My Hope is Built on…

As Barb and I prepare to go out of town tomorrow, I woke up this morning singing an old hymn in my head.  The hymn,  The Solid Rock,  was originally written by a young apprentice cabinetmaker in 1834.  It has been redone, re-arranged and added to by many others.  You have probably heard the newer versions in the Praise and Worship part of your church services.  The song was written  by Edward Mote with the chorus being the first part which he wrote one morning on his walk to the shop. By the end of the day, he had written four

verses and on the following Sunday when he visited a friend whose wife lay ill, he remembered the song as they gathered to pray and sing together.  The musician, William Bradbury later penned the tune in 1863. 

Edward Mote, born in 1797 to pub-owning parents grew up completely unaware of the church and religious teachings.  He had no knowledge of the Bible or Christ until the age of 18 when he was exposed to the gospel.  He spent the next 38 years as a cabinet maker and in his 50’s realized a calling to ministry, wherein he served as pastor for 26 years at the same church.

As a pastor, there are some things that we get to do in addition to preaching.  I will interject there is a difference between being a pastor and being a preacher.  When I began pastoring some 13 years ago this past April, a friend told me that the easiest part was preaching and the hardest part was being the pastor.  I have since learned that statement is  true.  Pastors become involved in many things in the lives of people,  both in our churches and outside our churches.  We certainly have the opportunity to pray, visit help and listen, but the three big expectations as I have learned is “marry”, “bury” and “baptize.”  There is great joy in marrying and baptizing as it is an exciting time of joy and happiness as a person begins a new life with a partner or a new life as a believer. Sharing in those times is such a great experience but the harder one for me and many pastor’s is the “bury.”  Sometimes we are asked to officiate a “celebration of life” service for someone we don’t know and more often we officiate the service for those we have grown to love and count as friends from our churches.  Those are certainly the hardest services for me personally.  While I often know the person’s history and salvation status, I mourn with those family members as this is a loss that we all share. 

When I woke up this morning singing that song in my head, I recalled the verses as much as the chorus.  Growing up a good Baptist kid, we mostly sang the 1st, 2nd and last stanza so those are more embedded in my mind than the third verse but they all express a hope that is eternal. 

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

Chorus

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,

Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

In Him, my righteousness, alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne.

During those difficult times in life whether it be job, home, family, illness or the death of loved one we have hope in Christ.  As the verse says, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood, His righteousness.”  For those that live life outside of Christ, there is no hope there is only uncertainty. As believers, we have hope in our eternity, but we also have hope in the eternity of others.  I have no doubt that someday, I will see the face of Christ but will also see the face of those who have left this earth before me. My family and friends will greet me with, “we’ve been waiting for you, let us show you around.”   What a wonderful thing to look forward to as I move along in life that I will stand faultless before God because of His grace.  Paul writes in Romans 12:12, Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”  

Let us live in hope, knowing that nothing here can keep us from His love when we recognize Him as Lord and Savior and live to serve Him

Romans 15:13- May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Much love,

Preach