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| Wednesday, October 17, 2007 |
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Let Grace Bind My Heart to Thee
By webmaster @ 10:52 AM :: 279 Views ::
1 Comments :: Rev. Peggy Funderburke
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When I arrive at church, my normal sequence of events is to pick up a Bulletin to check out what hymns we will be singing in worship. [Yea, I know maybe I am a little strange!] This Sunday, I was delighted when I saw that we were going to sing one of my favorite hymns, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” There is something in this hymn that speaks to my core – it’s not just the lyrical melody (which I will be humming for days!) – the words – poignant words that touch the parts of my soul that I would like to keep hidden.
Robert Robinson was just a small boy when his dad died. Without a father to guide and steady him, he fell in with bad companions in 18th century England. One day his gang harassed a drunken gypsy. Pouring more liquor into her, they demanded she tell their fortunes for free. Pointing her finger at Robert she told him he would live to see his children and grandchildren. This struck a tender spot in his heart. "If I'm going to live to see my children and grandchildren," he thought, "I'll have to change my way of living. I can't keep on like I'm going now."
He decided to go hear the Methodist preacher George Whitefield who preached on the text: Matt. 3:7 "O generation of vipers,” Robert left in dread, under a deep sense of sin that lasted for three years. Finally, at the age of twenty, he made peace with God and immediately set out to become a Methodist preacher himself. Two years later, in 1757, he wrote a hymn which expressed his joy in his new faith :
O to grace how great a debtor daily I constrained to be!
Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter, bind my wand’ring heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;
take my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.
I am awed that God’s words to Robinson 240 years ago still work in me today. There is a timeless, universal need to search for the mysterious good that is beyond me, to experience God on occasion - and then to know that I am human and will inevitably sin and fall short of the mark. I am in awe that no matter what place we are in life - God will use us, if we only say, “Yes.” |
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 By
Bflood27 @
Friday, October 19, 2007 1:06 PM
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Thank you for reminding us all of the grace of our Lord, Christ Jesus. I am all to human and fail over and over again in trying to be a good Christian. I am grateful God is understanding and forgives whn we repent for our many sins. Thank you for putting that message out into the cyberspace!
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Welcome to MarbleTalks, a weblog published by the ministers and staff of Marble Collegiate Church. If you're unfamiliar with blogs, this short primer will help get you up to speed.
What is a Blog?
MarbleTalks provides a forum for each of our ministers and various staff members to share their thoughts, questions, and experiences with our faith community. Contributors to the blog will use a wide variety of sources for inspiration, and may share those sources when possible. Blogs are built around the active participation of their readers, and will commonly encourage you to take action in your life and the world around you.
Publishing Schedule:
| Sun. |
Dr. Caliandro |
| Mon. |
Sister Carol Perry |
| Tues. |
Dr. Lutz |
| Wed. |
Rev. Funderburke |
| Thur. |
Rev. Jordan |
| Thur. |
Dr. Ruge |
| Fri. |
Rev. Lewicki |
| Sat. |
Nina Frost |
| Sat. |
Dr. Killinger |
Reading Our Blog:
New articles will go up every day, and we hope you'll check in regularly. The seven most recent posts are displayed on this main page. Each article contains a short description and a link to read the full text. If you'd like to go back and read previous entries you missed, click on the "Categories" link at the top of the page and then select the author you're interested in. We don't delete old articles, so you'll be able to come back anytime and re-read the ones that speak to you in significant ways.
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