Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Trust and Obey

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Words by John H. Sammis, 1887
Music by Daniel B. Towner

 

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.
Isaiah 26:4

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight
Proverbs 3:5 – 6

but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.
Jeremiah 7:23

Obey the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared
Jeremiah 38:20

 

One of the stranger scenes I remember from my college days was watching people walk around campus with a paper bag over their heads.  Now, it wasn’t as strange as it first appeared when you realize that the people we part of a class.  You see, students were paired up.  One of them would then place a paper bag over their head and the second person was then responsible for guiding them safely around campus. The purpose of this Psychology class was to come to understand what lies behind trust.

Now, from my experience, trust is not something that comes easy to us.  It’s because we each like to be in control.  We do not like the feeling of finding ourselves dependent on someone else.  But as hard as it is, this is what we are called to do in scripture and is the theme behind the hymn, “Trust and Obey.”

How then do we get past that overwhelming desire to be in control?  How do we obey the Lords commands?  It is a simple, but not always an easy thing.  In Jeremiah 7:23 God says, “Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.” Clearly we are commanded to obey God in what we do, but to blindly obey is not something that comes naturally.  Thankfully, God has not called us to blind obedience.

You see, while obedience is one side of the coin, the other side is trust.  Proverbs 3:5 – 6 tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  You see, the key to obedience, is trusting the one you obey.  This is why Sammis writes, “But we never can prove the delights of His love, Until all on the altar we lay; For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey.”

Until we are willing to risk that trust and show our obedience, we can never  fully experience the peace that comes from doing so.  Thankfully, the scripture are clear that God can be trusted.  Isaiah 26:4 tells us, “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”  God can be trusted because he is the eternal Rock.  He does not change or move.  1 Corinthians 1:9 tells us that “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”  God can be trusted because He is faithful.

When we have this trust, then obedience is not as hard.  We know that we can confidently obey Him because we can trust that God is faithful and true (Revelation 19:11)  and that there is with Him no shifting shadow (James 1:17).  When we understand this fully, we can join in the chorus of “Trust and Obey” declaring, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

 

 

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Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Jesus is Calling

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.
Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not His mercies,
Mercies for you and for me?
Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,
Passing from you and from me;
Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,
Coming for you and for me.
Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

O for the wonderful love He has promised,
Promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,
Pardon for you and for me.
Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

Words and Music by Will L. Thompson, 1880

 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28 – 30

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
Isaiah 40:2

 

One of the things that I remember from growing up on a dairy farm was that we had a lot of cats. Now the truth is that not all of the cats lived on our farm, but as my dad would pour the remaining milk drained from the pipes into a pan outside the barn they would all come running. But some of the cats did live on the farm, and that meant we had kittens. The mother cats would find all kinds of places to have their kittens and you never knew where you would find them.

Now, when you did find them you had to gently coax them out. You would kneel down to the ground, to make yourself appear smaller. You would then call to them in a soft, gentle voice so as not to startle them. And then you had to be patient.

As I sing the words of “Softly and Tenderly” a similar image comes to mind. You see, we are so caught up in our own issues that we fail to seek God as we should. But thankfully, God does not simply sit back and wait for us  As Will Thompson writes, “Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me.”

You see God reaches out to us, but He chooses not to force us to follow. He wants us to come to Him on our own. So he patiently waits for us to respond to His call. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

But this does not mean that we have forever to respond. Peter goes on to write in verse 10, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.”, that is, without warning. If we wait to long, then the time will come, when will no longer be able to respond. So Thompson writes, “Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing, Passing from you and from me; Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming, Coming for you and for me.”

God is patient, and forgiving, if we will only respond to His call. This hymn goes on to declare this truth, “Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon, Pardon for you and for me.”

So whether we are so busy with our own interest that we fail to hear Him, or we are so weighed down by life trials that we fail to see Him, He is calling to us. Jesus told us in Matthew 11:28 – 30, ““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

He wants us to know the peace that comes only from Him. The peace and comfort that comes from being held in the Father’s arms. The rest that can only be found at our true home. I am reminded of this and comforted by the words of the chorus, “Come home, come home, You who are weary, come home; Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, Calling, O sinner, come home!”

 

 

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Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Just A Closer Walk With Thee

I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

When my feeble life is o’er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Words and Music Unknown, Unknown Date

 

The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
Psalm 145:18

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:8

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

 

Having raised three children, one of the things that became clear early on is that children like to be able to do things themselves. Something like zipping up your child’s coat. You have done it since they were born, but the inevitable day comes when thy say, “I do it myself.”

As adult’s we really don’t change. We like to do things ourselves. And even when we struggle, the last thing we want to do is admit that we need help. But the fact is that we do need help sometimes, in fact we need help quite often.

This is the message behind “Just A Closer Walk With Thee.” The author starts with that statement that is so hard for us to admit, “I am weak.” This flies in the face of who we are. Not only is it ingrained in us from birth, but society has reinforced in us the idea that weakness is a bad thing, that we always need to give the appearance of strength.

But the fact is that we are indeed weak. As much as we may want to do everything ourselves, we can’t. We need help. So where do we turn? We may turn to family or friends, and this is not a bad thing. Family and true friends should always be willing to give that helping hand, even if it is simply to bounce our thoughts off of. But as helpful as they are, they too are limited in what they can do.

So where do we turn? When we look back at children we find the answer. You see, that child who strongly protest, “I do it myself.” will also be the child who becomes fearful and panicked when they lose sight of their parent. You see, as much as they want to do things themselves, it is their parents that they make them feel safe.

This is where we turn, to our Father in heaven The hymn goes on to say, “but thou art strong.” God is our strength. In Isaiah 41:10 God tells us, “I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” This is why Paul writes in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

It is God alone who can give us the strength we need to make it through each day. The author declares in the second verse, “Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares? Who with me my burden shares?” He answers his own question with, “None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.”

It is by keeping ourselves near to God, that we find this strength. Psalm 145:18 tells us, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” And James tells us in chapter 4 verse 8, to “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

Our strength comes from God, and comes by walking close to Him. So, I make the chorus of this hymn my prayer, “Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea, Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.”

 

 

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Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Justified Fully

O what a wonderful, wonderful day –
day I will never forget;
After I’d wandered in darkness away,
Jesus my Savior I met.
O what a tender, compassionate friend –
He met the need of my heart;
Shadows dispelling, With joy I am telling,
He made all the darkness depart.
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,
When at the cross the Savior made me whole;
My sins were washed away –
And my night was turned to day –
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!

Born of the Spirit with life from above
into God’s fam’ly divine,
Justified fully thru Calvary’s love,
O what a standing is mine!
And the transaction so quickly was made
when as a sinner I came,
Took of the offer of grace He did proffer –
He saved me, O praise His dear name!
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,
When at the cross the Savior made me whole;
My sins were washed away –
And my night was turned to day –
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!

Now I’ve a hope that will surely endure
after the passing of time;
I have a future in heaven for sure,
there in those mansions sublime.
And it’s because of that wonderful day
when at the cross I believed;
Riches eternal and blessings supernal
from His precious hand I received.
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,
When at the cross the Savior made me whole;
My sins were washed away –
And my night was turned to day –
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!

Words and Music by John W. Peterson, 1961

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

. . . For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
Romans 3:21 – 26, 28 – 30

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
Romans 5:1

 

“Oh what a wonderful, wonderful day, day I will never forget.”  This hymn written by John Peterson is definitely a fun song to sing.  The rolling melody is filled with joy and energy to the point that the music itself portrays the same feeling that is given with the words.  And the chorus is readily recognizable to people.

But as I sing this hymn, it is the second verse that strikes me with such important and profound truths.  Peterson writes, “Justified fully thru Calvary’s love.”  This is the great gift of salvation.  We have been justified, that is, we have been made right in our standing before God.  But how has that happened.  Romans 3:24 tells us that “all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”  We are justified, made right, because God has shown us His grace through His Son, Jesus Christ.  He alone is our source of redemption.

What is more, Paul goes on to write, in verse 28, “a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” You see, there are no actions, or good things we can do, which will justify us before God.  It is only by believing in Jesus Christ that we can be made right before God.  What is more, it is not a long and arduous process to receive this.  It is not something that happens over a long period of time.  No it happens the moment we choose to believe.  As Peterson writes it, “And the transaction so quickly was made, when as a sinner I came, Took of the offer of grace He did proffer – He saved me, O praise His dear name!”

Paul goes on to write in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  All that has separated us from God had been removed.  We can now freely stand before Him.  So I sing with a renewed vigor and joy, the words of the third verse.

“Now I’ve a hope that will surely endure
after the passing of time;
I have a future in heaven for sure,
there in those mansions sublime.
And it’s because of that wonderful day
when at the cross I believed;
Riches eternal and blessings supernal
from His precious hand I received.”

 

 

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Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Uncategorized, Worship

Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us

Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.

We are Thine, Thou dost befriend us, be the guardian of our way;
Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.

Thou hast promised to receive us, poor and sinful though we be;
Thou hast mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse and power to free.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! We will early turn to Thee.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! We will early turn to Thee.

Early let us seek Thy favor, early let us do Thy will;
Blessed Lord and only Savior, with Thy love our bosoms fill.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.

Words by Dorothy A. Thrupp, 1836
William B. Bradbury, 1859

 

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
John 10:1 – 18

 

One of the many things I miss about my childhood is growing up on a farm. To have wide open spaces and animals all around. We had dairy cattle, pigs, ducks, chickens, turkeys, a pony, a couple of miniature mules and three or four sheep.

I love working with animals. But, as anyone with a pet, let alone a who farm knows, animals are a great responsibility. You have to feed them, clean up after them and watch over them. You not only want to meet their needs, but you are seeking to keep them safe as well. You lead them to food and along safe routes. You care for them when they are sick and you keep away dangers.

Historically this is the role that a Shepherd fulfilled, and this is the image that Dorothy Thrupp draws upon in her hymn, “Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us.” The theme is found through out scripture and is an incredible picture of Christ relationship to us.

Thrupp writes, “Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care; In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare.” The message reminds us of the fact that in and of ourselves, we will not do what is best for us. We need Jesus care to watch over us, protect us and to meet our needs.

She continues with the imagery as she writes, “Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray.” For the sheep, it was the wolf that was a danger and the shepherd stood guard, ready to fight off any that came. For us, it is sin that is the danger we must beware of. The writer of Hebrews tells us in chapter 12 verse 1 that we need to rid ourselves of “the sin that so easily entangles.” Yes, sin is the danger we face, and it is Christ who stands guard. It is Christ who gives us the strength to stand against sin.

Even so, at times we still wander from the path that Christ our shepherd has laid out for us. When this happens he comes to find us as the shepherd in Luke 15:4 who leaves the 99 to find the one who has become lost.

Thrupp now sets aside her imagery of the Shepherd to speak straight to our situations. She writes, “Thou hast promised to receive us, poor and sinful though we be; Thou hast mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse and power to free.” None of us is perfect. More accurately, we are anything but good people. But as sinful and lost as we are, Christ is willing to accept us. But beyond his willingness to accept us, he is able to make us clean and to forgive us for our sins. He is able to make us new, to set us free.

Isaiah 53:6 tells us, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way.” This is who we are. When we are left to our own devices, we wander away. But God placed our failings on Christ. He took our place. The rest of Isaiah 53:6 tells us, “and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Christ is our Shepherd and our Savior. He alone can make us new. It is out of thankfulness for Christ loving sacrifice that I sing the final words of this hymn, “Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.”

 

 

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Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

Words by Augustus M. Toplady, 1776
Music by Thomas Hastings, 1830

“For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:
‘I love you, Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.’”
Psalm 18

Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.
Isaiah 26:4

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 91:1-2

But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.
John 19:33 – 34

And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved
Acts 4:12

Have you ever found yourself in the midst of a great storm. I remember growing up in an area where tornadoes were not uncommon. When the storm warning came we would seek shelter in a small basement room constructed of concrete block walls with a concrete floor. This is where we found ourselves the time our farm was hit by a major storm. It took down trees and leveled our barn. Our house was not touched, save for a tree that fell against it, but it could easily have done worse. It was clear why we sought shelter in a secure solid location.

Now we transfer this image to something stronger and older. The mountains themselves. When the storm comes, where can we find shelter. We seek an opening, a cleft in the rock for our protection. Here is the imagery drawn on by Toplady in his hymn, “Rock of Ages.”

Toplady write, “Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.” He responds to the storm of life that we all find ourselves in and where we can turn for shelter.  That shelter is in the “Rock of Ages”, but what is the Rock of Ages.  Isaiah 26:4 holds the answer where it reads, “Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.”  God is the Rock of Ages. It is in Him that we find shelter for any storm.  In Psalm 91:1 we read, “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’”

But it is not simply the troubles of life that are the source of the storms, it is the sin we find ourselves in.  Sins that separate us from God.  This is why he goes on to say, “Let the water and the blood, From Thy wounded side which flowed, Be of sin the double cure; Save from wrath and make me pure.” A direct reference to Christ crucifixion.  John 19:33-34 says, “But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.”  It is for this reason that he died on the cross. Our rescue from the storm of our sin can be found in Christ alone, as Acts 4:12 states, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.

Toplady goes on to present that there is nothing we can do that will lead to salvation.  There is nothing we can bring before God that would warrant our acceptance.  It is only through the cross of Christ, that we can find the forgiveness of our sins.  When the day comes that we stand before the judgement throne, we may stand only in the shelter of Christ.  So we cry out to God with the words that start and end this hymn, “Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.”

 

 

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Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

And Can It Be, That I Should Gain

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Words by Charles Wesley,1738
Music by Thomas Campbell, 1825

 

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.
John 15:12 – 17

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
Romans 8:1

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Hebrew 4:14 – 16

 

What is a friend? You can get a variety of answers to this question. Definitions can range from those you know closely to people you have met in passing. So what is a friend?

True friends, are those in whom you can trust. Jesus told His disciples in John 15:14, “You are my friends if you do what I command.” Jesus calls His followers friends. Now before we think he may be using this term in a broad sweeping sense, step back one verse to John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” This is certainly not the act of a casual friend.

When we stop to think about this, it is a staggering reality. Jesus calls us friends. Jesus laid down his life for us. Jesus, the incarnate Son of God. Who are we that he would do this? This is the question asked by Charles Wesley in “And Can It Be.”

The opening line reads, “And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior’s blood?” Why should I receive such a wondrous gift. It is not simply a case of who am I, but the reality that I do not deserve it. Wesley goes on to write “Died He for me, who caused His pain, For me, who Him to death pursued?” Not only do we not deserve such a wondrous gift, but we were the cause of His very suffering and death.

But again we are drawn back to Jesus words, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” So Wesley writes, “Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

Through His sacrifice we have been made new and Christ has opened the door into God’s presence. So we join with the words of Wesley, “No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine; Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach th’eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own. Bold I approach th’eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.”

 

 

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Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

To God Be The Glory

To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

Words by Fanny J. Crosby, 1870
Music by W. Howard Doane, 1870

 

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Galatians 1:3 – 5

I have worked with youth for the better part of 20 years. Some of these have been as a supervisor at work. Some of these have been as a youth group leader in the church. Some of these have been as a Chaplain and an Assistant Scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America. And most recently it has been as a Trail Master with Trail Life USA. What I have seen in each of these is that youth like to be recognized for their accomplishments. They like to have the nod of a head, the pat on the back or the word of congratulations.

Now this of course this is youth, but as adults we are no different. While we may not do things for the recognition, it is always nice to have a pat on the back or a “well done.” After all we have put all this work into something, it is reasonable that we should get some recognition. When we do not get the recognition, then we start to feel under appreciated. We feel as though no one cares. In fact, the only thing worse that not getting recognized is when we do all the work and someone else gets the recognition. Any of us who have ever been an employee have probably found times when our supervisor or a coworker gets the credit for all we have done. How frustrating this can be.

Now if we think we deserve to get that recognition how much more does God deserve recognition for what He has done. This is what Fanny Crosby lays before us in her hymn, “To God Be The Glory.” Here she worships and praise God not simply because He is God (which is a valid enough reason in and of itself) but because of what He has done. In this case she draws us to God’s greatest accomplishment.

She writes, “So loved He the world that he gave us His Son, Who yielded His life an atonement for sin, and opened the life gate that all may go in.” John chapter three verse sixteen tells us, “God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believed in Him would not die, but have eternal life.” Surely this is the greatest thing God has done. But no, Crosby tells us further that” The vilest offender who truly believes, That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.”

This gift is not simply for those who are “good” people, those who give an appearance of righteousness. It is for everyone. You see, those of us who now follow Christ at one time were no different than that “vilest offender” , and without Christ would be there today. A point Paul drives home 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 when he writes, “Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

In Christ we have been made new. In Christ we may come before the Father no matter what we have done. So I join with the words of Fanny Crosby, “Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the people rejoice! O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son, And give Him the glory, great things He has done.”

 

 

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Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

All Creatures Of Our God And King

All creatures of our God and King,
lift up your voices, let us sing:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beams,
u silver moon that gently gleams,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
ye clouds that sail in heaven along,
O praise him, Alleluia!
Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice,
ye lights of evening, find a voice,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

And all ye men of tender heart,
forgiving others, take your part,
O sing ye Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
praise God and on him cast your care:
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Let all things their Creator bless,
and worship him in humbleness,
O praise him, Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, Three in One:
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Words by St. Francis of Assisi, ca. 1225
Music by Peter von Brachel, 1623

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
“Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”
Psalm 19:1 – 4

“When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Luke 19:37 – 40

There is nothing like singing in worship with other. Whether it is Sunday morning or sitting around a campfire. I had the opportunity a few years back to attend a Christian event at Soldier Field.  That was quite an experience to sing in worship with more that 50,000 other people.  But that is why we are here, to glorify God.   We read in 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”  And Colossians 1:6 tells us “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”  And additionally in Isaiah 43:6-7 God says, “I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”  We were created to glorify God.

But we are not the only ones created to glorify God.  This is what all of creation does.  Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” And Psalm 19:1 declares, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”  Nature glorifies God through its very being, and we are no different.

He concludes his writing by declaring that our worship is to the whole Godhead, that is the Trinity (Matthew 28:19) when he writes, “Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son, and praise the Spirit, Three in One.”  It is worship of God is His entirety.

So St. Francis calls us to truly glorify God, when he write “All creatures of our God and King, Lift up your voices, let us sing.”  So let us join with all creation, declaring the Glory of God.

 

 

Read more about “All Creatures Of Our God And King.”

Bonus video version by Fernando Ortega

Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

How Thy Wonders Are Displayed

I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.

There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.

Words by Isaac Watts, 1715
Music by Anonymous, ca. 1784

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.”
Genesis 1:31

A couple of my favorite activities are camping and hiking. Among the reasons is that I love the outdoors. I love to see the scenery. I love to get away from the business of daily life and spend time out in nature, even if only for a couple of days.

This change of pace and being surrounded by nature has another benefit as well. I begin to fully appreciate God’s creation. While, yes, I can consider creation in other settings, there is something about taking the time away from everything else and loosing all the distractions that allows me to fully consider Genesis 1.

It is at these times that the words of Issac Watts hymn, “I Sing The Mighty Power Of God” gain some of their fullest meaning. The concept of God as the creator of everything becomes more than simply an intellectual belief, it becomes tangible. And so I join my voice with so many who have come before declaring, “Lord, how thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye.

 

 

Read more about “I Sing The Mighty Power Of God.”