It’s been a good long while since I posted a Sabbath Rest hymn, and this new(ish) hymn really spoke to me today. Since we were traveling last Sunday, today was our first worship service of the new year. Â Lord, let my heart and ear be turned and tuned to you in the coming year. May the light of Christ be seen today (and every day) in our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord
Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of Your Holy Word.
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness,
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory.
Teach us, Lord, full obedience,
Holy reverence, true humility;
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise; cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority.
Words of pow’r that can never fail—
Let their truth prevail over unbelief.
Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us—
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time
That will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we’ll stand on Your promises,
And by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory.â€
Speak, O Lord
WORDS AND MUSIC BY KEITH GETTY & STUART TOWNEND
Performed by Kristyn Getty
Video Scott Bacher
Today is my Mom’s 91st birthday. God called her home almost 20 years ago, much to soon and much too quickly for us on this side of heaven.  I will always have the memory of my sisters and I gathered around her bed, singing hymns with her.  It was a very long time before I could sing “Great is Thy Faithfulness” or “It is Well with My Soul” without tears streaming down my face. And so it feels today – a day filled with memories. So for our Sabbath Rest today, I’ve found a beautiful simple arrangement by Chris Rice.
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changes not, Thy compassion, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
[Refrain] Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
[Refrain]
Pardon for sin and a peace that endurest
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a Sabbath Rest hymn, and today’s choice is a bit different. I confess that the title caught my eye because we serve with the SOWER Ministry and I was wondering what this song might be about. But after I listened to the song and read again the lyrics, I realized that these words speak to our hurting world today. So I’d recommend reading the lyrics first (though they are included in the video) and then enjoying the beautiful video. May your Lord’s Day be blessed!
The Sower Song
by Andrew Peterson
Oh God, I am furrowed like the field
Torn open like the dirt
And I know that to be healed
That I must be broken first
I am aching for the yield
That You will harvest from this hurt
Abide in me
Let these branches bear You fruit
Abide in me, Lord
As I abide in You
So I kneel
At the bright edge of the garden
At the golden edge of dawn
At the glowing edge of spring
When the winter’s edge is gone
And I can see the color green
I can hear the sower’s song
Abide in me
Let these branches bear You fruit
Abide in me, Lord
Let Your word take root
Remove in me
The branch that bears no fruit
And move in me, Lord
As I abide in You
As the rain and the snow fall
Down from the sky
And they don’t return but they water the earth and bring they forth life
Giving seed to the sower, bread for the hunger
So shall the word of the Lord be with a sound like thunder
And it will not return, it will not return void
We shall be led in peace
And go out with joy
And the hills before us
Will raise their voices
And the trees of the field will clap their hands as the land rejoices
And instead of the thorn now
The cypress towers
And instead of the briar the myrtle blooms with a thousand flowers
And it will make a name
Make a name for our God
A sign everlasting that will never be cut off
As the earth brings forth sprouts from the seed
What is sown in the garden grows into a mighty tree
So the Lord plants justice, justice and praise
To rise before the nations till the end of days
As the rain and the snow fall
Down from the sky
And they don’t return but they water the earth and they bring forth life
Giving seed to the sower, and bread for the hunger
So shall the word of the Lord be with a sound like thunder
And it will not return, it will not return void
It will not return, it will not return void
It will not return, it will not return void
We shall be led in peace
And go out with joy
And the Sower leads us
And the Sower leads us
And the Sower leads us
Lyrics – Andrew Peterson
Music – Ben Shive
(Can be found on the album The Burning Edge Of Dawn (2015).
Video by Stephen Proctor
HE IS RISEN!!! HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!
As we celebrate this Resurrection Sunday, the words of the song once again spring to mind. Oh, the Power of the Cross!
The Power of the Cross
Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.
CHORUS:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.
Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev’ry bitter thought,
Ev’ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.
Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
“Finished!†the vict’ry cry.
Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.
FINAL CHORUS: This, the pow’r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.
The Power of the Cross
Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
Sung by Kristyn Getty
Video by Rachel Hamilton
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