Notes on the Notes – March 20, 2022

Lent 3

You are Worthy 

This week’s music: 

“Come, Just As You Are”

“Come just as you are,
Hear the Spirit call.
Come just as you are –
Come and see, come receive, come and live forever.

Life everlasting,
And strength for today,
Taste the Living Water and never thirst again.”

Our opening song invites us to come as we are, with all of our faults and failures, and cast the burdens we have on the Lord to find the healing only God can provide.

Those who are feeling weighed down in life are allowed to cry out in hope or just soak in the words and music, while those who are experiencing a time when life seems perfect can sing this song to encourage others and remember how God has brought healing in their life. The words and music for this song were written by Joseph Sabolick in 1994.

“Fill My Cup, Lord”

“Like the woman at the well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy.
And then I heard my Saviour speaking:
‘Draw from the well that never shall run dry.’

Fill my cup, Lord,
I lift it up, Lord.
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup,
Fill it up and make me whole.

There are millions in this world who are craving
The pleasure earthly things afford.
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Fill my cup, Lord…

So, my brother, if the things this world gave you
Leave hungers that won’t pass away.
My blessed Lord will come and save you
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray:

Fill my cup, Lord…”

This song was written by Richard Blanchard in 1959.  The first verse directly references the gospel reading about the women at the well from John 4.  The second and third verses extend the invitation for a more meaningful life through Jesus to everyone in the world whose lives feels empty.

“Living Water”

“I am filthy from my travels;
I am thirsty from the heat;
I am tired and worn and wasted in defeat.
You come offering Your water,
Saying ‘Come, believe and drink.’
In my heart, You’ll be an everlasting stream.

Living Water, flood my soul;
Fill me till I overflow.
Living Water, pour through me to a thirsty world in need
of Living Water.

Lord, I want to be Your witness,
Tell the world how I love You,
How Your grace has cleansed,
Your hope has made me new.
On my own, I am not worthy;
I am barren, I am dry,
Yet Your love in me springs forth an endless supply.

Cleanse me,
Renew me,
Sustain me, Flow through me.

Living Water…”

The words of this song by Sarah Moore are a plea for God to cleanse, renew and sustain us and that, by flowing through us, God’s Living Water is taken to the world.  The choral  arrangement of the song is by Mary McDonald (2010).

See the song with mass choir and dance at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=299C6rZxnL0

“All the Way My Saviour Leads Me” (VU #635)

“All the way my Saviour leads me, what have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt his tender mercy who through life has been my guide?
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, here by faith in him to dwell,
For I know, whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Saviour leads me, cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial, feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter, and my soul a-thirst may be,
Gushing from the rock before me, lo, a spring of joy I see!

All the way my Saviour leads me; O the fullness of his love!
Perfect rest to me is promised in my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed, immortal, wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages, “Jesus led me all the way!”

“All The Way My Savior Leads Me” was written by Fanny Crosby and is her statement of faith and trust that God, through Jesus, will always be with her.  She sent the text to Robert Lowrey who composed the tune for it.  It was first published in Chicago, in Brightest and Best (1875), a tune book for Sunday schools.

Hear The Haven Quartet at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEOtFEs0Jos

Hear Melody St Clair Randazzo at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9u38XpHI7Q&index=31&list=PLWfKlHQoDKDWVBl9mE90_wpU-WDjhrGqs

“Peace for the Children” (MV #149 v 5)

“Peace for the nations, peace, peace.
Peace for the nations we pray.
Following the path of One of peace,
We work for healing, we work for peace;
Peace for the nations today.” 

This week’s benediction response was written by Doreen Lankshear-Smith in 1993, arranged by Jason Locke in 2020.