Sunday's Hymn: Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of Heav’n to earth come down;
Fix in us thy humble dwelling;
All thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter every trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit,
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty to deliver,
Let us all Thy life receive;
Suddenly return and never,
Never more Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.

Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in Heav’n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.

—Charles Wesley

Three tunes:

St Olaf Choir - Hyfrydol

St. Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast - Blaenwern

Organ - Beecher

Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

• Hallelujah! What a Savior at The Happy Wonderer
• For All the Saints at Gospel Grace
• Our God, Our Help in Ages Past at By Grace Alone
• The Puritans: Richard Baxter at Challies.com
• The Lord’s Prayer: The First Petition at Tried With Fire 
• Lord’s Day 34, 2013 at The Thirsty Theologian
• You Weekly Dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: A double knock at the door of the young

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.

Hidden Devotional Poetry

Does the word mind-numbing pop into your head when you think of Calvin’s Institutes? The word heart-stirring might be more accurate. Check out my post at Out of the Ordinary  today to see why. 

For the whole month of August our content revolves around dead theologians. Keep checking back for more quotes from and discussion of a few of the dead guys we’ve read.

Thankful Thursday

I spent the day with my youngest granddaughter. She’s been toddling for a couple of weeks now, so we took a little walk on a trail in the bush in the late summer sunshine, noticing sticks, leaves, and rocks. I’m thankful for the sun to warm us and light the trail. I’m thankful that God grows babies into toddlers and toddlers into little boys and girls. I’m thankful for the opportunity to see God’s world through a little one’s eyes, giving me delight again in the rocks, trees and flowers he made. 

I’m thankful for berries, ripe raspberries in my garden and almost ripe cranberries in the forest. It will be a bumper year for the wild cranberries, and I’m thankfully anticipating afternoons spent picking so I can fill my freezer.

I’m thankful for the gift of time and energy to make progress on a bathroom painting project. 

I’m thankful God kept my family safe and healthy during our summer travels and activities. I’m thankful that God cares for me, so that I can give all my worries to him. I’m thankful that he is trustworthy, even when I don’t trust him. 

I’m thankful that God gives joy in sorrow and joy after sorrow.

I’m thankful for God’s love revealed in the cross. I’m thankful for his love seen in his people.