QUIETUDE

Quietude, which some men cannot abide because it reveals their inward poverty, is as a palace of cedar to the wise, for along its hallowed courts the King in His beauty deigns to walk. ---- Charles H. Spurgeon

 

Trust in the LORD and do good, dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him.... (Psalm 37:3-5a).

 

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You (Isaiah 26:3).

 

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Peace, Perfect Peace, Edward H. Bickersteth, 1875.

HARVEST

Thanksgiving. Here a little child I stand,

Heaving up my either hand;

Cold as paddocks though they be,

Here I lift them up to Thee,

For a benison to fall

On our meat, and on us all.

   --- Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)

 

Blessed be the LORD, who daily loads us with benefits, even the God of our salvation (Psalm 68:19)

 

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Sing To the Lord of Harvest, John S. B. Monsell, 1866.

WHOLLY

WHOLLY THE LORD'S

 

My whole though broken heart, O Lord

   From henceforth shall be Thine;

And here I do my vow record ---

   This hand, these words are mine;

All that I have, without reserve,

   I offer here to Thee;

Thy will and honor all shall serve

   That Thou bestow'st on me.

 

All that I save I lose;

   All that I lose I save;

The treasures of Thy love I choose,

   And Thou art all I crave.

My God, Thou hast my heart and hand;

   I all to Thee resign;

I'll ever to this covenant stand,

   Though flesh hereat repine.

 

I know that Thou wast willing first,

   And then drew my consent;

Having thus loved me at the worst

   Thou wilt not now repent.

Now I have quit all self-pretense,

   Take care of what's Thine own;

My life, my health, and my defense,

   Now lie on Thee alone. ---- Richard Baxter.

 

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).

 

Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord (Romans 14:8). 

 

A Hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Christ of All My Hopes the Ground, Ralph Wardlaw, 1817.

GOSPEL

The gospel. "The gospel" does not mean my being born again or experiencing conversion, making a decision or being transformed within. Rather, the gospel is that "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification" (Romans 4:25). The good news is about what happened to Christ because of my failures to believe enough, to obey enough, to serve enough, and to love enough. -- Michael Horton.

[Abraham] ....gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness. Bu the words it was counted to him were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification (Romans 4:21-25).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: Tell Me the Old, Old Story. Katherine Hankey, 1866.

GENTLENESS

Our loving Lord. The depths of our misery can never fall below the depths of [God's] mercy. -- Richard Sibbes

 

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:30).

 

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: How Gentle God's Commands. Phil Doddridge, 1755.

TRUSTING

Trusting a Sovereign God. Once you walk through the door of love into the massive, unshakable structure of Romans 8:28 everything changes. There come into your life stability and depth and freedom. You simply can't be blown over any more. The confidence that a sovereign God governs for your good all the pain and all the pleasure that you will ever experience is an incomparable refuge and security and hope and power in your life. When God's people really live by the future grace of Romans 8:28 --- from measles to the mortuary --- they are the freest and strongest and most generous people in the world. ---- John Piper

 

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to HIs purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified (Romans 8:26-30. See also Ephesians 3:14-21.)

 

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: O Rejoice in he Lord.  

IMMANENCE

What varous hindrances we meet

   In coming to the mercy seat;

Yet who, that knows the

   worth of prayer,

But wishes to be often there?

                        -- William Cowper

 

Seek the LORD and His strength,

   seek His presence continually!

Remember the wondrous works that

   He has done.

Save us, O God of our salvation,

   and gather and deliver us from

among the nations,

   that we may give thanks to Your holy name,

and glory in Your praise. (I Chronicles 16:11, 35)