Tag Archives: rest

O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

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O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

Words by S. Trevor Francis, 1875
Music by Thomas J. Williams, 1890

 

“How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.”
Ephesians 3:17-18

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
Zephaniah 3:17

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 36:5 – 7

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Romans 5:8 – 11

Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
Romans 8:33 – 34

 

 

The gentle rolling waves of the ocean as they come ashore have a peaceful and mesmerizing effect on us. Now I am not talking about the powerful crashing waves that come with the storm. I am talking about the gentle waves as they wash up on the beach. The soft entrancing sound you can hear from the distance. It can relax us with its almost hypnotic steady rhythm.  It is the sound of the rolling waves that is so much the culture for those who live near the sea. They almost forget it is there until they are taken away from it.  So it is in the country of Wales located on the east coast of Great Britain. An ancient sailing nation in which the sounds of the ocean are embedded in the culture.  It is these rolling waves that we hear in the traditional Welsh melody adapted by Thomas J. Williams for the hymn, “O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus.” When he paired the melody with the words of Trevor Francis, written 15 years earlier, we find one of the most beautiful and haunting hymns ever written. A hymn that speaks to our very souls.

The first verse, using this image of the sea, builds an incredible picture of the fullness of God’s love. It begins, “O the deep, deep love of Jesus vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!” It is an awesome thought. God’s love is something so incredible that we can not begin to wrap our minds around it.  Paul presents us with a rhetorical question of this profound truth in Ephesians 3:17 – 18 when he ask , “How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.”

As the hymn continues the melody rolls on as with the ebb and flow of the tide and we find the description of God’s love further developed. Francis presents us with a picture of God’s love completely enveloping us as he writes, “rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me! Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love.” It is this love of God that guides us toward our final destination like the current guides across the waters. His love is always, “Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!” As Zephaniah 3:17 tells us, “With his love, he will calm all your fears.”

The hymn transitions from the imagery of the ocean with the call to “spread His praise from shore to shore.” He first presents that God’s love is unchanging as we sing, “How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!” This reflect the profound truth of Psalm 36:5 which says, “Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”

It continues on with the line, “How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own.” This is the magnitude of God’s love. Paul tells us this in Romans 5:10 when he says “we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son.”

It is because of this great love that Jesus now intercedes, on behalf of all those who believe, to the Father in heaven. So the verse concludes, “How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!” These words echo those of Romans 8:33 where Paul tells us, ” Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”

God’s love is truly unfathomable.  It is a love He extends to us and that completely envelops us. It is as Francis writes, “an ocean full of blessing ’tis a haven giving rest!” It is when we understand this that the question becomes more that a simple reflection, but a profound declaration. It is then that we can truly begin to sing, “Oh the Deep, Deep love of Jesus.”

 

 

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Bonus video by John Brown University Cathedral Choir in 1997. Beautiful and Haunting.

Near To The Heart of God

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There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God.
O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us who wait before Thee
Near to the heart of God.

There is a place of comfort sweet,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where we our Savior meet,
Near to the heart of God.
O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us who wait before Thee
Near to the heart of God.

There is a place of full release,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where all is joy and peace,
Near to the heart of God.
O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us who wait before Thee
Near to the heart of God.

Words and Music by Cleland B. McAfee, 1903

 

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
Mark 6:30 – 31

“He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart.”
Isaiah 40:11

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:7 – 8

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3 – 4

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 16:11

 

I have spent the last 27 years living in suburban Chicago.  It is a great place. I live far enough out of the city that I need only drive a few miles to find farms and yet when I feel compelled to go to into the city (which is few and far between) I can be there in 45 minutes. Now I do like where I live and all three of my children call it home, but ultimately as nice as it is, my home will always be in rural Iowa.  We all have those places that we feel ultimately comfortable. In a hectic, high pressure, stress filled life, where we face trials and struggles on a daily basis we need those places where we can find refuge, those places where we can renew and refresh.

I know that for me personally, I love to get away into the woods and to enjoy nature.  Whether it is a walk in the forest preserve, a hike through a canyon or a camping trip away from everything. It is an opportunity to escape from the things that seem, at times, to overwhelm my life. But as great as I find those times, there is only one place that truly fits the bill. This is the message found in Cleland B. McAfee’s hymn, “Near to the heart of God.”

The hymn begins, “There is a place of Quiet rest, Near to the heart of God.” Quiet rest is something we far to often forget to think about.  We get so caught up in what we are doing, what we think we have to do, that we forget to rest.  Sometimes these things are distractions that we put in place in our lives and sometimes they are things beyond our control.  Sometimes, we may put things out there that are good things in and of themselves, but we sacrifice our opportunities to find rest because we think we are doing something more important.

Perhaps we far to often let work get in the way. Yes, we have responsibilities, but how often do we let our work begin to dominate our lives. We find ourselves thinking about it all the time, going in odd hours because something has to get done.  Perhaps it is ministry commitments that begin to dominate our lives.  What can be wrong with that, we are serving God, right? But we may find ourselves putting in extended hours, cutting our sleep short to get things done, going to a Sunday school event here, a church outing there, leading a small group.  Before we know it we find ourselves busy every night of the week and weekends.

While these things may be good in, and of, themselves, they can begin to wear us down and wear us out, if we fail to take time to find a quiet place to rest.  Jesus himself understood this as we see in Mark 6:30 – 31 where we read, “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'”

The place of true rest and restoration that can be found for the believer is “near to the heart of God.” What does it mean to be near to the heart of God. Isaiah 40:11 give us the image of a shepherd caring for a lamb. When he finds the lamb that has been lost and wandering the shepherd, “gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart.” He carries them safely and securely back to the fold.  They have found comfort and safety being held close to the heart of the shepherd, so the image carries over to the believe who can find rest near to the heart of God.

So the hymn draws for us a picture of what it is like to be near to the heart of God.  It is “a place where sin cannot molest.”  For as James tells us in 4:7 – 8, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.”  When we draw near to God, when we find ourselves near to the heart of God, we can find the strength to resist temptations that come our way.

It says, “There is a place of comfort sweet.” When we face troubles in our lives, when we face the struggles that come our way, we can find comfort near to the heart of God. This is what Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:3 where we read, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction”

The hymn tells us that it is “a place where we our Savior meet.” When we draw near to God, we will find opportunity to grow in Christ.  It is “a place of full release”, “A place where all is joy and peace.” Psalm 16:11 tells us, “you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

In a world where we face so many struggles, where we face temptation on a daily basis, where we place so many things  in our way, we need to find time to step back.  We need to find opportunities to refresh.  We need to draw near to the heart of God.  When we take this time, we will find our faith growing and we will find ourselves refreshed and renewed. So we sing out, “O Jesus, blest Redeemer, Sent from the heart of God, Hold us who wait before Thee, Near to the heart of God.”

 

 

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It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

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It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold;
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From Heaven’s all gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever over its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet-bards foretold,
When with the ever circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Words by Edmund H. Sears, 1849
Music by Richard S. Willis, 1850

 

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Luke 2:8 – 14

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

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7

 

There are few things as beautiful as looking at the stars on a clear winters night.  Yes, there is a scientific explanation for why the stars appear brighter in the winter. But when you look upon them that doesn’t seem to matter. It is in this setting that Edmund H. Sears places his song, “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear.”

Sears paint for us the picture of the angels in the sky.  The same angels who proclaimed to the shepherds the birth of the Savior.  Now before we go on, it is worth noting that when you look at the words of this Christmas hymn, there is one thing that seems glaring for its absence.  Nowhere in these verses do we find a reference of Christ birth. Now our first reaction may be that this is unacceptable, however if we honestly look at the hymn we realize that Christ birth is a given that need not be addressed.

So the hymn focuses not on the birth of Christ, but on the message of the angels, ““Peace on the earth, good will to men, From Heaven’s all gracious King.”These words are familiar to anyone who has heard the Christmas account found in Luke 2, specifically verse 14.

The message that was given to the shepherds rings with the truth that all the earth anxiously awaited hearing.  For the world is filled with strife and struggles and needs rest. In this light the midnight clear spoken of in the hymn, becomes a visible image of the peace proclaimed by the angels, the peace so desperately desired by the world. So the hymn continues, “The world in solemn stillness lay, To hear the angels sing.”

We are presented with an interesting thought when the song continues, “And ever over its Babel sounds the blessèd angels sing.” The message still rings today, but the question is, do we hear the message?  There are so many things that seem to get in our way.  Our own trouble, our busy schedules and our own foolish beliefs become an obstacle to the joyous news the angels brought.  But if we heed the words of the hymn, “O hush the noise, ye men of strife And hear the angels sing.” it still speaks to us today.  “In the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)
It is finally, in the fourth verse, that we hear the call that our hearts long to hear.  The verse says, “And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, Whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow, Look now! for glad and golden hours Come swiftly on the wing. O rest beside the weary road, And hear the angels sing!” Let us set aside the burdens we carry and find rest in Christ of whom the angels sing.  It is Jesus himself who told us in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

When we place our trust and faith in the one of whom the angels sang, we can know a peace that surpasses understanding. (Philippians 4:7) It is through this peace that we can then “send back the song, which now the angels sing.”

 

 

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God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

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God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

In Bethlehem, in Israel, this blessèd Babe was born,
And laid within a manger upon this blessèd morn;
The which His mother Mary did nothing take in scorn.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

From God our heavenly Father a blessèd angel came;
And unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same;
How that in Bethlehem was born the Son of God by name.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

“Fear not, then,” said the angel, “Let nothing you afright
This day is born a Savior of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him from Satan’s power and might.”
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

The shepherds at those tidings rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding in tempest, storm and wind,
And went to Bethl’em straightaway this blessèd Babe to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

But when to Bethlehem they came where our dear Savior lay,
They found Him in a manger where oxen feed on hay;
His mother Mary kneeling unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

Now to the Lord sing praises all you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas all others doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

God bless the ruler of this house, and send him long to reign,
And many a merry Christmas may live to see again;
Among your friends and kindred that live both far and near—
That God send you a happy new year, happy new year,
And God send you a happy new year.

Words and Music by Unknown, ca 15th Century

 

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

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

 

The Christmas season is full of joy and excitement. A time that many people look forward to every year. There are parties, gifts, shopping and travel. Unfortunately, it can also be a time of selfish desire when greed seems to dominate our thinking. And for some, it can be a dark, difficult time remembering those we have lost, or how little we may have. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” reminds us that it should be a time to find rest in God’s loving arms.

The author writes, “God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay.” He sees people in the world who face the difficulties of life. People who selfishly look out for themselves. People who feel alone. He sees a people who are in desperate need of rest that can be found in God alone.

But how do we find this rest? The hymn continues, “Remember Christ our Savior, was born on Christmas day.” The reality is that Christ is the only means to find this rest. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus tells us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

This is the very reason that Christ came to earth, the very reason he “was born on Christmas Day . . . To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.” Ephesians 6:12 tells us, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” This is the “Satan’s power” the author wrote about.

The difficulties we face can come from outside forces or they can come from the sinful choices we make or from both. But there is hope, for “thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57) Christ is the only way we can know that hope. He is the only source of the rest we so desperately need.

So as we remember the amazing gift that He has given us, we can find hope to rest in. So we sing with so many others, “O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy; O tidings of comfort and joy.”

 

 

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