Hushed was the evening hymn

1 Hushed was the evening hymn,
the temple courts were dark,
the lamp was burning dim
before the sacred ark,
when suddenly a voice divine
rang through the silence of the shrine.
2 The old man, meek and mild,
the priest of Israel, slept;
his watch, the temple-child,
the little Levite, kept;
and what from Eli's sense was sealed,
the Lord to Hannah's son revealed.
3 O give me Samuel's ear!
The open ear, O Lord,
alive and quick to hear
each whisper of thy word;
like him to answer at thy call,
and to obey thee first of all.
4 O give me Samuel's heart!
A lowly heart that waits
where in thy house thou art,
or watches at thy gates
by day and night, a heart that still
moves at the breathing of thy will.
5 O give me Samuel's mind!
A sweet, unmurm'ring faith,
obedient and resigned
to thee in life and death,
that I may read with childlike eyes
truths that are hidden from the wise.

Thank you Lord Jesus for being late in judgment on the subject of our tongues!  We see your mercy upon us daily and yet we inflict the deepest of judgments on the subjects of our considerations.  Do we let them slide, as you have let us slide, in development of our encouraging others and being kind in our speech, not to mention our articulations.

Do we live up to the glory of the speech that we articulate?

Judges 12:6 

Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

You, Lord who allowed 42000 Ephraimites to be slain for their inarticulation, give us mercy in our inconsistencies.  Help us to be those who articulate well the truth of the mercy that we have received.  Please, Lord! In Jesus' Strong Name.  Amen.

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken...

Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou, from hence, my all shalt be:
Perish ev'ry fond ambition,
All I've sought, and hoped, and known;
Yet how rich is my condition,
God and heav'n are still my own!

More than a decision to follow Christ,  a determination to consider His life and accomplishments as my highest attainment, is what is becoming a Christian.  It may not cost you all, but it will cost you the consideration of your all as nothing in comparison.

Everything that I was before is truly Destitute, despised and forsaken.  If I was these things I am rich now.  If I am these things, the possession of Christ makes me truly rich.  We have cheapened the reality of what we own as a Christian.  We have negated the significance of owning Christ and following Him in His life of sacrifice.

If God and Heaven are my own all the other ambitions that I may have are nothing.  I reach above the shadow of these earthly attainments to the true sunshine of the Grace of God, which is mine.  Halleluia, what a Savior!