Rebecca Stark is the author of The Good Portion: Godthe second title in The Good Portion series.

The Good Portion: God explores what Scripture teaches about God in hopes that readers will see his perfection, worth, magnificence, and beauty as they study his triune nature, infinite attributes, and wondrous works. 

                     

Sunday
Nov212021

Sunday's Hymn: Abide With Me

 

 

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide:
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide:
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need thy presence ev’ry passing hour;
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who like thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless:
Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes:
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies:
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee:
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

 —Hen­ry F. Lyte

 

Other hymns of worship songs for this Sunday:

Wednesday
Nov172021

Theological Term of the Week: John of Damascus

John of Damascus
“[T]he most outstanding Christian figure who lived and worked under Islamic rule.”1 Sometimes called the last of the Greek church fathers, he lived from 675 to 749. 

  • From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power, Volume 2 by N. H. Needham, page 31-33: 
  • John was a firm adherent of the Creed of Chalcedon., and opposed both Nestorianism and Monophysitism; he based his teaching largely on the Cappadocian fathers … . 

    John also wrote a thoughtful and powerful defence of icons in the iconoclastic controversy, and a number of the most beautiful and popular of all Greek hymns.

    The live and writings of John of Damascus, then, show us how a great Christian theologian could live and flourish under Islam.

  • Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain, a hymn of John of Damascus: 
  • Come, ye faithful, raise the strain 
    of triumphant gladness!
    God hath brought forth Israel 
    into joy from sadness,
    loosed from Pharaoh’s bitter yoke
    Jacob’s sons and daughters,
    led them with unmoistened foot 
    through the Red Sea waters.

    ’Tis the spring of souls today:
    Christ hath burst his prison,
    and from three days’ sleep in death 
    as a sun hath risen.
    Now rejoice, Jerusalem,
    and with true affection
    welcome in unwearied strains 
    Jesus’ resurrection.

    Neither shall the gates of death, 
    nor the tomb’s dark portal,
    nor the watchers, nor the seal 
    hold thee as a mortal.
    But arisen ’midst thy friends 
    thou didst stand, bestowing
    thy true peace, which evermore 
    passes human knowing.

 

Learn more:

  1. Got Questions: Who was John of Damascus?
  2. Theopedia: John of Damascus
  3. Christian History: John of Damascus

 

Related terms:

 

Filed under Christian History

1From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power, Volume 2 by N. R. Needham.


Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

Clicking on the Theological Terms button will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.

Sunday
Nov142021

Sunday's Hymn: Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies

 

 

Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ the true, the only Light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise,
Triumph o’er the shades of night;
Dayspring from oh high, be near;
Daystar, in my heart appear.

Dark and cheerless is the morn
Unaccompanied by thee;
Joyless is the day’s return
Till thy mercy’s beams I see;
Till thy inward light impart,
Glad my eyes and warm my heart.

Visit, then, this soul of mine;
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, Radiancy Divine;
Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day.

 —Charles Wesley

 

Other hymns of worship songs for this Sunday: