts of our lives.

Worship: August 16, 2020

If this then that….freedom, blessings, Jesus as liberator

“If I had a thousand tongues, I would praise Christ with them all.” So said Peter Böhler to Charles Wesley, inspiring the first line of the classic hymn, “Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer’s praise” (Psalter Hymnal Handbook.) Written to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Charles’ conversion to Christianity, this declaration of Christ’s power and victory in his own life, rich in Biblical imagery of the Kingdom of God, becomes our own hymn of praise. We stand with the angels before the throne of God, lifting our voices as one church to glorify the one who “bids our sorrows cease.”

We sing:

1 O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and king,
the triumphs of God’s grace.

2 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.

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

4 Hear him, you deaf, you voiceless ones,
your tongues again employ;
you blind, behold your Saviour comes,
and leap, you lame, for joy!

5 My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad
the honours of your name.