Evermore & Evermore

The day of the arrival of our daughter is coming ever closer, although we aren't quite sure what day we will actually get to meet her. It is reassuring to know that we can trust God as the one who always has been and always will be.

That God is the One who is evermore and evermore is the theme of a very ancient hymn called Corde Natus Ex Parentis. It was written in Latin sometime between 348-410. Recording labels and copyright filing wasn't too common back then, so the exact date is a bit sketchy. These wonderful lyrics were translated into English by John Mason Neale and Sir Henry Williams Baker in the 1850s. Father Chris shared these lyrics in a Sunday School lesson a few weeks ago and I have been drawn to them repeatedly, with the result being the composition of a new song. The hymn "Of the Father's Love Begotten" has been around for many years using several of these verses; this is my take on these precious words.

This is a rather quick recording, so my apologies in advance for some of the flubs.



Lyrics:

Of the Father's love begotten, ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see, evermore and evermore!

At His Word the worlds were framed; He commanded; it was done:
Heaven and earth and depths of ocean in their threefold order one;
All that grows beneath the shining
Of the moon and burning sun, evermore and evermore!

He is found in human fashion, death and sorrow here to know,
That the race of Adam's children doomed by law to endless woe,
May not henceforth die and perish
In the dreadful gulf below, evermore and evermore!

O that birth forever blessed, when the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving, bare the Savior of our race;
And the Babe, the world's Redeemer,
First revealed His sacred face, evermore and evermore!

This is He Whom seers in old time chanted of with one accord;
Whom the voices of the prophets promised in their faithful word;
Now He shines, the long expected,
Let creation praise its Lord, evermore and evermore!

O ye heights of heaven adore Him; angel hosts, His praises sing;
Powers, dominions, bow before Him, and extol our God and King!
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Every voice in concert sing, evermore and evermore!

Righteous judge of souls departed, righteous King of them that live,
On the Father's throne exalted none in might with Thee may strive;
Who at last in vengeance coming
SInners from Thy face shalt drive, evermore and evermore!

Thee let old men, thee let young men, thee let boys in chorus sing;
Matrons, virgins, little maidens, with glad voices answering:
Let their guileless songs re-echo,
And the heart its music bring, evermore and evermore!

Christ, to Thee with God the Father, and, O Holy Ghost, to Thee,
Hymn and chant with high thanksgiving, and unwearied praises be:
Honor, glory, and dominion,
And eternal victory, evermore and evermore!

Of the Father's love begotten, ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He,
Evermore and evermore!

Contemplations on a New Year

A new year is upon us and with it comes a mixture of emotions. There is the joy and relief of passing a fresh landmark mingled with the anxiety of uncertain days on the horizon. There is the hope of future times that have been untainted by folly joined with the guilt of realizing past goals have not been met and mistakes have been made. In addition to the cacophony created by this emotional milieu, this year we have the added variable of a looming political season that is exceptionally polarized and will surely threaten to divide many communities, families, churches, and social groups, as differences in viewpoints on justice, morality, society, and culture are exposed. In the face of a landscape such as this, I would challenge us all to realize that this new year is splayed before us untouched and untainted by past habits, biases, misunderstandings, and failures.

Let us consider the example of the apostles. Here was a group of men from disparate backgrounds. Some cooperated with big government (Matthew, as a tax collector) while others owned small businesses (Peter, James, and John, as fishermen). Some faced the temptation of guilt for past failures, whether they had denied Christ (Peter) or persecuted His church with deadly zeal (Paul). Others had to confront other apostles with differing opinions on ecclesiastical standards (Peter and Paul). While these characteristics are not hidden from the pages of Holy Scripture they do not define these individuals. Rather, this diverse group worked amidst ridicule, threat of violence, and social scandal to promote the unifying gospel of Christ and perpetuate His church.

Matthew, whom some may have seen as a government lackey, promoted a system of social justice in his recollection of Christ's preaching of the Sermon on the Mount that challenged readers to consider themselves part of a kingdom not of man but of God and to behave accordingly. John, a partner in a family-owned business, considered love for others to be the standard by which he should be known rather than his ability to expand the financial enterprises of his family. Paul did not wallow in guilt for past atrocities but instead used the memory of the past to propel him to diligently pursue Christ in the present. He also, although having confronted Peter, urged people in the church to not hold a grudge when offended but to instead confront the offense and then move forward in unity to the Table of the Lord.

These saints of old are examples of Christians who lived life with a motivation that surpassed this transient and mortal life. As we face a new year, with the opportunity for resolution that goes with it, may we resolve to have a solitary motivation in life that sees God as our Almighty King and we as His faithful subjects. May we develop a resolute dedication to God and His church that overshadows all other aspects of our lives. As we face a polarizing political process, may we recognize that the body of Christ was forged from one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all. Let us not question the eternal state of those with differing economic, political, and social viewpoints from our own. Rather, let us realize that the body of Christ is diverse; there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, Democrat nor Republican, socialist nor capitalist.

This is the perfect opportunity to push forward with a new drive to live life in pursuit of the One who should be our unique priority. As we look ahead, may we all put aside past guilt, reliance on financial security, political allegiance, and unresolved offense as the motivations for our decisions. May we all instead live life in complete service of Almighty God, boldly pursuing Him on the basis of our Lord Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.

What's In a Name?

We are excited that we now have a winner in the baby name contest we've been running. Congratulations to MrFribbles for your guesses. You were victorious and Shanna has already begun work on the victory lap quilt that we'll be sending your direction.

So, without further delay, allow me to announce our excitement at the ever-nearing arrival of our daughter Ziona Katriel Reimer.

Ziona is a derivative of the Hebrew proper noun "Zion". This is a term with a rich meaning in the Old Testament text, especially in the Psalms and in the prophecy of Isaiah. It is primarily used in relation to the future hope of God's covenant people. Psalm 50 proclaims that it is from mount Zion, described as the perfection of beauty, that God will shine forth. It is the daughters of Zion that were to look forward to their King riding on a donkey. In John's apocalypse the Lamb, Jesus Christ, is envisioned standing upon mount Zion surrounded by those emblazoned with the name of the Father. For Shanna and I this name reminds us of the future hope of glory that we have and that she will enjoy as a child of God.

The name Katriel is from the Hebrew root ktr or qtr with the suffix "-el", for God. The first root, ktr, means "to surround" or "to encircle", or more metaphorically, "to crown". The second root, qtr, means "to make sacrifices smoke" or "to burn or offer a sacrifice". The name, using the first root, means something akin to being "surrounded by God", or more metaphorically, to be the "crown of God". The second root means "offering of God" or "sacrifice of God". This name has a profound meaning for Shanna and I as we think of her in light of our relationship with Almighty God. We consider her a gift from God but we also offer her back to Him as an offering and pray that she is encircled by God's presence and grace.

We already love our child dearly and are eager to meet her face to face. It will be one of the greatest joys of life to see her christened with this name and grow into a thriving participant in God's covenant.

Allow me to share the prayer for children one more time, for this is our prayer for her:

ALMIGHTY God, heavenly Father, who hast blessed us with the joy and care of children; Give us light and strength so to train them, that they may love whatsoever things are true and pure and lovely and of good report, following the example of their Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Baby Name Contest, Round 4

Round 3: Complete - No winners yet
Round 4: Complete - Winner (and name) announced in What's In a Name?

The coming of Advent is a time in the church calendar that allows one to reflect upon and prepare for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time not only to reflect upon His incarnation as an infant, but also to prepare His coming glorious return. The anticipation of the birth of our daughter brings a deeper and fuller meaning to this time for us. Although there are myriad challenges and dangers in this world of which we must be wary, Christ's incarnation and the future hope of His return is a source of comfort as we look forward to raising our daughter to be a child of our Almighty King.

For the rules, go to the "Round 1" and "Round 2" posts earlier in my blog; the clues for the previous rounds can be found in their respective posts.

Clues for round 4:

Clue 4-1
The Psalm readings and 1st and 2nd lesson readings for the first Sunday in Advent, according to the lectionary in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, contain clues to the root or meaning of both names.

Clue 4-2

The middle name was guessed in the last round (but we will not tell you whether or not it was actually guessed as a middle name).

Prayer for the Children (from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer):

ALMIGHTY God, heavenly Father, who hast blessed us with the joy and care of children; Give us light and strength so to train them, that they may love whatsoever things are true and pure and lovely and of good report, following the example of their Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Reflecting on Advent

Christmas is coming and the world bustles about in eager anticipation of the festivities and jovialitaies of the holiday. Even in this increasingly secularized society there is a palpable feeling of jubilance. This is the season of giving for some, the season of family for many, the season of hope for others. Many churches are decorating with lights and greenery and planning myriad parties, potlucks, concerts, and other galas. Bishop Sutton, in his sermon this morning, reminded us that as the liturgical calendar presents for us today as the first Sunday in advent, we are encouraged to step away from the mirth and prepare ourselves for the coming of the King.

Juxtaposed against the laughter and chipper cheerfulness we see around us, the season of Advent has been interjected into the calendar of the church as a penitential season. The liturgical calendar, the calendar whereby the church has measured time for these many centuries, begins with a time of reflection and preparation. Where just this last Wednesday, during the eucharist service for Thanksgiving, and the services that have preceded since Easter, the Gloria in Excelsis has been sung as a joyful and exuberant proclamation of praise, during this penitential season it is silenced. This season calls us to wait eagerly for the coming of our King, but to do so with reflection and preparation of ourselves for that coming.

Imagine if you will that you knew that in one month you would be visited by an earthly king. Would you not spend a large portion of that month in preparation? You would clean your house from top to bottom, and then go through it once or twice more. You would have your clothes picked out long in advance and schedule an appointment with the hairdresser shortly before his arrival. In this season of Advent we are doing just that. We are anticipating the coming of the King of Glory, the Incarnate Son, the Word made flesh. Not only are we remembering His incarnation, which would be cause for celebration enough, but we are also looking forward to His return. He came in the incarnation as a feeble child but will return as the conquering victor.

In the midst of the bustle of the world around us, the church has the gift of the Advent season to help us prepare ourselves for this anticipated coming. This is a time to repent and to humble ourselves before God Almighty. It is a time to recommit ourselves to His service.

Allow me to share the words to one of my favorite hymns, which I find to encapsulate the whole of the Advent season. In silence and wonder we are penitent in preparation for His coming, reverently reflecting upon His worth for our worship. Just as our joyous praise fully resumes in response to the presence of our King, we join the angels as they ceaselessly cry Alleluia. These ancient words are from the 4th century Liturgy of St. James:

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six winged seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Lord Most High!

Baby Name Contest, Round 3

** Round 3 Over **

** Comments Closed **

** New Clues in Round 4 **

We are less than three months away from meeting our daughter, and are very eager to do so. As some of you know, the due date is the end of February but the doctor has told us that we would be wise to have the nursery ready closer to the beginning of the month. Apparently he anticipates her being eager to meet us too.

One need only begin to read and study the Old Testament to realize that naming is not a casual activity. So here's a free clue: meaning matters. There are some names we considered that both looked and sounded beautiful, but upon delving into their meaning or considering historically those associated with the name the choice to not choose that name was simple.

For the rules and to peruse the previous clues, go to the "Round 1" and "Round 2" posts earlier in my blog.

Clues for round 3:

Clue 3-1
Both names have the same ethnic origin.

Clue 3-2

The other initial is "Z".

Prayer for the Children (from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer):

ALMIGHTY God, heavenly Father, who hast blessed us with the joy and care of children; Give us light and strength so to train them, that they may love whatsoever things are true and pure and lovely and of good report, following the example of their Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Let's Get Ready to Rumble: The Fight for Thankfulness

Thanksgiving is upon us again and the competition between celebrating gluttony and expressing true thankfulness is in full swing. In the red corner is Hedonism, with a left jab from the food industry and a right uppercut from the consumer industry, both honed with the guidance of the entertainment industry. The promotion team for this powerhouse fills the nodes and circuits of computers and HD TVs with reminders of all the food that must be consumed in honor of this day and all the sales that must be discovered for the latest fad gadget, designer outfit, or pop-star emblazoned knick-knack.

In the blue corner, seeming to struggle from old age and neglect, is Thankfulness. This southpaw from a bygone era seems to be a poor matchup for this bout; one may wonder why he hasn't been entered in the featherweight category when you look at him next to Hedonism. His jab of remembrance is tenacious though and his left hook of gratitude will set your head spinning if it connects.

These two competitors have met in this ring for many a match, and although Hedonism has been winning more decisively in recent years he has yet to get in a knock-out blow. Unfortunately for Thankfulness, his training during the year is less intense than it used to be and is becoming increasingly sporadic altogether. Thankfulness needs constant exercise, otherwise, when it is brought out for its annual title bout, it will quickly succumb to Hedonism, who is on a persistent and constant training program all through the year.

May I suggest that our attempts at being thankful at this time of year are futile when we don't live a lifestyle of thankfulness throughout the rest of the year. The problem is that even our attempts at being thankful quickly become expressions of our hedonism, materialism, and selfish interests. I have found myself, when praying at times, to settle into a mantra of thankfulness that lists the material possessions I have gained, the human accolades I have garnered, or the personal triumphs I have secured. "Thank you for this job, whereby I can provide for my family" may seem like a great prayer, but it is focused on self. "Thank you for the spouse you've given me" may seem selfless and sincere, but how often are you able to pray that prayer after a disagreement or while you're licking your wounded pride.

Thankfulness that is focused solely on self will soon cease to be thankfulness. I urge you this Thanksgiving season to focus your thankfulness on God and what He has done and continues to do not just in your life, but in the life of the community of faith and in the historical development of His world.

Let me suggest the prayer of thankfulness which is prayed as part of the daily morning and evening prayer liturgy in the prayer book:

ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may he unfeignedly thankful: and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.