Sundays After PentecostProper 28[33]
Unifying Themes: |
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| I
Samuel 1:4-20 -or- |
Hannah's Perseverence; From Barren to Blessed -or- Resurrection from the Dead |
455 Not So in Haste, My
Heart 510 Come Ye Disconsolate 523 Saranam, Saranam 515 Out of the Depths I Cry to You *** 702 Sing With All the Saints in Glory 700 Abide With Me 534 Be Still My Soul |
| I
Samuel 2:1-10
-or- |
Hannah's Song; Exalt in God; No one like God *** Prayer in the Midst of Despair; Prayer for Healing |
161 Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart 160 Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart 64 Holy, Holy, Holy 65 Holy, Holy, Holy 198 My Soul Gives Glory to My God *** 522 Leave it There 512 Stand By Me 518 O Thou, In Whose Presence |
| Mark 13:1-8 | Just the Beginning; Signs of the Times |
730 O
Day of God, Draw Nigh 725 Arise, Shine OUt, Your Light Has Come
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| Hebrews 10:11-14 |
Unwavering Hope; Trust in Christ to the End |
462 Tis
So Sweet to Trust in Jesus 337 Only Trust Him 368 My Hope is Built 464 I Will Trust in the Lord
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The simplest instructions can be the hardest to follow. Sometimes it is physically impossible, but that is not the problem most of the time. The difficulty usually lies elsewhere. Sometimes the "simple" instruction does not mean what it says. If you tell someone to freeze, you don't want them to be frozen. You want them to hold still. Sometimes compliance takes time. If you tell a runner, "STOP!", they have to slow down first and then they can stop. Most of the time, though, the problem with following instructions comes from the fact that we just don't want to follow the instructions. There may be no reason, but we can always seem to find an excuse.
It becomes easier to follow an instruction when we know and trust the one who gives it. Trust can be developed in a number of ways. We can learn to trust through our own experiences. After all, experience is the best teacher, right? Unfortunately, experience takes time. It is usually the slowest way to learn, and we may need to know who we can trust right away.
Trust can also be built from the experience of others. Those around us know who to trust based on their experiences, and the experiences of the community. If you need some work done in your home, you might ask a neighbor who they have called on. A recommendation with a good reference helps build that trust.
As Christians, we gain experience with our Lord every day. We also have the witness of the scriptures and faithful people who have trusted God for thousands of years. All of this should teach us to trust Him. We can trust Him with everything that means anything. We can trust Him with our souls. We can trust Him with eternity. We can trust Him in His promises. We can trust Him. We should help others to trust Him, too.
This week's featured hymn was written by John Stockton. Although he wrote many hymns, this is the one that has lived on. There is good reason. The themes in these verses appear in the Bible and in other beloved hymns. Compare the opening words with the third verse of Charles Wesley's Come, Sinners, to the Gospel Feast which says, "Come, all ye souls by sin oppressed." Robert Lowry's hymn Nothing but the Blood captures images from Psalms and the prophets of being washed white as snow. And then there is the chorus, "Only trust Him," "He will save you." This is salvation by faith, the very heart of the Gospel message! With all of these trusted themes, it is no wonder that the hymn calls to us across the generations.
Think about the trustworthy sources that support the themes in this hymn as you read the words:
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1. Come, every soul by sin oppressed, there's mercy with the Lord; and he will surely give you rest, by trusting in his Word. |
2. For Jesus shed his precious blood rich blessings to bestow; plunge now into the crimson flood that washes bright as snow. | |
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3. Yes, Jesus is the truth the way that leads you into rest; believe in him without delay, and you are fully blest. |
4. Come then and join this holy band, and on to glory go, to dwell in that celestial land where joys immortal flow. | |
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Only trust Him. It is a simple instruction. The more we trust Him, the easier it is to follow.
God bless you--
Lection at HymnSite.com
God bless you!
| Passages suggested are from The Revised Common Lectionary: Consultation on Common Texts (Abingdon Press, 1992) copyright © by the Consultation on Common Texts (CCT), P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville TN 37203-0003. Reprinted with permission of CCT. |