Sunday Set List: February 24

Be Thou My Vision

Death Was Arrested

Grace Greater Than Our Sin

One Thing Remains

Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace)

…Anticipatory Reflections of Sunday…

Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh...” – Genesis 2:23 

There is something so profound about being one flesh. It's not just a married thing, it's a church thing. It is the heart of God for us sing our praise, as one, to Him. That unity includes knowing, together, what we say to God.

We call out to God, "Be Thou My Vision." This is an 8th century ancient Irish song, rich in pure worship. Have you reflected on it?

Poetic Translation from ancient Gaelic  | Modern Vernacular

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart | O Lord, please won't you be my focus/the way I see things?
Naught be all else to me save that Thou art| That to my heart, You are nothing other than...
Thou my best thought, by day or by night | The best thought I could ever think about
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light | That you would be with me everywhere I go

Can you pray this prayer out to God with me, this Sunday? (See Psalm 139 for more on this hymn's train of thought)

Death Was Arrested is a lovely “Story Song” (as I like to regard the recent outburst of songs that tell the story of the good news of Jesus.) This week, my heart lingers on "Ash was redeemed only beauty remains / My orphan heart was given a name" The God we worship stooped down and scooped us up. We do lose value when we sin. Conversely, we started off lacking value. He gave us irrevocable value. Surely that is "grace so free."

Grace Greater Than Our Sin is a grounding song - we do ourselves great service when we remind our hearts that our sin and guilt truly is immense, but that God's grace is greater than our hearts. "Marvelous grace of our loving Lord / Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt" Grace reminds us as John does "By [loving one another] we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything." - 1 John 3:19, 20 Believer, do you need to remember your sin is forgiven, if the Son has set you free...? I know I often do. 

As we sing One Thing Remains, we sing a song of determination. God's love never fails, but we too are called to respond to His love. We too must not give up. This song is a motif from the first week of the marriage series. What our relationships are anchored in is surely deeper than a flippant, limited devotion. Beyond that, it never quits.

Broken Vessels – Wrapping up our series and our service, we sing this song. It connects the old hymn with the continually renewed promise of everlasting love. Amazing grace how sweet the sound / that saved a wretch like me ... I can see You now / I can see the love in Your eyes / laying Yourself down / raising up the  broken to life. " Amidst all our brokenness, God is making life. If you feel insufficient, dear soul, it is because you are. Sufficiency comes from God to us (2 Corinthians 3 has much to say on this, which directly inspired the songwriter).

Calling on God to center us on Him, Praising the riches of His glorious Grace, identifying that grace as centered in the Person of Jesus Christ and renewing resolve to His determination and restoration of our lives, our marriages, and our everything in His covenant-keeping power and love! This is what we will do Sunday. There is much for us to anticipate with Him, together with you.

PS: The three-part marriage series has us opening with a love song, each week. Whether you are single, wanting to be married someday, married, or either death or divorce has separated you from your spouse, I encourage you to receive Pastor Jeff’s message, and apply the hope God gives to either marriage, or every other aspect of life.