We See Your Glory

I have recently come back from the annual church Bible Week in Staffordshire: Refresh 2010. It was a great time of fellowship, teaching and worship. Each of the delegates received a free CD of some of the excellent worship songs written by members of the related churches. The CD is also available for free download at: http://weseeyourglory.com. Well worth a listen!

I want to serve the purpose of God

Why don't we sing this song anymore? I woke up singing it this morning, and as I considered the words, I was struck by how powerful it is:

I want to serve the purpose of God in my generation
I want to serve the purpose of God while I am alive
I want to give my life for something that will last forever
Oh, I delight, I delight to do Your will

I want to build with silver and gold in my generation
I want to build with silver and gold while I am alive
I want to give my life for something that will last forever
Oh, I delight, I delight to do Your will

What is on Your heart?
Tell me what to do
Let me know Your will
And I will follow You

I want to see the Lord come again in my generation
I want to see the Lord come again while I am alive
I want to give my life for something that will last forever
Oh, I delight, I delight to do Your will

In one sense, I can understand it; because it focusses on us and what we want, rather than on the Lord and who he is, it does not naturally fit into a worship setting. But on the other hand, as a public declaration of purpose it is fantastic, and captures some of the radical edge that we sorely need at this time, or indeed any time. We do not live for ourselves, we live for him and for his kingdom. With every fibre of our being we seek to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of us. If we capture this reality, all our petty grumbles and complaints that can so often preoccupy our time would be replaced with a passion for Christ and his kingdom. Ironically, although this song focusses upon me and what I want, it is actually a great tonic to put my selfish desires to death and replace them with Christ. It's a radical song for a radical people, not to be sung lightly because God takes us at our word!


I don't want to give my life for anything less than Christ and his Kingdom.

To put it another way...

Our God is a great big God
Our God is a great big God
Our God is a great big God
And he holds us in his hands

— Jo and Nigel Hemming (©2001 Vineyard Songs)

In Christ Alone!

One of the Songs at the wedding was "In Christ Alone" by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend. What a fantastic worship song it is. For a start: what a great title! It's rare to find a modern chorus with a depth of theology to match the old hymns, but if there are any contenders around today -- this must be one of them. I love it.

As we sang it, I was struck in particular by the last verse...

No guilt in life no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till he returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!

In Safe Hands

Here is a little meditation on the hands of the Lord, to serve as an introduction to the subject of the fear of the Lord. It should illustrate what Roger shared in a comment yesterday - that the fear of the Lord actually makes us feel wonderously safe.

How can this be? Well, we fear the hands of the Lord because they are the hands that created the Universe. Compared to them we recognise how fragile and small our lives are. We understand the awesome power of the Lord, and that should he wish, he could remove our life in an instant!

Yet, look closer into those hands and you see something even more wonderous. Those same hands still bear the marks received on the cross; the nail-scars that forever proclaim to all the Universe how much we are loved, and the lengths he would go to save us.

Having our life in the hands of the Lord is the most fearful, yet the most wonderously safe place to be!


It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Heb 10:31)

It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshalled their starry hosts. (Isa 45:12)

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”
-- Arise, My Soul, Arise; Charles Wesley; 1742.

I lay my life, in nail-scarred hands that paid the price for me,
opened up the way for me to be
here in your love.
-- Shepherd of My Soul, Matthew Ling.