X8. Reflections: Dec.18

31 December 2018

What Shall I Give Thee, Master?

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Words: Homer W. Grimes (no data available)
Music: Homer W. Grimes

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (none)
Hymnary.org

Note: Rev. Homer W. Grimes was an American evangelist and gospel song writer who served the Lord, with both music and the spoken word, during the mid-twentieth century. Here is his advertising for a series of his meetings. Little more is known of him. He wrote words and music for Jesus Gives Me a Song, and another called simply Singing (“My soul has found its music…). His song, What Shall I Give Thee, Master? was published in 1934. It speaks well to the issue discussed below.

When Christmas approaches, or a birthday celebration, we likely begin thinking about what would make an appropriate and appreciated gift for someone. In some cases, it could be an easy matter to deal with. In others, for various reasons, it could be a challenge.

If the gift is for a young person just setting up house, many needs might suggest themselves. Or if it’s someone passionate about a particular hobby, that might provide some options. But what if it’s someone hard to buy for? It’s not a very glamorous or creative gift, but money is often given. Then the individual can purchase something needed or desired. A slightly different choice is a gift card for some shop or restaurant we know the person likes.

But what if he or she is extremely wealthy, and seems to have everything already? What would ten dollars in a greeting card do for Bill Gates? To an infinitely greater degree, Christian are put in such a position, when it comes to giving to the Lord.

God created all things (Col. 1:16; Rev. 4:11). This gives Him the rights of ownership over them. How can one of His creatures enrich the Lord of creation? David recognized the problem. After he’d collected the materials for his son Solomon to use in building the temple in Jerusalem, David offered a prayer of thanksgiving to God, saying:

“Who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You” (I Chron. 29:14).

Actually, the solution to what we can give is we can give God ourselves. Though He has the rights of a Creator over us, this goes a step further in that it’s a willing surrender. The Bible puts it this way:

“ I beseech [plead with] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God [because of all He’s done for you], that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1).

There are several things to note in this important verse. This is something we should do willingly. God is requesting it, not ordering it. He wants it to come from the heart. Second, we should act in thankful recognition of the blessings of our salvation through faith in Christ. Third, when we commit our “bodies” to Him, this includes all of their gifts and potential–our time, talents and treasures. And finally, in contrast to the Old Testament animal sacrifices which were slain, this is to be a living sacrifice, the surrender of our lives to Him.

The dedication of ourselves will include our consistent obedience to the Lord, and ongoing trust in Him. It will also involve, our service for Him. We are to “serve the Lord with gladness” (Ps. 100:2). And “we should serve in the newness of the Spirit” (Rom. 7:6), “not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:11). “As each one has received a gift [time, talents, treasures], minister it [serve with it] to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (I Pet. 4:10). These are appropriate gifts for the Lord.

1) What shall I give Thee, Master?
Thou who didst die for me.
Shall I give less of what I possess,
Or shall I give all to Thee?

Jesus, my Lord and Saviour,
Thou hast giv’n all for me;
Thou didst leave Thy home above
To die on Calvary.
What shall I give Thee, Master?
Thou hast giv’n all for me;
Not just a part or half of my heart,
I will give all to Thee.

3) What shall I give Thee, Master?
Giver of gifts divine.
I will not hold time, talents or gold–
For everything shall be Thine.

Questions:
1) What do you think of the old expression “saved to serve”?

2) What God-given gifts are you currently using to serve the Lord?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (none)
Hymnary.org

24 December 2018

Tell Me His Name Again

Robert Cottrill X8. Reflections: Dec.18

Words: George Bennard (b. Feb. 4, 1873; d. Oct. 10, 1958)
Music: George Bennard

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (George Bennard)
The Cyber Hymnal (George Bennard)
Hymnary.org

Note: George Bennard was an American evangelist and gospel song writer. For some years, he and his wife worked with the Salvation Army. But later he ministered on his own, in both the United States and Canada. The story behind the present song reminded both my wife and me of another, the one behind the song Tell It Again.

When a couple is expecting the birth of a baby, there’s often much discussion about what that new son or daughter will be called. Perhaps the child will be named after a relative, or some famous person. Or a name will be chosen for its meaning, to encourage good character and worthy aspirations.

Many sons are named after their fathers. But few would go to the extreme of former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman. He has five sons, all named George! Not only does this seem to show a lack of creativity, it’s also a recipe for confusion. To avoid this, each of the five is often called by a nickname: George Junior, Monk, Big Wheel, Red, and Little Joey.

Someone has counted 3,237 personal names in the Bible. The longest is Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isa. 8:1, 3), and several, with only two letters, such as Er (Gen. 38:3) and Og (Num. 21:33), tie for the shortest. A number of names are used by more than one person. For example, there are three Sauls, and several Marys. But there are also quite a few characters entering Bible history who are not named at all.

Perhaps surprisingly, there are 956 names or descriptive titles for God in the Scriptures. Like the facets of a diamond, each shines with its own beauty, and reveals something special about the person of the Lord. He is Almighty God (Gen. 17:1), the I AM (Exod. 3:14), the Most High God (Ps. 78:35), and much more.

When we get to the New Testament, and beginning with the very first verse, the incarnation of God the Son brings the introduction of the personal name Jesus, used more than nine hundred times. Jesus translates the Greek form of the Old Testament Hebrew name Joshua. It means the Lord [Jehovah] Is Salvation, marking Him out as the Saviour.

“She [Mary] will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).

Many times in the Word of God the name Jesus is tied to a declaration of His saving purpose and power. “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Tim. 1:15). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). He is “our Lord and Saviour” (II Pet. 1:11; 3:18). And, as Christians, we are expecting His second coming. We’re “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ” (Tit. 2:13).

Years ago, when China was open to the proclamation of the gospel, a missionary doctor told of a very old woman who attended one of his church services, and listened intently to the simple message of Jesus’ love for lost sinners. He reported that, after the message was given, she opened her heart to the gospel. Leaving the meeting, she trudged miles back along the dusty road to her humble home. But many days later she returned to the mission station, and said to the doctor, “He has saved me, but I cannot remember His name. Will you tell me His name again?”

That story touched the heart of George Bennard. In 1913 he’d written what has become one of our best known hymns, The Old Rugged Cross. But two decades afterward he gave us a lesser known song, Tell Me His Name Again, inspired by the question of the elderly Chinese woman.

1) They told me love’s sweetest story,
They told me a wonderful name.
It thrilled all my soul with its glory,
It burned in my heart like a flame.
They told me of One who so loved me
That in heaven He could not remain;
He came down to seek and to save me,
Oh, tell me His name again.

Oh, tell me His name again,
And sing me that sweet refrain,
Of Him who in love came down from above,
To die on the cross of shame.
The story my heart has stirred,
The sweetest I’ve ever heard;
It banishes fear, it brings hope and cheer,
Oh, tell me His name again.

2) They say He was born in a manger,
That there was “no room in the inn;”
That in His own world was a stranger,
Yet loved it in spite of its sin.
They say that His path led to Calv’ry,
And that one day He died there in shame;
He gave His great life as a ransom,
Oh, tell me His name again.

It’s JESUS–a truly wonderful name!

Questions:
1) When did you first hear about the Lord Jesus?

2) What is your favourite hymn about Him?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (George Bennard)
The Cyber Hymnal (George Bennard)
Hymnary.org

17 December 2018

My Task

Robert Cottrill X8. Reflections: Dec.18

Words: Maude Louise Ray (b. ___, circa 1880; d. (date unknown); S. H. Pickup (b. ___, 1877; d. ___, 1952)
Music: Emma Louise Hindle Ashford (b. Mar. 27, 1850; d. Sept. 22, 1930)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Around the beginning of the twentieth century, Maude Louise Ray was the assistant editor of a magazine called The New York Evangelist. She wrote a brief poem summarizing Christian duty, calling it My Task. Later, a pastor (likely Stanley Howard Pickup, of Ontario, according to the Cyber Hymnal) added a third and final stanza.

The word “task” has been around for centuries. We may use it to refer to work of any kind, but there’s often an added dimension to it. A task can be defined as an assigned duty. The original was related to the word tax. It’s labour we have been called to perform, a responsibility that’s been laid upon us.

A parent may say to a son or daughter in the home, “I want your room tidied up before supper.” Or an employer may say to an office worker, “See that those files are sorted in alphabetical order.” In either case there is a prescribed duty involved, an obligation to be fulfilled.

The word is found in the Bible a number of times. When the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt, they were commanded to make bricks for Pharaoh’s building projects, and treated harshly if the quota was not met. “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick?” (Exod. 5:14). Later, regarding the holy duties of the Levites, God said, “Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint each of them to his service and his task” (Num. 4:19).

The priests and Levites were to be materially cared for by the nation, so they could give their time to religious duties. In Nehemiah’s day, he assigned to trustworthy workers the distribution of food to them. “They were considered faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren” (Neh. 13:13).

The word task isn’t found in the New Testament (New King James Version), but words such as duty, ought, owe, and due, convey a similar meaning. For example, if we claim to be believers, we should act like it. “He who says he abides in Him [i.e. is in fellowship with the Lord] ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (I Jn. 2:6).

“We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples [failings] of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Rom. 15:1). We should thank God for spiritual progress of others (II Thess. 1:3; 2:13). And, as with Israel under the Mosaic Law, Christians in the local church are to support materially and help the servants of God (Rom. 15:27; I Cor. 9:9-11).

We each should show love to one another, emulating the sacrificial love of Christ (I Jn. 4:11; 3:16). This love is demonstrated with stunning humility in the upper room. So much so that, at first, Peter shrank from it. There, their Master and Lord took the place of a servant, and washed the feet of the others (Jn. 13:2-11). Then, He said:

“If I, your teacher and Lord, have washed your feet, you must be ready to wash one another’s feet. I have given you this as an example so that you may do as I have done” (Jn. 13:14-15).

The example, of course, is one of humble service, and not confined to one thing. Foot washing was a common need at that time, because of dusty roads and the open sandals that were worn. Our own service, in the name of Christ, may consist of a wide variety of things. But there is to be no pride in it.

“When you have done all those things which you are commanded [by the Lord], say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’” (Lk. 17:10).

The song we’re looking at here speaks of such things as love, servanthood, purity, prayer, consistency, and obedience to God. It’s what we’re to do, as Christians. That’s part of our God-given task.

CH-1) To love someone more dearly every day,
To help a wandering child to find his way,
To ponder o’er a noble thought and pray,
And smile when evening falls,
And smile when evening falls:
This is my task.

CH-2) To follow truth as blind men long for light,
To do my best from dawn of day till night,
To keep my heart fit for His holy sight,
And answer when He calls,
And answer when He calls:
This is my task.

CH-3) And then my Saviour by and by to meet,
When faith hath made her task on earth complete,
And lay my homage at the Master’s feet,
Within the jasper walls,
Within the jasper walls:
This crowns my task.

Questions:
1) Looked at in the light of this song, what are your God-given “tasks” today?

2) How well did you do with the tasks God gave you yesterday?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

10 December 2018

You Must Open the Door

Robert Cottrill X8. Reflections: Dec.18

Words: Ina Duley Ogdon (b. Apr. 3, 1872; d. May 18, 1964)
Music: Homer Alvan Rodeheaver (b. Oct. 4, 1880; d. Dec. 18, 1955)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Ina Ogdon)
The Cyber Hymnal (Ina Ogdon)
Hymnary.org

Note: In 1934, Ina Ogdon published You Must Open the Door. Mrs. Ogdon and her husband James were both school teachers in Ohio. She wrote many gospel songs as well, including the popular Brighten the Corner Where You Are, which has a touching story behind it. The present song captures the theme of a text in Revelation.

Security devices of all kinds are popular these days–cameras and alarms that can be set up in a home to thwart burglers. When an intruder tries to enter, perhaps lights go on, sirens sound, and the would-be thief’s image is recorded. There may also be an automatic phone call to the security firm. It seems to work. Owning a dog often does too. It’s estimated that houses without some kind of security system are three times more likely to be broken into.

On the other hand, most of us enjoy welcoming family and friends into our home. There’s a humorous welcome mat that, instead of being imprinted with the usual WELCOME, says, “Oh no! Not You Again!” But that’s meant as a joke. We likely look forward to having visitors. We just want to be allowed the right to decide who, and when.

Burglary is an unwanted and unwelcome violation of our space, it involves a forced entry into the place where we want to feel comfortable and safe. It’s the intrusion of someone determined to do us harm in one way or another. Millions of home burglaries occur in North America each year. About a third of them include a physical assault. But even if nothing valuable is taken, and no one’s physically harmed, a break-in can instill fear and anxiety that lingers for a long time.

The word welcome is used several times in the New Testament, translating several different Greek words. One of these (hupodechomai) means to take by the hand, to receive as a guest. For example, we read that when the Lord Jesus came to the town of Bethany, “a certain woman named Martha [the sister of Mary and Lazarus] welcomed Him into her house” (Lk. 10:38). A tax collector named Zacchaeus did the same, and “received Him joyfully” (Lk. 19:6).

The Apostle Paul commends the Thessalonian believers for welcoming God’s truth.

“You received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God” (I Thess. 2:13).

Today, Christ is not physically present in the world. But we welcome Him into our hearts and lives when we believe what the Bible says about Him. The Lord Jesus says,

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine [feast and fellowship] with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20).

That invitation was extended to a lukewarm, self-satisfied church that seems to have shut the Lord out (vs. 16-17). But it can also represent the individual who is called upon to receive (believe on and trust in) the Saviour.

“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (cf. Jn. 1:12).

Revelation 3:20 is depicted in a famous painting by William Holman Hunt (1827-1910). Hunt called it The Light of the World. It pictures Christ, holding a lantern, standing before a door, preparing to knock. A notable thing about the painting is that there is no handle or latch on the outside of the door. The wordless message is that the one inside must open the door to Christ. He graciously waits a welcome into the individual’s life.

1) There’s a Saviour who stands at the door of your heart;
He is longing to enter–why let Him depart?
He has patiently called you so often before,
But you must open the door.

You must open the door,
You must open the door;
When Jesus comes in, He will save you from sin,
But you must open the door.

2) He has come from the Father salvation to bring,
And His name is called Jesus, Redeemer and King;
To save you and keep you He pleads evermore,
But you must open the door.

Questions:
1) Have you welcomed the Lord Jesus into your heart and life? (If not, I invite you to read God’s Plan of Salvation.)

2) How are you sharing, or helping others to share, the wonderful message of salvation?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Ina Ogdon)
The Cyber Hymnal (Ina Ogdon)
Hymnary.org

3 December 2018

Stand by Me

Robert Cottrill X8. Reflections: Dec.18

Words: Charles Albert Tindley (b. July 7, 1851; d. July 26, 1933)
Music: Charles Albert Tindley

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Charles Tindley)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Charles Tindley married Daisy Henry when he was seventeen. Together they had eight children, some of whom would later assist him with the publication of his hymns. One of the sons, Albert, sang at our church in Ontario, many years ago.

The young man busied himself tidying and sweeping the floor of a small church in Philadelphia. He was the janitor, and this was part of his regular routine. Little in his life at that time suggested the wonderful ways God would use him in the future.

He was Charles Albert Tindley. His story is one of striving to overcome hardship, and succeeding, by the grace of God. The African American son of Charles and Esther Tindley, Charles’s father was a slave, but his mother was a free woman. Thus, he was born free, but brought up among enslaved people. His mother died when he was four years old, and he was separated from his father a year later. Charles was raised by his Aunt Caroline.

In that day, slave owners considered it dangerous for blacks to receive an education. But after the Emancipation Proclamation young Charles taught himself to read and write. He moved to Philadelphia, where he started work as a janitor, attending school in the evenings, and taking a correspondence course. He mastered Hebrew and Greek, largely on his own, and prepared himself for Christian ministry.

In 1902 he became the pastor of the church where he’d once worked as janitor. It grew steadily under his leadership until, at the time of his death, it had 12,500 members. Most unusual for the time, it was an integrated congregation, with both blacks and whites serving in leadership positions. In spite of Pastor Tindley’s objections, the church was renamed the Tindley Temple Methodist Church.

As well as being a busy pastor, Charles Tindley wrote a number of fine gospel songs. In fact, he is considered one of the founding fathers of American gospel music. He wrote: We’ll Understand It Better By and By; Nothing Between My Soul and the Saviour; and Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There. His song I’ll Overcome Some Day was adapted by the Civil Rights Movement, and became We Shall Overcome.

What we’ll look at here is Tindley’s 1905 song Stand by Me. There’s a popular song from 1960 that uses that title–and even claims to be inspired by the original. But there’s a serious difference. The later number is a love song (“Darlin’ Stand by Me”), whereas Tindley’s is a prayer hymn, that makes clear again and again he’s calling on God for help.

To “stand by” someone is to be loyal and supportive, and the Bible tells us, especially in the book of Psalms, that the Lord draws near, and stands by those who trust in Him. “You are near, O Lord,” says the psalmist (Ps. 119:151).

¤ “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1).

¤ “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth” (Ps. 145:18).

But the Lord Jesus identified a problem with some of His hearers. “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honour Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matt. 15:8). Yet when we truly seek Him, in sincerity, He is there.“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (Jas. 4:8).

There are five solid stanzas to Charles Tindley’s song. One seems to make reference to his struggle against racial prejudice: “In the midst of persecution, stand by me” (Stanza 4).

CH-1) When the storms of life are raging,
Stand by me;
When the storms of life are raging,
Stand by me;
When the world is tossing me
Like a ship upon the sea
Thou who rulest wind and water,
Stand by me.

CH-2) In the midst of tribulation,
Stand by me;
In the midst of tribulation,
Stand by me;
When the hosts of hell assail,
And my strength begins to fail,
Thou who never lost a battle,
Stand by me.

CH-5) When I’m growing old and feeble,
Stand by me;
When I’m growing old and feeble,
Stand by me;
When my life becomes a burden,
And I’m nearing chilly Jordan,
O Thou “Lily of the Valley,”
Stand by me.

Questions:
1) In what experience in the past were you especially conscious of the Lord standing by you?

2) For what trouble or trial ahead do you need the Lord to stand by you?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Charles Tindley)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org