Tradition!!

I am a traditionalist by nature.  I find comfort and stability in following patterns and procedures that have been in places for many years, decades and sometimes even centuries.  This is true especially when it comes to worship services in church.  I enjoy the liturgy, for lack of a more Baptist word.  Not because I think or believe that worship should be a rote exercise - far from it - but because I find that using words that have been written by others allows me to really think about what I am saying as opposed to trying to think of my own words to impress those around me.  Because, let's face it, we all like to be personally affirmed by the admiration of others.

One of the things that I enjoy most about worshipping with my church family is the musical parts of the service, especially the singing.  Here my traditionalist roots show up again.  I prefer and enjoy the "Great Old Hymns of the Faith" - you know the ones I mean. "Great is Thy Faithfulness", and "How Great Thou Art", "O, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus", "Love Divine All Loves Excelling", and "Amazing Love", "It is Well with My Soul", "Blessed Assurance", just to name a few.  The words to these hymns were written by men and women who had a deep and real relationship with the Lord.  Many of these authors knew troubles and trials that would shake most of us to our very foundations, but the relationship that sustained them was the one with the Heavenly Father.

I have been thinking lately about some of the vicissitudes of life, about things with which I am struggling and about things that others of my friends have been facing.  The thing that draws us all together in our struggles and fears and trials is the bond that exists because of the relationship we have together as Christians through Jesus Christ.  As I have been thinking and praying over the past two weeks especially, two songs have been going through my mind.  One of them is an old hymn, and the other one is a newer one.  The first one is "Children of the Heavenly Father".  What great words on which to meditate.!

More secure is no one ever

Than the loved ones of the Saviour.

Not yon star on high abiding

Nor the bird in home nest hiding.

God His own doth tend and nourish;

In His holy courts they flourish.

From all evil things He spares them;

In His loving arms He bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever

From the Lord His children sever;

Unto them His grace He showeth,

And their sorrows all He knoweth.

Little flock, to joy then yield thee!

Jacob’s God will ever shield thee;

Rest secure with this Defender—

At His will all foes surrender.

Tho’ He giveth or He taketh,

God His children ne’er forsaketh;

His the loving purpose solely

To preserve them pure and holy.

As you may have noticed, I do have enough of a rebelious streak in me to enjoy the occasional break from tradition.  That's probably why I have been thinking about the words to this much newer song.  They are taken from the book of Lamentations, where Jeremiah tells us, "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him."

Mercies Anew

Every morning that breaks

There are mercies anew

Every breath that I take

Is your faithfulness proved

And at the end of each day

When my labors are through
I will sing of Your mercies anew.

When I’ve fallen and strayed

There were mercies anew

For you sought me in love

And my heart you pursued

In the face of my sin

Lord, You never withdrew

So I sing of Your mercies anew.

And Your mercies, they will never end

For ten thousand years they’ll remain

And when this world’s beauty has passed away

Your mercies will be unchanged

.

And when the storms swirl and rage

There are mercies anew

In affliction and pain

You will carry me through

And at the end of my days

When Your throne fills my view

I will sing of Your mercies anew

I will sing of Your mercies anew.