Sunday Hymn: Jesus, Joy of the Highest Heaven

Jesus, joy of the highest heaven,

Born as a little baby

Under a wondrous star.

Like us, crying He takes His first breath

Held by His mother, helpless

Close to her beating heart.

Jesus, laid in a lowly manger,

Facing a world of dangers,

Come to turn me a stranger

Into a child of God.

Jesus, King of the highest heaven

Learning to take His first steps,

That He might bring us life.

Like us, knowing our smiles and sorrows,

He showed the way to follow,

A way that is true and right.

Jesus, take away every darkness,

Steady my simple footsteps

That I might in your goodness

Live as a child of God.

—Keith Getty and Kristyn Getty

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

• O Wisdom, Spreading Mightily at Conjubilant with Song
• Of the Father’s Love Begotten at Gospel Grace
• O Let Your Soul Now Be Filled With Gladness at By Grace Alone
• Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming at The Happy Wonderer
• O Holy Night at Hopeful Morning
• Alter and Manger at Tried With Fire 
• Lord’s Day 51, 2012 at The Thirsty Theologian
• Your Weekly Dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: Time Married to Eternity
• Third Sunday in Advent at The Upward Call
• Praying Isaiah 9:6-7 at Daily On My Way to Heaven

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.

Because My Time Was Full

Once again, it was my turn to post at Out of the Ordinary. Things did not go as I planned yesterday (although they probably went as I should have anticipated they would) and I ended up reposting a post I wrote several (many?) years ago as a reading for my church choir christmas program.

In eternity past, prior to his first creative command, God had a plan for the history of his creation. At the very centre of his plan was His own Son, foreordained to redeem humankind from the ruinous results of sin. That God’s own Son would come as Redeemer was at the heart of God’s purposeful will—the plan that he invariably works in all things to accomplish.

It was a glorious plan, but a plan yet to be revealed and a plan yet to unfold in history.  And then, piece by piece, God’s word revealed his purpose, and piece by piece, his command brought it to pass.

Read the rest of In the Fullness of Time.

Thankful Thursday

I’m thankful for the incarnation. The sovereign Lord—the one who created thrones and dominions and rulers and authorities, and who upholds them all by his powerful word—emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant, and was obedient even to death on the cross. And he did it to save his people. It’s the greatest gift ever.

I’m thankful that both grandbabies visited yesterday. I’m thankful that they like each other so much. 

I’m thankful for the opportunity to sing Christmas carols at the nursing home tonight.

I’m thankful for my blooming African violets. 

I’m thankful that it warmed up a little. Everything’s so much easier when it isn’t deathly cold outside. 

I’m thankful for mandarin oranges, my favorite fruit of the season.