Music for Sunday 11 April 2010
April 8, 2010 by Rob Westwood-Payne
Filed under News, Random Jottings, worship meetings
The song, Calvary’s Love, by Greg Nelson and Phill McHugh reminds us of the peace and safety the death of Jesus Christ, and his resurrection, can mean to us in the midst of our human need. If you have hurts which need to heal, a spirit which life seems to have crushed, then the love for you displayed by Jesus on that first Good Friday can rise above it all and fill you with joy once again.
Calvary’s love will sail forever,
Bright and shining, strong and free,
Like an ark of peace and safety
On the sea of human need.
Through the hours of all the ages
Those tired of sailing on their own
Finally rest inside the shadow
Cast by Calvary’s love across their souls.Calvary’s love, Calvary’s love,
Priceless gift Christ makes us worthy of;
The deepest sin can’t rise above Calvary’s love.Calvary’s love can heal the spirit
Life has crushed and cast aside,
And redeem till heaven’s promise
Fills with joy once empty eyes.
So desire to tell His story
Of Love that loved enough to die
Burns away all other passions,
Fed by Calvary’s love becomes a fire.Calvary’s love, Calvary’s love,
Priceless gift Christ makes us worthy of;
The deepest sin can’t rise above Calvary’s love.Calvary’s love has never faltered,
All its wonders still remain.
Souls still take eternal passage;
Sins atoned and heaven gained,
Sins atoned and heaven gained,
Sins atoned and heaven gained.
In the evening, Cradley Heath Salvation Army Songsters will sing, Your Grace Still Amazes Me.
St Paul wrote: “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”
It is difficult for us to fathom the grace and longsuffering of our Lord. We find ourselves equating God’s patience with that of mankind, limited and partial. But it is the unlimited patience of the Lord that gives us hope–hope that while we are changing and growing, He will continue to love and befriend us.
How many people do you know who say, “I just can’t live the Christian life. I don’t have what it takes to be that good.”? We should assure them that’s exactly right! Not one of us has what it takes in ourselves to “live the life”; that is why we need a saviour. Face it. If we could do it by ourselves there would be no need for Jesus. But we can’t. That’s why He came to earth—to empower us to do what we could not do on our own.
Even when we continue to wrestle with old habits, bad attitudes and jaded hearts, God’s love for us never wavers. Our weakness makes God’s unlimited patience all the more evident. The apostle Paul, including himself among those who tried God’s patience, said he was shown mercy as “an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”
This is not a crutch we lean on as an excuse to sin. Rather it is the understanding that even though our best is not good enough He doesn’t give up on us. He is changing us by His grace.
“Oh God, I am thankful for Your unlimited patience: you never give up on us but have high hopes and plans for our success. You see us as victors and overcomers in this life, and we are…by Your Spirit that is at work in us even now, causing us to talk, walk, and act like You our Father.”
Now that’s amazing!
Why not join us for our meetings this Sunday at 10:30am and 6:00pm at The Salvation Army, Meredith Street, Cradley Heath B64 5EP?
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Rob Westwood-Payne grew up in The Salvation Army at Norwich Citadel. He left Norwich to study at the University of Warwick and became fully involved in the music centre there culminating in his conducting Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue to a full house in Symphony Hall in Birmingham. He also transferred to The Salvation Army at Coventry City, where he became Songster Leader at the age of 21. He was made Songster Leader at Cradley Heath in April 1998 shortly before marrying Gail in the following October. He is a former leader of the West Midlands Divisional Youth Chorus and is currently Programme Director at the West Midlands Divisional Summer School for The Salvation Army. He is an Associate Solicitor in the Licensing Team of a national practice based in the south west.