Hymn Thoughts

Lately I've been blessed by singing one of our morning devotional hymns, "The Church's One Foundation." At the same time, I've been listening to the message Jim Jacobson, president of Christian Freedom International, gave at Fairwood last year, which adds extra meaning to the words. (Yes, I'm behind on listening to the tapes.) It reminds me to pray for those across the world who are standing for their faith through difficult times. It also reminds me to pray for the weak spots in the church where solid knowledge of the Bible is lacking. I do want to be one of the saints who is faithfully keeping watch.

"Though with a scornful wonder men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed:
Yet saints their watch are keeping, their cry goes up, "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.

"'Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation of peace forevermore;
Till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious shall be the Church at rest.

"Yet she on earth hath union with God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we,
Like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with Thee."

Samuel J. Stone, 1868