Week of 22nd March - Major Graham Bailey
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Prayer:
May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between
preserving their health or paying their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when school’s close remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips remember those that have no place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the financial markets remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for a quarantine at home remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our country, let us choose love.
During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other,
Let us find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbours.
Amen.
May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between
preserving their health or paying their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when school’s close remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips remember those that have no place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the financial markets remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for a quarantine at home remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our country, let us choose love.
During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other,
Let us find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbours.
Amen.
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Song:
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Isaac Watts When I survey the wondrous cross Oh which the Prince of glory died My richest gain I count but loss And pour contempt on all my pride Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ my God All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood See from his dead, his hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown? Where the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small, Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all. |
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Songster Song:
This is the song that the Songsters were planning to sing at our normal worship service Sunday 22nd March, As this is a new piece for the Songsters, and has not been sung out before, we had not had any time to record it so the song is taken from the demonstration CD that accompanies the music published by The Salvation Army. The song is 'Lord, you are so good to me', words and music by Howard Davis. The words are very apt for the situation the world faces at this moment, a song of affirmation - through it all God's faithfulness continues. |
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Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:1-11 (NIV)
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Band Piece:
This would have been the piece the Band would have played at our normal worship service Sunday 22nd March. This recording is not of our Bedford Congress Hall Band as we did not have time to record it. However the sentiment is the same. Please listen and watch as the words associated with this wonderful piece of music are presented to you with images to inspire. |
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Thought:
This week I was due to speak at the latest Churches Together Lenten Service and, as so many things this week, it didn’t happen! So, I thought I’d share my thought here about the lead up to Easter and the hymn that you’ve heard above.
When we think of this hymn, we tend to think naturally of Easter, more specifically, we think of Good Friday; of meditating upon the cross and, of course, that’s right. However, the words of the hymn say a lot more too.
‘When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain, I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.’
When we look at the cross, when we think about what that entailed for Jesus, the fact that He did that for you and for me, everything else is put into perspective. ‘My richest gain’ – what is it that you consider to be ‘your richest gain’ – the most valuable thing that you have; the most precious thing to you? Think about that thing for a moment and think about why it is so precious to you. The hymn then says, as Paul does in the reading, ‘I count but loss’ (‘rubbish’ in other translations) – ‘But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.’
That’s something to say, isn’t it? The most valuable, important thing in the world to you is rubbish when compared to Jesus?!
These are certainly unprecedented times, aren’t they? I don’t think any of us have experienced anything like it! But actually, when virtually everything about our day to day lives is stripped away, what’s is left? What is most important to us? In these days when we maybe will have a lot more time than we would normally get, let’s take the time to spend with God and to think about where we are in our walk with Him – of what He means to us.
The last verse says:
‘Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.’
The sacrifice ‘demands our life, our soul, our all’ – does He get it?
Another song we sing says it as well:
This week I was due to speak at the latest Churches Together Lenten Service and, as so many things this week, it didn’t happen! So, I thought I’d share my thought here about the lead up to Easter and the hymn that you’ve heard above.
When we think of this hymn, we tend to think naturally of Easter, more specifically, we think of Good Friday; of meditating upon the cross and, of course, that’s right. However, the words of the hymn say a lot more too.
‘When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain, I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.’
When we look at the cross, when we think about what that entailed for Jesus, the fact that He did that for you and for me, everything else is put into perspective. ‘My richest gain’ – what is it that you consider to be ‘your richest gain’ – the most valuable thing that you have; the most precious thing to you? Think about that thing for a moment and think about why it is so precious to you. The hymn then says, as Paul does in the reading, ‘I count but loss’ (‘rubbish’ in other translations) – ‘But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.’
That’s something to say, isn’t it? The most valuable, important thing in the world to you is rubbish when compared to Jesus?!
These are certainly unprecedented times, aren’t they? I don’t think any of us have experienced anything like it! But actually, when virtually everything about our day to day lives is stripped away, what’s is left? What is most important to us? In these days when we maybe will have a lot more time than we would normally get, let’s take the time to spend with God and to think about where we are in our walk with Him – of what He means to us.
The last verse says:
‘Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.’
The sacrifice ‘demands our life, our soul, our all’ – does He get it?
Another song we sing says it as well:
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When the music fades
All is stripped away And I simply come Longing just to bring Something that's of worth That will bless your heart I'll bring you more than a song For a song in itself Is not what you have required You search much deeper within Through the way things appear You're looking into my heart I'm coming back to the heart of worship And it's all about you, It's all about you, Jesus I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it When it's all about you, It's all about you, Jesus King of endless worth No one could express How much you deserve Though I'm weak and poor All I have is yours Every single breath I'll bring you more than a song For a song in itself Is not what you have required You search much deeper within Through the way things appear You're looking into my heart I'm coming back to the heart of worship And it's all about you, It's all about you, Jesus I'm sorry, lord, for the thing I've made it And it's all about you, It's all about you, Jesus |
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