How I love God's Word!

Today is a breakthrough; whether good, or bad, is not yet known. Heretofore, I have not posted much of my own writing because I am aware of my position as a woman, and a young Christian. I do not want to usurp or encroach upon a higher authority. Although I didn't write very much, I thought it would be nice to share something from my own pondering.

I love God's Word so much and I am particularly passionate about Colossians. I have probably picked a terrible place to start and a terrible place to finish. (You can pick up your own Bibles and make sure you understand the context.)

Colossians 1:13-23 (English Standard Version)

¹³He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. ¹⁸And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. ¹⁹For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

²¹And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ²²He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him, ²³ if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Now read it again and while you read note (or underline if you're using your Bible) what He has done or will do.

When I read these words I am temporarily constrained to simply exist in a state of wonder and complete reverence: I am in awe of our God. My heart delights itself in the magnificence of the Almighty. 

Whilst reading and meditating on this passage a though struck me: I am made and kept by Him! the hands who formed the universe, and loved with a love of incomprehensible depth. Oh I know it is nothing new; that which is new is most probably a heresy. It is simply reassuring, and it turns a feeble smilet into a joyous moment.

And then I couldn't help myself but to dig out a hymn which fitted the occasion!

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Joachim Neander (1650-1680) [I only just noticed how young he was!]

So I didn't have to type it all out I scabbed it off CyberHymnal.

Like I always say: Nothing like a hymn with depth and substance!

Remember your God!

Nothing Like a Hymn With Depth and Substance! (2)

Not what my hands have done
Can save my guilty soul;
Not what my toiling flesh has borne
Can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
Can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers,
And sighs and tears
Can bear my awful load.

Thy work alone, O Christ,
Can ease this weight of sin
Thy blood alone O Lamb of God,
Can give me peace within.
Thy love to me O God,
Not mine, O Lord, to Thee
Can rid me of
This dark unrest,
And set my spirit free!

Thy grace alone, O God,
To me can pardon speak;
Thy power alone O Son of God,
Can this sore bondage break.
No other work, save Thine,
No other blood will do,
No strength save that,
Which is divine,
Can bear me safely through.

I bless the Christ of God;
I rest on love divine;
And with unfaltering lip and heart,
I call this Savior mine.
His cross dispels each doubt,
I bury in His tomb
My unbelief,
And all my fear,
Each lingering shade of gloom.

I praise the God of grace,
I trust His truth and might
He calls me His, I call Him mine,
My God, my joy, my light
’Tis He Who saveth me,
And freely pardon gives
I love because
He loveth me,
I live because He lives!

Horatius Bonar

Nothing Like a Hymn With Depth and Substance!

I was flipping through the Mission Praise this afternoon and came across a pretty little hymn. Although the poem has seven verses it's only two lines of music. The verses are in a different order from Mission Praise and I haven't changed them because I like them better this way.


Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be;
Lead me by Thine own hand,
Choose out the path for me.


Smooth let it be or rough,
It will be still the best;
Winding or straight, it leads
Right onward to Thy rest.


I dare not choose my lot;
I would not, if I might;
Choose Thou for me, my God,
So I shall walk aright.


Take Thou my cup, and it
With joy or sorrow fill,
As best to Thee may seem;
Choose Thou my good and ill.


Choose Thou for me my friends,
My sickness or my health;
Choose Thou my cares for me
My poverty or wealth.


The kingdom that I seek
Is Thine: so let the way
That leads to it be Thine,
Else I must surely stray.


Not mine, not mine the choice
In things or great or small;
Be Thou my Guide, my Strength
My Wisdom, and my All.

Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)

So I didn't have to type it all out I googled it. I came across NetHymnal

It's useful for looking up hymns and those who penned them.