Come With a Pail

The title is a borrowed thought from John Newton.  Dear John.  He was and is so much more than the  the hymn Amazing Grace which he gave to the world. That would be great enough indeed.  But in  fact he was a faithful parish priest in a pokey little village in Buckinghamshire, England.

As was the habit of most in his time, John was a prolific writer, yes of hymns but also of sermons and journals which have been preserved for us.

One such sermon is based on Revelation 22.17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come, and let him that heareth say come.  And let him that is athirst come.  And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely."

Mr. Newton's thought is that when people 'beg wine they come with a small vessel.  When they beg water they go with a pail.'  How appropriate.  When coming to the Fountain, the Water of Life how foolish it is to come seeking  droplets when streams are offered.  What more could we want?  The Fountain is pointed out and we are invited. Not only that, we are encouraged to freely partake.

Our God is never stingy.  No, not in any of His ways, dealings or offers.  The taking falls to us.  Always.

The one who is wise keeps close to this Fountain.

The sad opposite was told by the prophet Jeremiah: "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living water, and hewed themselves out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."  [Jeremiah 2.13]

Cisterns hold stored, stagnant water which sits above settled silt and who knows what else.
Why would we ever settle for that when the fresh, the excellent is offered?
.
Have you ever sipped water from a mountain stream?
It is bubbling and sparkling.  It refreshes as well as quenching thirst.
The same is true of wells that feed from such streams.

This should be our water of choice This Day.
Meet you at The Well!

"All my fresh springs (my source of life and joy) are in Thee."

Psalm 87.7 

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Photo: Jon Wornham, Isle of Man

Jesus strides forth as the Victor,

conqueror of death, hell and all opposing might;

He bursts the bands of death,

tramples the powers of darkness down

and lives forever.

Adorable Redeemer,

Thou who wast lifted up upon the cross

art ascended to highest heaven, 

Thou, who as man of sorrows wast crowned with thorns,

art now as Lord of Life wreathed with glory.

Once, no shame more deep than Thine,

no agony more bitter, no death more cruel,

Now, no exaltation more high,

no life more glorious, no advocate more effective.

What more could be done than Thou has done!

Thy death is my life, Thy resurrection my peace,

Thy ascension my hope, Thy prayers my comfort.

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It was and is all of Grace.

Grace alone.

For me.

Praise Him!

Happy Easter wishes to you, Dear Reader!

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Quotation from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

Ed. Arthur Bennett

How deep the Father's love for us,

How kind beyond all measure,

that He should give His Only Son

To make a wretch His treasure?

...

Behold the Man upon the Cross,

My sin upon His shoulders,

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice

Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there

until it was accomplished;

His dying breath has brought me Life.

I know that it is finished.

I would not boast of anything,

no gifts, no power, no wisdom,

But I shall boast in Jesus Christ,

His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give and answer,

But this I know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom.

~Stuart Townend

Lamb, Sacrifice, Refuge, Rock, Foundation ~

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,

See Him dying on the tree!

'Tis the Christ, by man rejected;

Yes, my soul, 'tis He, 'tis He!

'Tis the long-expected Prophet,

David's Son, yet David's Lord;

Proofs I see sufficient of it:

'Tis the true and faithful Word.

...

Ye who think of sin but lightly

Nor suppose the evil great

Here may view its nature rightly,

Here its guilt may estimate.

Mark the sacrifice appointed,

See Who bears the awful load;

'Tis the Word, the Lord's anointed,

Son of Man and Son of God.

Here we have a firm foundation,

Here the refuge of the lost:

Christ the Rock of our Salvation

Is the name of which we boast;

Lamb of God, for sinners wounded,

Sacrifice to cancel guilt!

None shall ever be confounded

Who on Him their hope have built.

`

~Thomas Kelly - 1804

The Hymn and Story Now Complete

As we move toward the end of Passion Week, it is only right and proper that the rest of this season's choice hymn is given.  Here then are the five additional verses that complete the historic account of The Cross.

Sometimes they strew His ways

And His sweet praises sing;

Resounding all the day

Hosannas to their King.

Then "Crucify!"

Is all their breath,

And for His death

They thirst and cry.

Why what hath my Lord done?

What makes this rage and spite?

He made the lame to run

He gave the blind their sight.

Sweet injuries!

Yet they at these 

Themselves displease

And 'gainst Him rise.

They rise and needs will have

My dear Lord made away;

A murderer they save,

The Prince of Life they slay.

Yet cheerful He

To suffering goes

That He His foes

From thence might free.

In life no house, no home

My Lord on earth might have;

In death no friendly tomb

But what a stranger gave.

What can I say?

Heav'n was His home

but mine the tomb

Wherein He lay.

Here might I stand and sing

No story so divine!

Never was love, dear King,

Never was grief like Thine.

This is my friend

In whose sweet praise

I all my days 

Could gladly spend!

~My Song is Love Unknown

Samuel Crossman, 1664

My Song Is Love Unknown, King's College, Cambridge choir presents in part on Youtube.

Alas I could not afix the link for you Dear Reader.  But it is worth your time to seek this out.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMart4wXs10

Fresh This Season

Easter has always been the high point of the Church year for me.  This year, however, new insights have been gained.  This year, this season finds us worshiping in a high church fellowship.  All has become truly 'a season'.  The Way of the Cross, if you will, is marked, preached, pondered not just given the one glorious day treatment.

Along with that has come the introduction of strong hymns of the ancients that have come down to us and preserved by the high church denominations.

One that has been repeatedly sung, with a haunting melody and grand words has become a heart's favorite.  In truth, the first we heard it, there were not only unfamiliar words but unusual melody line.  We could only stand and listen.  And weep.  The words, the message struck deep, struck movingly. It has continually played in my mind these last weeks.

Dear Reader, while this may not be new to you, bear with me patiently as I offer the first two stanzas this day.  Perhaps more will follow at a later date.

My song is Love unknown,

My Savior's love to me,

Love to the loveless shown

That they might lovely be.

Oh, who am I

That for my sake

My Lord should take 

Frail flesh and die?

He came from His blest throne

Salvation to bestow;

But men made strange, and none

The longed-for Christ would know.

But, oh, my friend,

My friend indeed,

Who at my need

His life did spend!

Ah yes!  Ah This!  

Selah

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Hymn author: Samuel Crossman, 1664

Tune: John Ireland, 1918

(Cyberhymnal has the hymn and this tune) 

Lovely photo: Mitzi Schindele, Montesano, WA

When Heated in the Chase...

As pants the hart for cooling streams,

When heated by the chase;

So longs my soul, O God for Thee,

And Thy refreshing Grace...

Why restless, why cast down, my soul?

Hope still, and thou shalt sing

The praise of Him who is Thy God,

Thy health's eternal spring.

There are days, even when the sun is shining outside the window and the breeze brings promise of Spring when the hart's heart is heavy and heated by the chase.

Best to remember then "...all my fresh springs shall be in Thee."

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Poem fragment: Nahum Tate (1652-1715) & Nicholas Brady (1659-1726)

                          Paraphrase of Psalm 42

'fresh springs': Psalm 87.7, Book of Common Prayer Psalter trans.