Just Pondering
|
Rick Branan |
For your faithful love is higher than the heavens,
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
God, be exalted above the heavens,
and let your glory be over the whole earth.
Psalm 108:4-5 (CSBBible)
Charles Wesley, the son of Samuel Wesley, was born at Epworth, Dec. 18, 1707. He was educated at Westminster School and afterwards at Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated M.A. In 1735, he took Orders and immediately proceeded with his brother John to Georgia, both being employed as missionaries of the S.P.G. He returned to England in 1736. For many years he engaged with his brother in preaching the Gospel. He died March 29, 1788. To Charles Wesley has been justly assigned the appellation of the "Bard of Methodism." His prominence in hymn writing may be judged from the fact that in the "Wesleyan Hymn Book," 623 of the 770 hymns were written by him; and he published more than thirty poetical works, written either by himself alone, or in conjunction with his brother. The number of his separate hymns is at least five thousand.
Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins
Depth of Mercy! Can There Be
Depth of mercy! Can there be
mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear?
me, the chief of sinners, spare?
I have long withstood His grace,
long provoked Him to His face;
would not hearken to His calls,
grieved Him by a thousand falls.
I my Master have denied;
I afresh have crucified,
oft profaned His hallowed name,
put Him to an open shame.
There for me the Savior stands,
shows His wounds and spreads His hands.
God is love! I know, I feel;
Jesus weeps, but loves me still!
Now incline me to repent,
let me now my fall lament;
now my foul revolt deplore!
weep, believe, and sin no more.
Written by Charles Wesle
y
Something I have noticed that is happening more and more: no one accepts blame. When I was at TAMU, we were given a little book that welcomed us to the Corps of Cadets. The book had common sayings and terms to learn. One was RHIR, Rank Hath Its Responsibilities. The idea was to accept your responsibilities of leadership including mistakes. We all tend to pass the blame. It’s not my fault.
Maybe the biggest hurdle to overcome in sharing Christ to an unbeliever is our sin problem. A well-known Houston pastor claims that he doesn’t preach about sin. Folks, we are all sinners just as Paul reminds us in Romans 3:23. Charles Wesley, in our hymn of the week, writes, “Depth of mercy! Can there be mercy still reserved for me? Can my God His wrath forbear? Me, the chief of sinners, spare?” Wesley admits he is a sinner, the chief sinner. We are sinners and we deserve God’s wrath, but God sent His Son. Wesley closes his hymn with, “Now incline me to repent, let me now my fall lament; now my foul revolt deplore; weep, believe, and sin no more.” Our first step to salvation is confession.
In our focal scripture, David extols God for His faithful love. We have the hope of eternal life because God loved us so much, he sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Our sorrow can turn to joy through Jesus Christ.
Accept you are a sinner, confess before God, receive Christ as your savior. “Weep, believe, and sin no more.”
Just pondering . . . Bro. Rick