Thursday, June 14, 2012

Jun | 14 | Oh Aberystwyth! Bring Back The Old, Old Thing.

Dream WordRESPECT

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the Lord: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' NKJV

Oh Aberystwyth! Bring Back The Old, Old Thing.

I wish God would stop doing new things. What with Toronto, Brownsville, Lakeland, Brompton, and many other unnamed places, God seems to never tire of doing new things. Surely, if Christ has not yet returned, then in the future, together with no doubt many other new locations, the ever growing and even now, monumental list of ‘God doing New Things,’ will have grown substantially. Yes, I wish God would stop doing new things and start doing some old ones again, actually just one old thing. I wish He would save and sanctify people like He used to do in all the days gone by.

June is the traditional time for the trooping of the colour. I watched it today and Horse Guards Parade in London was again decked in magnificence!It was very moving to observe the five foot guard regiments troop the chosen regimental colours of the year past Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, each guardsman having his chest puffed out, bags of swank, eyes peering directly into the eyes of the monarch, with the mounted cavalry bands changing the tune of the quick march to match those songs long associated with the each regiment then passing in front of the watching Royalty. All rousing tunes they were as well, tunes such as, ‘The British Grenadiers,’ ‘Milanollo,’ ‘Hielan Laddie,’ ‘St Patricks Day’ and ‘The Rising of The Lark.’

It was during the rest of the preparatory slow and quick marches that my heart was arrested by the music, in particular, Les Huguenots and Aberystwyth, those two magnificent tunes, the former a Waltz, musically inter-dispersed with ‘A Mighty Fortress is our God’ and the latter, the tune to which the old hymn, ‘Jesus Lover of My Soul’ used to be sung. I remember a time when the musical connectivity of such tunes would bring the associated words into a national remembrance; tunes that would bring with them an awe, a thankfulness toward God, a testimony of His grace toward us and of our dependence upon Him. Now they are just forgotten and disconnected tunes. Even in the church now, they are mostly just forgotten and disconnected tunes.

My God! We need a musical renaissance and a noteworthy revival! We need some old tunes, or better still, some new tunes with an old theme of people saved from sin and sanctified to Him!

Yes, I wish tonight with all my heart, that God would troop His colour and stop doing new things and do His old thing once again, even saving and sanctifying His people.

Listen: -

A mighty Fortress is our God, a Bulwark never failing;
Our Helper He amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God's truth abideth still,
His Kingdom is forever.

(Martin Luther)


Pray:-Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide; O receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed, all my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of Thy wing.

Wilt Thou not regard my call? Wilt Thou not accept my prayer?
Lo! I sink, I faint, I fall—Lo! on Thee I cast my care;
Reach me out Thy gracious hand! While I of Thy strength receive,
Hoping against hope I stand, dying, and behold, I live.

Thou, O Christ, art all I want, more than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy Name, I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am; Thou art full of truth and grace.

Plenteous grace with Thee is found, grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art, freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart; rise to all eternity.

(Charles Wesley)


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