Notes on the Notes – March 6, 2022

Lent 1

Full to the Brim – Even in the Desert 

This week’s music: 

“Giver of the Perfect Gift” (VU #116 v. 1, 4, 5)

“Giver of the perfect gift, only hope of human race,
Hear the prayer our hearts uplift, gathered at thy throne of grace.

Oh, may these our Lenten days, blest by thee, with thee be passed,
That with purer, nobler praise we may keep thy feast at last.

God the holy trinity, grant the mercy we implore;
God the one, all praise to thee through the ages evermore.”

Our opening hymn was translated from 11th century Latin by John Ellerton in 1891. The melody was adapted from Orlando Gibbons (1623).  This hymn was used for Matins (early morning prayer) during the first three weeks of Lent in the Sarum Breviary, which was the Latin liturgical rite developed in England in the 11th century and used until the English Reformation of the 16th century.

“Fill My Cup, Lord” 

            “Fill my cup, Lord, 
            I lift it up, Lord,
            Come and quench the thirsting of my soul.
            Bread of heaven,  feed me ‘til I want no more.
            Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.”

During the season of Lent, we will be using the chorus of this song, written by Richard Blanchard in 1959.  The chorus is an earnest plea for God to fill us with divine forgiveness, mercy and love, making us whole.

“Jesus, Tempted in the Desert” (VU #115)

Jesus, tempted in the desert; lonely, hungry, filled with dread:
“Use your power,” the tempter tells him, “Turn these barren rocks to bread!”
“Not alone by bread,” he answers, “Can the human heart be filled.
Only by the Word that calls us is our deepest hunger stilled!”

Jesus, tempted at the temple, high above its ancient wall:
“Throw yourself from lofty turret, angels wait to break your fall!”
Jesus shuns such empty marvels, feats that fickle crowds request:
“God, whose grace protects, reserves us, we must never vainly test.”

Jesus, tempted on the mountain by the lure of vast domain:
“Fall before me! Be my servant! Glory, fame, you’re sure to gain!”
Jesus sees the dazzling vision, turns his eyes another way:
“God alone deserves our homage! God alone will I obey!”

When we face temptations power, lonely, struggling, filled with dread,
Christ, who knew the tempter’s hour, come and be our living bread.
By your grace, protect, preserve us lest we fall, your trust betray.
Yours, above all other voices, be the Word we hear, obey.”

This text about the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness is from Herman Stuempfle’s The Word Goes Forth (1990.)   While the first verses retell the story of Jesus, the closing verse is a prayer to Jesus to be with us as we face the modern temptations that separate us from God.  The tune is the familiar BEACH SPRING, from The Sacred Harp (1844) with harmonization by Ronald A Nelson (1978).

“What a Friend We Have in Jesus” 

“What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness, take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Christ the Saviour is our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do our friends despise, forsake us? Are we tempted to despair?
Jesus’ strength will shield our weakness, and we’ll find new courage there.”

The words for this hymn were originally written by Joseph M. Scriven in 1855 as a poem to comfort his ill mother who was living in Ireland while he was in Canada.  He could not return to be with her, so he wrote a letter of comfort and enclosed this poem.   Years later, one of Joseph’s friends discovered his poems and they were published in a book called Hymns and Other verses.  The tune to the hymn was composed by Charles Crozat Converse in 1868.

Watch a video about the creation of the hymn at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKjUoE2fack

Hear the Voice of Praise Quartet at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XRmGEbH0qs

“Led by the Spirit” 

“Led by the Spirit of our God, we go to fast and pray
With Christ into the wilderness; we join his Lenten way.
“Rend not your garments, rend your hearts. Turn back your lives to me.”
Thus says our kind and gracious God, whose reign is liberty.

Led by the Spirit, we confront temptation face to face,
And know full well we must rely on God’s redeeming grace.
On bread alone we cannot live, but nourished by the Word
We seek the will of God to do:  this is our drink and food.

Led by the Spirit, now draw near the waters of rebirth
With hearts that long to worship God in spirit and in truth.
“Whoever drinks the drink I give shall never thirst again.”
Thus says the Lord who died for us, our Savior, kin and friend.

Led by the Spirit, now sing praise to God the Trinity;
The Source of Life, the living Word made flesh to set us free,
The Spirit blowing where it will to make us friends of God:
This myst’ry far beyond our reach, yet near in healing love.”

Our closing hymn is based on Joel 2:12-13; Matthew 4:1-4, Mark 1:12-15 and John 4:5-42 and was written by Bob Hurd in 1996.  The melody is the traditional tune, KINGSFOLD, arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1906.  Through the lyrics we are reminded that we are never alone.  We journey through times of trial and wilderness with God, with Christ, and with the Holy Spirit.

Hear the hymn at:  https://youtu.be/C6KRhmCqvq8 

“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 David Abramsky in 1998.