Never alone

I went to chick's chapel at MTC today ... BW was leading.

We sang this song called 'Never Alone' written by Simone who has commented over here once or twice. It was the first time I'd ever sung it and I was struck by the way it captures the truth of what Jesus has done for on the cross without feeling really individualistic. After some internet trawling this afternoon I was able to find the words in full. I'm hopeful I'm not breaking any copywrite laws by posting the words to it here ... I'll remove the words and just keep the link if I find out I'm wrong.

Never Alone

We’re not alone, for Christ is here
Immanuel our God come near
We’re not alone, for to our world
Jesus has come, eternal word.
And as he speaks, our souls laid bare
Naked, ashamed, sin is made clear
And yet he clothes us in his love
Never alone, Christ is with us.

The longest walk, earth’s darkest day
Noise from the crowd and mounting pain
His heavy load of grief and shame
Breathless that we should breathe again.
“Father forgive them,” comes his cry
Blackness descends filling the sky.
A creeping dread in every heart
Lost in the world now God departs.

The dawn will come, the sun will rise
Out of the grave we’ll see hope’s light.
Tomb opened wide, stone rolled away
Morning has come, a brand new day.
“He isn’t here,” the angel said.
“He is alive no longer dead.”
Our hearts are lifted, souls raised high
Christ is with us, Christ is our life.

Never alone is now our cry
In joy, in grief, in lonely sin.
Never alone for Christ is ours
He lives in us, we live in him.
And till we reach that final day
When fears are gone, cast far away
We live secure, trust in his love,
Never alone, Christ is with us.

SAR 2006

The supremacy of Christ

One of the joy's of my week is Tuesday mornings where I meet with Emma to read Colossians from the Greek. It's our attempt to use what we learnt at college and doing it together is an encouragement to make it happen. We've discovered that we are getting quite good at looking things up in the dictionary!

Yesterday we looked at Col 1:15-23 a great passage that tells of the supremacy of Christ and his sufficiency for our salvation. It was great to be reminded that all things were created by him, through him and for him (v16). And why did the firstborn over all creation take on human flesh? To reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross (v19).

I was really struck by the movement in verses 21-23. The key words in this section are: 'once', 'but now' and 'if'

Once you were dead
But now you have been made alive in Christ
If you continue to hold on to the hope that you have

A great reminder that Jesus has indeed rescued me from a helpless state and won forgiveness for me on the cross, so that the only appropriate response is to continue to hold on to him in all that I do.

Maybe this Greek caper is not so bad after all ...