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Life’s Railway to Heaven

Words: M. E. Abbey (no data available; see note below)
Music: Charles Davis Tillman (b. March 20, 1861; d. Sept. 2, 1943)

Note: There’s some uncertainty about the origin of this song. M. E. Abbey, a Baptist pastor in Georgia at the time, is credited with the words–at least of the refrain. And singing evangelist and music publisher Charles Davis Tillman composed the tune. Whether that is the full story is open to question.

Some suggest that Eliza Roxcy Snow Young (1804-1887), the polygamous wife of Mormon leader Brigham Young, may have supplied some of the text, but I’ve seen no conclusive evidence of that. Charles Tillman set one of Eliza Young’s poems (Truth Reflects Upon Our Senses) to the tune used later for the present hymn. The words by Young are completely different from those of the Railway Song, except that Abbey’s refrain is used in it. That may account for the confusion. Perhaps M. E. Abbey wrote the whole text of the railway song.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Fictional movie character Forrest Gump said it: “My momma always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” It’s an apt description, at least of one aspect of our lives. The way unexpected things can happen to us.

Many others have tried to sum life up: “Life is like a mirror. If you frown at it, it frowns back. If you smile, it returns the greeting.” Or, “Life is like walking through snow. Every step shows.” Or, how about, “Life is like an eraser. It gets smaller and smaller after every mistake.” Then there’s, “Life is like a bar of soap. Once you think you’ve got a hold of it, it slips away.” Or, “Life is like a hot bath. It feels good while you’re in it, but the longer you stay in the more wrinkled you get.”

In the Bible, the emphasis in poetic descriptions of life is often focused on its brevity. Even when an individual lives eighty or ninety years, or perhaps beyond that, what is that span in comparison to eternity? “What is your life? It is even a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (Jas. 4:14).

Others speak in a similar vein. Life is like: a flash flood, a short sleep, grass that sprouts and is quickly mowed down (Ps. 90:5-6), and like drifting smoke (Ps. 102:3). Job, in particular, in the midst of what seems almost unparalleled suffering, used a number of graphic metaphors. Life is like: a swift weaver’s shuttle (Job 7:6), a breath (7:7), a cloud that vanishes away (7:9), a speedy runner (9:25), a swift ship, a swooping eagle (9:36), a fading flower, and a passing shadow (14:2).

A more positive analogy is used frequently in both Old Testament and New. The life of the believer is said to be a pilgrimage. Even though it may seem long and painful, it’s brief in terms of eternity. It’s a time-limited journey through this sinful world, where we are aliens pilgrims, traveling on to our true and final home in heaven.

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims [aliens and temporary residents], abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles [the unsaved].

I Pet. 2:11-12; cf. Ps. 39:12; 119:19

An interesting take on the pilgrimage imagery is found in the gospel song Life’s Railway to Heaven. Published in 1890, it describes the Christian life as a journey on a railroad, a trip that requires courage, and alertness to danger, as we travel toward our destination.

The song has been much recorded, even by secular artists. There’s no rich doctrinal content or deep devotional thought here. But even so, the lyrics are interesting, and no doubt have special meaning for those familiar with railroad jargon.

(1) Life is like a mountain railroad,
With an Engineer that’s brave;
We must make the run successful,
From the cradle to the grave;
Watch the curves, the fills, the tunnels;
Never falter, never quail;
Keep your hand upon the throttle,
And your eye upon the rail.

Blessed Saviour, Thou wilt guide us,
Till we reach that blissful shore;
Where the angels wait to join us
In Thy praise forevermore.

(2) You will roll up grades of trial;
You will cross the bridge of strife;
See that Christ is your conductor
On this lightning train of life;
Always mindful of obstruction,
Do your duty, never fail;
Keep your hand upon the throttle,
And your eye upon the rail.

Questions:

  1. 1) What are some good things and bad things about a train trip that could illustrate life?
  2. Is there enough Bible truth in this song that you would use it with a congregation?

Links:

Jesus, Before Thy Face We Fall

Words: C. Medley (see note below)
Music: Germany, from Sacred Melodies, by William Gardiner (b. March 15, 1770; d. Nov. 16, 1853.

Note: Some hymn books credit this hymn to Samuel Medley, but I’m not sure about that designation. Others have it written by “C. Medley,” whose details are totally unknown. You will note in many books that the hymn is written in the first person singular–I, me, and my. The version I will use below uses the first person plural–we, us and our–making occasional changes in the rhyme to fit that.

The tune, Germany, which is also used with Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness, poses something of a mystery for hymn historians. Gardiner himself said he thought it came from somewhere in the works of Beethoven, but he couldn’t recall where. You will see hymn books that credit Beethoven as the composer, but extensive research has never found anything like it in the great composer’s work. Another historian has noted a similarity to a piece by Mozart.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Sanctuary is a word used in several different ways. It can identify a place of refuge or safety, such as an area set aside as a wildlife sanctuary. It can also be a sacred or holy place set aside for a religious purpose. The auditorium in a church where the congregation gathers to worship is called the sanctuary.

The word is found more than one hundred and fifty times in the Bible. The people of Israel are called God’s sanctuary, as He promised to dwell in their midst (Ps. 114:2), and the land God gave to them also is called a sanctuary–being both a place set aside for them by God, and a place of God’s protection of His people (Exod. 15:17).

The tabernacle, Israel’s portable worship centre in the wilderness, is designated that way (Exod. 25:8), as is the later permanent temple in Jerusalem (I Chron. 22:19). The altar of sacrifice was nearby, where sacrificial offerings were made. At the four corners of the altar were horn-like projections. When an individual was accused of treason or murder, he could flee to the altar and grasp one of the horns. It became a place of sanctuary (safety) until his case was decided (Exod. 21:13-14; I Kgs. 1:50; 2:28).

In both structures, tabernacle and temple, there was a room set aside as the holy of holies, or the Most Holy place. That was where the Lord revealed the brightness of His glorious presence between two golden angels, above what was called the mercy seat (Ps. 80:1). That was a sanctuary separated from the rest of the tabernacle or temple by a heavy curtain or veil (Lev. 4:6).

The place where God dwells in heaven is also called His sanctuary (Ps. 102:19), and it is the sacred and eternal refuge of the saints. Then, in the most ultimate and final sense, God Himself is the sanctuary of the redeemed. John says concerning his vision of heaven, “I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple (Rev. 21:22; cf. Isa. 8:14).

This latter application of the word sanctuary to God Himself should be a comfort and encouragement to every believer.

  • “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble” (Ps. 9:9).
  • “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1).
  • “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust’” (Ps. 91:2).

There is a lovely hymn on that theme which is notable for two mysteries, one concerning the words, the other concerning the music, as mentioned above. In any event, this does not affect the message of the hymn. It says:

1. Jesus, before Thy feet we fall–
Our Lord, our life, our hope, our all!
For we have nowhere else to flee–
No sanctuary, Lord, but Thee.

2. In Thee we ev’ry glory view,
Of safety, strength, and beauty too:
‘Tis all our rest and peace to see
Our sanctuary, Lord, in Thee.

3. Whatever woes and fears betide,
In Thy blest presence we may hide;
And, while we rest our souls in Thee,
Thou wilt our Sanctuary be!

5. Apace the solemn hour draws nigh,
When we must bow our heads and die;
But O, what joy this witness gives–
Jesus, our Sanctuary, lives!

6. He from the grave our dust will raise,
We in the heav’ns will sing His praise;
And when in glory we appear,
He’ll be our Sanctuary there.

Questions:

  1. Is there a particular trial from which you need sanctuary today?
  2. How might you serve the Lord by being a sanctuary for some other person in need?

Links:

I Left It All with Jesus

Words: Ellen H. Willis (no data available)
Music: James McGranahan (b. July 4, 1840; d. July 9, 1907)

Note: Nothing much is known of the author and composer of this hymn. The Cyber Hymnal lists James McGranahan as the composer of the tune, and has the song originating in 1875. But there is a version of the hymn from a year earlier–with no mention of McGranahan.

The irregular metre of the earlier version of the words was different: 10.9.9.9.9.3.9.3 as opposed to 11.9.11.9.11.6.11.6 in the Cyber Hymnal’s version with McGranahan’s tune. (If you don’t understand what is meant by these metre numbers, check out the article About That “Metrical Index.” in the Topical Articles.)

Words were added, to fit McGranahan’s different tune, and one hymn book says the song was later “arranged and adapted by WJK.” To me, those initials suggest William James Kirkpatrick (1838-1921). A comparison of the first three lines of stanza one will show how words have been added to fit another metre.

(1874 Version)
I left it all with Jesus long ago;
All my sins I brought Him, and my woe.
When by faith I saw Him on the tree…

(Cyber Hymnal’s 1875 Version)
Oh, I left it all with Jesus, long ago
All my sins I brought Him, and my woe.
When by faith I saw Him bleeding on the tree…

What I’m calling the earlier version used quite a number of different tunes through the years. But a composer that comes up several times is H. M. Warner, sometimes called Miss H. M. Warner, with the author of the text identified as Miss Ellen H. Willis–though one book has the latter as Mrs. Ellen H. Willis! Bottom line, nothing is certain here.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Six hundred years ago they were using the expression: safe kepyng–which has evolved into safekeeping. It refers to that which is securely guarded, and cared for.

Many of us have a safety deposit box at the bank or credit union. Valuables and important documents, such as passports and wills, are given extra protection there. Those of us with computers use passwords to make it more difficult for hackers to get at our personal data. Experts warn us not to use passwords that are so obvious it would be easy to guess them. (Examples of laughably weak ones: password, or 123456.)

But even with elaborate safety measures, there are dangers. Banks are robbed, computers are hacked. Smart people design more protective measures, but there always seem to be even smarter people who find ways to circumvent them. With care–and often at some expense–we can have a reasonable assurance of security, but there is no absolute certainty that what we have guarded is completely safe.

The one exception to this uncertainty is things in God’s care. Missionary Amy Carmichael wrote, “We have proved that it is a very safe thing to trust in the Lord our God.” Pastor and author Charles Swindoll adds, “God never changes; so we are safe when we cling to Him.” David writes, “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Ps. 4:8).

The Bible has many such assurances of the watchful care and infinite protection of the Lord.

“The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them” (Ps. 34:7). “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (II Chron. 16:9). The psalmist testifies, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps. 121:2-4).

These Old Testament texts assured the nation of Israel of God’s safekeeping in their land, if they would trust in Him. But there’s a wonderful New Testament passage guaranteeing the Christian’s spiritual and eternal safety.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

I Pet. 1:3-5

The Lord has an inheritance reserved for us in what we might call the “safety deposit box” of heaven. We can be assured of its safekeeping and, by implication, the certainty that we will one day be able to claim it.

Miss Willis’s hymn begins by telling how, as sinners, we can entrust our sins to the Lord Jesus, who paid our debt to God, on the cross (Jn. 3:16; 5:24). Then it moves on to talk about believers putting themselves in the safekeeping of the Lord Jesus day by day (Prov. 3:5-6).

(1) Oh, I left it all with Jesus, long ago
All my sins I brought Him and my woe.
When by faith I saw Him bleeding on the tree;
Heard His still small whisper, ‘’Tis for thee!’
From my weary heart the burden rolled away;
Happy day! happy day!

(3) Oh, I leave it all with Jesus, day by day;
Faith can firmly trust Him, come what may;
Hope has dropped for aye her anchor, found her rest
In the calm, sure haven of His breast.
Love esteems it joy of heaven to abide
At His side! At His side!

Questions:

  1. What is the result on human beings of the uncertainty of guarantees of protection in this life?
  2. What is it makes you sure that the safekeeping of the Lord is absolutely certain?

Links:

Got Any Rivers You Think Are Uncrossable?

Words: Oscar Carl Eliason (b. Jan. 6, 1902; d. March 1, 1985)
Music: Oscar Carl Eliason

Note: Oscar Carl Eliason was a Swedish-American pastor and evangelist. He was also a poet and composer with fifty hymns to his credit.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

No doubt about it, the building of the Panama Canal was one of the greatest engineering and construction feats in history. The French tried to do it in 1881, but abandoned the project as impossible. The Americans finally took on the mammoth job in 1904, completing the task ten years later.

Connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the canal became a welcome short-cut for shipping, and it avoided the stormy hazards of going south around Cape Horn. The waterway is seventy-seven kilometres long (48 miles), and it takes a ships eight hours to pass through. Since 1914, over a million vessels have done so.

It’s not difficult to imagine that work on the canal, dangerous and difficult as it was, became a source of special pride to those involved. In 1912, poet Berton Braley wrote a song about it called, At Your Service: The Panama Gang. The workmen began singing it everywhere.

Bronzed by the tropical sun that is blistery,
Chockful of energy, vigour and tang,
Trained by the task that’s the biggest in history–
Who has a job for this Panama Gang?

But it was their boast, in the middle of the song, that caught the eye of a pastor decades later. They sang:

Got any river they say is uncrossable?
Got any mountains that can’t be cut through?
We specialize in the wholly impossible,
Doing things ‘nobody ever could do.’

Pastor Eliason was impressed by those four lines of the old song just quoted, but wanted to give them a Christian perspective. You’ll notice no mention is made of God. All the credit for the work accomplished was claimed by the men themselves.

It’s a dangerous thing to rule God out, to brag of being a “self-made man” (or woman). Who gave you existence, to begin with? Who gave you a mind to think with? Who gave your hands the skill to do things? Who gave you opportunities? Who helped you along the way? Even though these things may have been mediated by others, it is God who’s behind them.

The Lord dealt with the Israelites about that. “[When] you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth’…you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth” (Deut. 8:17-18).

A heathen king had similar “I” trouble. Nebuchadnezzar was the powerful ruler of Babylon. He took on massive building projects, heightening his renown. Each brick used in building was stamped with his image. He boasted:

“Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honour of my majesty?” But, “While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you!’” (Dan. 4:30-31). And it had–until he finally came to his senses and gave the Lord the credit He deserves (vs. 34-37).

In 1942, Pastor Eliason published words and music of a little chorus, a revised version of the lines from the song of the Panama Gang. To make it a full gospel song, Eliason later added three stanzas about Joshua, who led the Israelites across the Jordan and in the conquest of Jericho (cf. Josh. 3:7-8, 14-17).

1. ‘Be of good courage,’ God spake unto Joshua,
When o’er the river God pointed the way;
Jordan uncrossable! Things seemed impossible,
Waters divide as they march and obey.

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?
Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through?
God specializes in things thought impossible–
He does the things others cannot do.

A WONDERFUL BOOK. The Eliason family came from Sweden in 1908, settling in the lumber town of Cook, Minnesota, north of Duluth. In those days some incredible missionary work was being done by three men, among the wild and hardened lumberjacks of the vast forests there. They too tackled the impossible, and won, by the grace of God. Their amazing ministry is written up in The Last of the Giants, by Harry Rimmer. The book is available from Amazon (very cheap, if you have a Kindle). Highly recommended. Believe me, you’ve never read a book like it! It will astonish you, and challenge you with what God can do.

Questions:

  1. What “impossible” things has the Lord helped you with (or through) over the past year?
  2. What difficulty do you need to trust Him with these days?

Links:

I Have a Saviour

Words: Robert Harkness (b. March 2, 1880; d. May 8, 1961)
Music: Robert Harkness

Note: In the first half of the twentieth century, Mr. Harkness was a gospel pianist for evangelist Ruben Archer Torrey, and a hymnwriter with many compositions to his credit. In later years, he toured on his own, presenting the gospel in word and song.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

It’s a sad and seemingly heartless procedure. When someone dies, there is usually a sorting and labelling of what are coldly called “the effects of the deceased.” Personal property is either distributed among family and friends–perhaps according to the terms of a will–or it is put up for auction. Some may even be thrown away.

In the classic 1941 motion picture Citizen Kane, we are given a stark look at this end-of-life routine as it relates to the very rich. In the story, Charles Foster Kane begins his adult life as an idealistic newspaper editor, but over time his goals deteriorate into an insatiable thirst for his own power and possessions. In his cavernous mansion, Xanadu, he houses an enormous collection of valuable statuary and paintings.

[Spoiler] When he dies, these all have to be catalogued by a team of people, and we see this happening at the end of the film. What seems to be worthless junk is discarded. One item, a child’s sled, is thrown carelessly into the flames of a furnace. But this action thwarts the attempt to discover the meaning of Kane’s last word, “Rosebud.” It was the brand-name on the sled Charles played with as a boy, a symbol of a simpler and happier time.

For most of us, the accumulation of material things over a lifetime doesn’t really amount to anything like that. It’s all soon boxed and carried away. The Bible puts the things of this life in a proper perspective. God’s Word reminds us:

What do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

I Cor. 4:7

We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

I Tim. 6:7-8

The Lord Jesus encourages us to, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt. 6:20). We are to invest our time, talents, and treasures in achieving eternal goals, living lives that are pleasing to God, and engaging in kingdom business (vs. 33). This will involve showing the love of Christ to others, and encouraging them to put their faith in Him (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 1:16).

No one is poor who has a Saviour. Think of it: God the Son took on our humanity that He–though sinless Himself–might take our place under the wrath of God. When we trust in what He did for us on the cross of Calvary, our debt of sin is canceled and we are welcomed into the family of God. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (II Cor. 8:9).

Victor Hugo’s classic historical novel, Les Misérables (meaning The Wretched Ones), provides a heart-rending example of the self-sacrificing compassion infinitely found in Christ. Jean Valjean, a former convict, spends his life trying to atone for the wrongs he has done. Finally, in court, he takes upon himself charges against an innocent man. Victor Hugo describes this as a “simple and magnificent story of a man giving himself up that another might not be condemned.” And in the most perfect and profound sense, that’s exactly what Jesus did for us.

In 1937, hymnist Robert Harkness published a little song on the theme. His hymn says:

1. I have a Saviour, He died for me
In cruel anguish on Calvary’s tree.
I do not merit such love divine,
Only God’s mercy makes Jesus mine.

Jesus, my Saviour, I come to Thee,
In full surrender, Thine own to be.

2. I have a Keeper, He now prevails,
I fear no evil whate’er assails.
His arms enfold me safe and secure,
In His blest keeping, vict’ry is sure.

3. I have a Master, He bids me go
Rescue lost sinners from sin and woe.
I love to serve Him, this Master true,
Now I am willing His will to do.

Questions:

  1. In material terms, what is the most valuable thing you own?
  2. In spiritual terms, what is your greatest treasure? (And why?)

Links:

Do No Sinful Action

Words: Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander (b. Apr. ___, 1818; d. Oct. 12, 1895)
Music: Newland (or Armstrong), by James Armstrong (b. _____, 1840; d. Apr. 20, 1928)

Note: Cecil Frances Alexander was a busy pastor’s wife in Ireland. She wrote familiar hymns, such as All Things Bright and Beautiful, and There Is a Green Hill Far Away. Most of her songs were to help children understand Christian teaching, and explain to them how to live the Christian life. One of these, published in 1889, is Do No Sinful Action.

The above tune was written for the hymn at Mrs. Alexander’s request. There is another tune I especially like, which I have in an old recording of Scottish tenor Kenneth McKellar. Written by Kenneth George Finlay (1882-1974), it is called Glenfinlas. It is also used with a song called For Thy Daily Mercies, found in “Anywhere” Songs (Intervarsity Press, 1960).

There is a point I must mention, regarding Mrs. Alexander’s beliefs. She wrote on one occasion, “To us in baptism, a new life He hath given, / A better birth than that of earth, and made us heirs of heaven.” That expresses what she and others believe regarding infant baptism. I have a baptismal certificate beside me now, filled out in 1902. It says of the baby, “Christian, dear child, we call thee…now is thy heavenly rest begun.”

But that is certainly not what the Bible teaches about water baptism. It is rightly called by many “believer’s baptism,” as it is a declaration of personal faith in Christ, and an identification with Him in the power of His death and resurrection (Acts 2:37-38; 8:12, 36-37; 9:5-6, 18; 16:30-33; Rom. 6:3-5). Even the Great Commission presupposes teaching and discipleship, implying faith before baptism (Matt. 28:18-20). It’s therefore only appropriate for those who can knowingly choose to trust in the Saviour.

Infant baptism may be an expression of the faith of the parents, but it will not have a spiritual effect on the infant. These things being said, however, there are aspects of this hymn that are appropriate teaching for children who have indeed trusted in Christ as Saviour.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

To label something as “pure” usually means it is one particular thing, without anything alien added or mixed in. One definition says it is free from anything inferior or contaminating.

Pure water has had contaminants filtered out, and minerals removed through distillation or deionization. Defining pure air can be a little less exacting. It’s made up of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and less than 1% of other gases such as carbon dioxide. It may also contain varying amounts of water vapour.

Words such as pure and purity are found in our English Bibles many times. Sometimes physical purity is in view, as in references to “pure gold” (Exod. 25:11). But more often the words speak of godly character and moral cleanness. Paul encourages young Timothy to have a pure heart (II Tim. 2:22), and to set an example of purity of conduct before others (I Tim. 4:12).

If we are speaking of utter and absolute sinless perfection, only the Lord Jesus Christ can be described that way (II Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; I Pet. 2:22; I Jn. 3:5). For the rest of us, sinners all (Rom. 3:23), purity of daily conduct is a relative term or a sincere aspiration. For Christians, it may mean that we have confessed and dealt appropriately with any sin we are aware of, receiving God’s cleansing and forgiveness (I Jn. 1:9). Someone has described that as keeping short accounts with God, not allowing sin to remain that hasn’t been dealt with.

There’s a word the Bible uses to describe such a condition. It is “holiness,” a word meaning, in both Hebrew and Greek, separated or set apart. It’s a term used in various ways, about six hundred times, concerning both God and man. At the level of our daily lives it describes one who consistently keeps away from behaviour that is displeasing to God, one who seeks purity of life day by day (cf. Job 1:1).

Two dangers, when we determine to live this way are hypocrisy and pride. Living a God-honouring Christian life isn’t a matter of being a good actor. Any pretense on our part (hypocrisy), while it may fool others for a while, never deceives the Lord. And if we ever get to the place where we say something like, “I’m a very good person; I don’t sin,” we likely just have! Or else we have a very weak and inadequate view of what sin is.

The gospel message is a simple one, that the Lord Jesus came to earth to take the punishment for our sins on the cross (I Cor. 15:3). When we put our faith in Him as our Saviour, we are born anew into the family of God (Jn. 1:12-13). Even little children are capable of saving faith. In my own case, I trusted in Christ as my Saviour at the age of seven.

To instruct young believers, mostly in words of one syllable, on how to live pure and holy lives, Mrs. Alexander wrote:

(1) Do no sinful action,
Speak no angry word;
Ye belong to Jesus,
Children of the Lord.

(2) Christ is kind and gentle,
Christ is pure and true;
And His little children
Must be holy, too.

The hymn also warns of the active enemy of our souls, the devil, who tempts and seeks to lure us astray (I Pet. 5:8). “Ye must not hear him” (stanza four) means don’t heed him, don’t do as Satan is prompting you to do.)

(3) There’s a wicked spirit
Watching round you still
And he tries to tempt you
To all harm and ill.

(4) But ye must not hear him,
Though ’tis hard for you
To resist the evil,
And the good to do.

Helpful words for older Christians, as well as young ones.

Questions:

  1. What do you believe is the biblical view of water baptism?
  2. Is this a suitable children’s hymn for today?

Links:

As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams

Words: Psalm 42, metric version by Nahum Tate (b. _____, 1652; d. Aug. 12, 1715); and Nicholas Brady (b. Oct. 25, 1659; d. May 20, 1726)
Music: Spohr, by Ludwig Spohr (b. Apr. 5, 1784; d. Oct. 22, 1859)

Note: The first complete English version of the psalms in metrical form (written in versified form, to be sung as hymns) was completed in 1562, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It provided the church with psalms to sing for a century and a half, but it lacked the smoothness and elegance of holy Scripture. Psalm 42 began:

Like as the hart doth pant and bray,
The well-springs to obtain.

Something better was called for, and an improved version was produced in 1696, by Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady. Tate graduated from Trinity College in Dublin. He was a distinguished playwright in his day, and in 1692 he became Britain’s poet laureate. Brady was an Anglican clergyman, and the chaplain of King William II and Queen Anne.

Tate and Brady’s original covered the whole psalm, but usually only four or five stanzas are used today. One stanza that is omitted voices the mocking enemies of Psalm 42, vs 3 in this colourful way:

Tears are my constant food, while thus
Insulting foes upbraid:
“Deluded wretch! Where’s now thy God?
And where His promised aid?”

As to the tune, It is a Common Metre melody (8.6.8.6). If you aren’t sure what that means, you can check out my article About That “Metrical Index”. I prefer one of the following tunes to Spohr’s: Belmont, Beatitudo, or Crimond.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Fox hunting was legal in Britain for five hundred years, but was finally outlawed in 2005. Some have argued that it’s part of rural culture and should remain, but the general opinion now is that it’s an unnecessary cruelty to the animals. While it is still legal to shoot foxes as a means of pest control, the traditional hunt is no more.

The hunt involved a group of unarmed enthusiasts on horseback, outfitted in black caps and scarlet tunics. Led by the master of the hounds, riders followed a pack of foxhounds searching for the scent of a red fox. Because the course often wound through brush, and over uneven ground, great skill was needed on the part of the riders. When the dogs picked up a scent, the frantic chase began and, unless the fox managed to gain the safety of its borrow, it was usually cornered, killed, and eaten by the hounds.

The first hunter mentioned in the Bible is Nimrod, the founder of Babel, which later became Babylon (Gen. 10:9-10). Isaac’s son Esau is also described as a “skillful hunter” (Gen. 25:27). He used to hunt game from which to make a tasty stew, a favourite of his father’s (Gen. 27:3-4). Proverbs describes, as an example of sloth, killing game and not bothering to cook and eat it. “The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting” (Prov. 12:27).

Hunting animals for sport and for food continues to this day all over the world. We can reject the extremes of the animal-rights activists, but still be uncomfortable with prolonging the agony of the hunted. Some sympathy for the creatures involved is appropriate, decrying any unnecessary harassment and torment of the beast. The exhausting, heart-pounding chase, the tongue lolling thirst, the desperate wild-eyed panic of the animal, seem difficult to regard as a means of amusement.

That leads us to Psalm 42, and a hymn that is based upon it. Tate and Brady’s version begins:

(1) As pants the hart for cooling streams,
When heated in the chase,
So longs my soul, O God, for Thee,
And Thy refreshing grace.

That takes an interesting liberty with verse one of the psalm, which says nothing about a “chase.” However, the psalmist later describes being oppressed and taunted by enemies (vs. 3, 9-10), so it seems an appropriate paraphrase–and otherwise, why is the deer panting, if it is not chased?

The point of the author of the psalm is that he has a desperate longing for God. In applying the poetic imagery he says, “My soul thirsts for the living God” (vs. 2). David expresses something similar. “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water” (Ps. 63:1).

That is the kind of thirst that leads to spiritual discovery. And there is no more desperate hunt for the thirsty soul, and no more rewarding pursuit. The Lord says to the longing one: “You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13). May we respond, as David did, “Early will I seek You.”

(3) God of my strength, how long shall I
Like one forgotten mourn,
Forlorn, forsaken and exposed
To my oppressor’s scorn?

(4) 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.

Questions:

  1. Do you have those who mock your Christian faith? What do you do about that?
  2. How will a spiritual thirst for God show itself in our lives?

Links:

Precious Hiding Place

Words: Avis Marguerite Burgeson Christiansen (b. Oct. 11, 1895; d. Jan. 14, 1985)
Music: Wendell Phillips Loveless (b. Feb, 2, 1892; d. Oct. 3, 1987)

Note: Avis, a lifelong resident of Chicago, was married to Ernest Christiansen, a vice president of Moody Bible Institute. Beginning in 1916, and for about sixty years afterward, Mrs. Christiansen produced hundreds of hymns that have blessed the Christian community. The Wordwise link focuses on Mr. Loveless, but it also provides links to Avis Christiansen.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

In 1940, the Nazis invaded the Netherlands, beginning a reign of terror and cruel abuse, particularly for the Jewish people there. But, throughout the land, the Dutch underground fought to frustrate the plans of the invaders, and Christians risked their lives to help the Jews.

One family that did lived in the town of Haarlem. Casper ten Boom had a watch repair shop, and above the shop was the family’s living quarters. There lived Casper (an elderly widower), and his daughters Corrie and Betsie. When they became burdened for the plight of the Jews, they sealed off a section of Corrie’s bedroom as a hidden compartment. It became known as “the hiding place,” from Psalm 119:114:

“You [God] are my hiding place [my secret, sheltered place].”

Over many months, there were always people concealed there–some were Jews, others were members of the Dutch underground. In addition, Corrie became a ringleader in the resistance, and sought out other courageous families willing to hide more. In spite of extreme danger to themselves, it’s estimated the ten Booms saved the lives of some 800 Jews during the war. When reminded of the fearsome danger, Casper declared, “It would be an honour to give my life for God’s ancient people.”

Sadly, the family was eventually betrayed, and arrested. Casper died ten days afterward. Corrie and Betsie were moved from one concentration camp to another. While there, the two sisters showed the love of Christ, not only to other prisoners in the camp, but toward their captors as well. Using a Bible she had smuggled in, Corrie also taught the other women God’s Word, and many came to faith. Betsie eventually sickened and died, but Corrie survived and returned home in 1945. She went on to many years of active service for the Lord, until her death in 1983.

A number of times in the book of Psalms we read of the Lord Himself being a “hiding place,” a secure shelter for His people.

You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah [Think of that!].

Ps. 32:7

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.

Ps. 91:1-2

The ten Boom’s home, the refuge God provided through concerned believers, was a physical one. But we can face other dangers too. We have a spiritual enemy as well, the devil, who is constantly “seeking whom he may devour” (I Pet. 5:8). Though he has human beings in his camp who oppose the cause of Christ, he and his demon army are a spiritual danger from their schemes and temptations. We need God’s protection from them, as sheep do from a shepherd.

The Lord Jesus portrayed Himself as a shepherd, and His followers as sheep under His care. “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own” (Jn. 10:14). He also spoke of Himself as “the door of the sheep [i.e. of the sheepfold]” (vs. 7). It pictures how the shepherd often posted himself at the entrance to the fold, defending the flock from thieves and animal predators.

In 1918 Avis Christiansen published a gospel song about God’s sheltering care. It says:

(1) I was straying when Christ found me
In the night so dark and cold;
Tenderly His arm went round me,
And He bore me to His fold.

Precious hiding place,
Precious hiding place,
In the shelter of His love;
Not a doubt or fear,
Since my Lord is near,
And I’m sheltered in His love.

(2) With His nail-scarred hand He brought me
To the shelter of His love;
Of His grace and will He taught me,
And of heav’nly rest above.

Questions:

  1. In what way has the Lord protected you in recently days?
  2. Can you think of other hymns that speak of the Lord’s shelter and protection?

Links:

Others

Words: Charles D. Meigs (b. Sept. 20, 1846; d. May 13, 1920)
Music: Elizabeth McEwen Shields (b. _____, 1879; d. ________)

Note: The hymn’s author was the son of famed obstetrician Charles Delucena Meigs. Dr. Meigs was an early advocate for surgeons washing their hands, believing that disease could be transmitted by a physician’s hands. The son took an active interest in the Sunday School. He was part owner of a publishing firm, but sold his interest in the business so he could give more time to Christian work.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

There are many long words in the English language–words of five syllables and more. In the film, Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews sings a fun song using a word with thirty-four letters: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. It is an actual word, referring to something extremely beautiful and good. But the longest English word of all is apparently this one:

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

That’s a forty-five-letter monster identifying a lung disease that can be contracted from inhaling fine volcanic dust. What a big word! Fortunately for doctors, and for all of us, it is medically the same as silicosis!

But let’s look at it a bit differently. There are sometimes very short words that have a significance far beyond their size. They are big words in another sense.

Missionary to India, Amy Carmichael (1867-1951) wrote a book with the short title If. It provides a penetrating and convicting look at Christian discipleship, and our tendency to personal pride and lack of love for others. For example she writes, “If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word, then I know nothing of Calvary love, for a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted.” (That reminded me of a recent display of bad temper in the Canadian House of Commons!)

“If” is a big word. An even bigger one is “I.” And Miss Carmichael is actually speaking of how I, me and my can get in the way of our service for God. A self-centred life will be hindered in loving others, and also in honouring the Lord consistently. The person who is self-willed, self-seeking, and self-serving likely has spiritual “I trouble.”

The Bible gives us an example of that with a rich man the Lord spoke of in a parable (Lk. 12:16-21). In three verses he uses personal pronouns a dozen times, including four “I will’s.” But God called him a fool, saying all his grandiose plans would come to a crashing halt with his death–that very night. With no thought of using his wealth to bless others, his attitude was nothing like the love of Christ Amy Carmichael wrote about. The Saviour “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us” (Tit. 2:14).

Isaiah 14, verses 12-15 describe the self-serving sinful ambition that turned a powerful angel named Lucifer (literally, the Shining One) into a wicked spirit we call Satan.

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’”

Isa. 14:12-14

Lucifer was a cherub appointed to attend the throne of God (Ezek. 28:14-15), but he began to covet the throne for himself. We see in him the “I trouble” the rich man had. “I will be like the Most High,” he thought–the same sin with which he tempted Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:1-6). “You will be like God,” he said. In effect, “You don’t need to obey God. Be your own god.”

Many years ago, there was a Salvation Army Convention. The founder, William Booth, was still living, but he was too frail and infirm to attend. Instead, he sent a telegram, to be read to those who had assembled. When an officer came down the aisle calling, “I have a message from General Booth!” a hush fell over the large crowd to listen. The message was a single word–another small word that’s big in its import. The word was “Others.” And that speaks to the good work of the Salvationists over many decades since, a loving concern they’ve shown for others.

In 1902, Charles Meigs published a hymn called simply Others. His hymn says:

(1) Lord, help me live from day to day
In such a self-forgetful way
That even when I kneel to pray
My prayer shall be for–Others.

Others, Lord, yes others,
Let this my motto be,
Help me to live for others,
That I may live like Thee.

(4) And when my work on earth is done,
And my new work in heav’n’s begun,
May I forget the crown I’ve won,
While thinking still of–Others.

Questions:

  1. What will our behaviour toward others be like if we each “esteem others better than [ourselves]” (Phil. 2:3; cf. Rom. 12:10)?
  2. What instances of selfishness and self-centredness have you observed in your own life over the past week? And how will you correct this?

Links:

My Times Are in Thy Hand

Words: William Freeman Lloyd (b. Dec. 22, 1791; d. Apr. 22, 1853)
Music: Vigil (or Albans) arranged from a melody in the 1788 opera La Molinara (The Miller Girl), by Giovanni Paisiello (b. May 9, 1741; d. June 5, 1816)

Note: Mr. Lloyd was involved in the work of the Sunday School, almost from its beginning. (He was born about ten years after Robert Raikes began this ministry, and Lloyd was attracted to it since boyhood. He taught in a Sunday School, and wrote many books and curriculum materials for this agency. He was later appointed as a secretary of the British Sunday School Union.

In 1851, Lloyd published a book of poems called Thoughts in Rhyme. In it was this little verse which sums up the faith behind the longer hymn we’re looking at:

Each future scene to God I leave,
Enough for me to know,
He can from every evil save,
And every good bestow.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The phrase “time and again,” meaning over and over, first appeared in the seventeenth century, with similar expressions, such as “time after time,” coming along later. They suggest a repetition that, if not an absolute certainty, is at least likely to occur.

Benjamin Franklin’s comment that, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes,” is not quite true. There are other things in our lives that happen repeatedly–both good and bad things. Birthdays and anniversaries are celebrated, there’s grocery shopping, colds and flu come along, babies are born and people die.

Solomon says, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecc. 3:1). And the seasons roll by, year after year, as the Lord said they would (Gen. 8:22). In faith, we look to Him to give us the wisdom and strength to face them. Yet we’re aware that the effects and outcome of many circumstances are beyond our control. What then?

Simply this. When we commit ourselves to the Lord, in faith, we can be confident that all that happens to us is in His keeping. David speaks with assurance:

My times [both the seasons of life, and my personal experiences] are in Your hand.

Ps. 31:15

God is a spirit Being, of course (Jn. 4:24), without physical hands. But the Bible’s frequent reference to the hand imagery suggests His sovereign control of things.

Most often, in God’s Word, the expression is used of judgment and the punishment of sin (e.g. Deut. 2:15; Jud. 2:15). To be in the hand of the Lord in that sense is a fearful thing (Heb. 10:31). But, by the grace of God, being in His hand can do us good in so many ways. “The hand of the Lord is mighty” (Josh. 4:24)–mighty to save and keep us (Jn. 10:28-29). And the hand of the Lord guides in our experiences (Ezra 7:27-28).

It is by the hand of the Lord that exaltation and glory comes. He promises the nation of Israel: “You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God” (Isa. 62:3). He pledges to nurture and protect them too, by His almighty hand (Isa. 66:13-14). The affairs and governments of men are in the hand of the sovereign Lord, more broadly, as well. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes” (Prov. 21:1).

The hand of the Lord is also at work in our service for Him. It was by His hand that the prophets of Bible times received inspired revelations from Him (Ezek. 3:22). And, after the church was born at Pentecost, its ministry was carried on through the enabling hand of God. We read, for instance, “Some of them…spoke to the Hellenists [Grecian Jews], preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:20-21).

There is a hymn based on Psalm 31:15, quoted above. William Freeman Lloyd wrote:

(1) My times are in Thy hand;
My God, I wish them there;
My life, my friends, my soul I leave
Entirely to Thy care.

(2) My times are in Thy hand;
Whatever they may be;
Pleasing or painful, dark or bright,
As best may seem to Thee.

(4) My times are in Thy hand,
Jesus, the Crucified!
Those hands my cruel sins had pierced
Are now my guard and guide.

(6) My times are in Thy hand,
I’ll always trust in Thee;
And, after death, at Thy right hand
I shall forever be.

Questions:

  1. What particular time or season, or personal experience, are you glad is in the hand of God?
  2. Is there something that worries or frets you that you need to commit to His loving hand?

Links:

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