On Wallin Pond

"O Praise The Name (Anástasis)"

I cast my mind to Calvary
Where Jesus bled and died for me.
I see His wounds, His hands, His feet.
My Savior on that cursed tree

His body bound and drenched in tears
They laid Him down in Joseph's tomb.
The entrance sealed by heavy stone
Messiah still and all alone

O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forever more
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God

And then on the third at break of dawn,
The Son of heaven rose again.
O trampled death where is your sting?
The angels roar for Christ the King

O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forever more
 For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God

He shall return in robes of white,
The blazing Son shall pierce the night.
And I will rise among the saints,
My gaze transfixed on Jesus' face

O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forever more
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
 © 2017 CCLI, Inc. All Rights Reserved

I was reading in Spurgeon's Morning and Evening about the women following Jesus on the Via Dolorosa. They were wailing and weeping because of the suffering their beloved Jesus was enduring. I wonder if they really understood, though, that they weren't just weeping because the One they thought was the Messiah was now being led to his death. Did they realize that it was their own sins that was leading their Savior to his death? And vicariously, I was there with them, my own sins causing him to set his face to the cross.

Even though Jesus told his followers numerous times that he was going to die, it doesn't seem like it sank in. Then when he really died, they were so hopeless in their sorrow that they didn't remember that he had said he would rise again. And who can blame them? It really is a fantastic, incredible, wonderful plan thought up in ages past by the Father and willingly carried out by the Son.

No wonder we'll be praising his name forever more. What a great God.

I did not have a good week but came down with a very bad cold. It was so bad that I stayed in bed all day Friday, not getting up to eat, get dressed, take a shower, or doing anything except sleep and blow my nose. (So far, I've used up 2 whole boxes of tissues.) I felt a little better on Saturday but still didn't have much motivation to do anything. I did go to church this morning but confess I feel somewhat guilty, hoping I didn't infect the many people who gave me hugs and shook my hand. This is not something I would wish on anyone.

I did not go to see Andy on Friday evening, although that is the only evening I missed seeing him. Earlier in the week, he had told me he was thinking of getting a group of guys from church together to talk to them about his leaving. I'm not sure what he was talking about, but I probed and asked questions until I figured out that he wanted to go to heaven. My answer to that was that that was in God's hands and for Him to decide when would be the right time. Then he agreed with me. But he was feeling pretty miserable so I told him I would see if the nurse could come check on him. That seems to comfort him and the nurses at Care One are so kind and compassionate. They willingly come to his room, talk to him, ask him questions and show care, and he always feels better for the attention. In fact, he told the nurse this time, "God bless you." She was so sweet and thanked him.

I don't have much to say tonight except that I'm very thankful that God is the same, constant in faithfulness, never fickle and never feels bad. So in spite of the way I feel, I can depend on his care and presence with me.

Matthew 1:23: "They will call him Immanuel - which means 'God with us'."  He is always with me. That is a comforting thought and reality.