Monday, February 25, 2019

How Firm a Foundation

This week seems to have run on a single theme in my life at SPPC. The theme of "foundations." 
On Sunday morning Rev. Irwin preached on God's covenant with the people of Israel, when He gave them the ten commandments. This was "the" definitive foundation of the Jewish nation.

Also on Sunday, we held our annual congregational meeting. This is the time where the congregation reviews its work and its goals and ensures the two align. At SPPC the worship of God is of prime importance. We also care deeply for one another. Those priorities are evident in the reports of the various committees and in our budget. We also give generously to mission work, underlining our care for the whole people of God.

In Bible Study, we discussed Isaiah 43:1 - 44:5.  These passages proclaim, once again, Israel's failure to live up to their side of the bargain Moses made with God. They are to be God's people, He'll provide, protect, treasure and raise them up to to be the light of the world, but they must obey His laws. Despite their dismal record, God does not forsake them. The scripture recalls Israel's exodus from Egypt and God's care of them.  We're back to those foundations of our faith.
For anyone familiar with Handel's great oratorio, "Messiah," the passage resonates with music. The phrases "make straight in the desert a highway" and "every valley shall be exalted" sing from the page. 
Even my non-musical friend said to me, "Isn't there a hymn?"
"There's always a hymn," I replied. Here it is, "How Firm a Foundation, Ye Saints of the Lord," with notes from the late Dr. Cecil Kirk.

Stanza one lays out that the Bible contains the solid foundation of our faith. "How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord/ Is laid for your faith in His excellent word."
In stanzas two to five, the speaker is God. He reminds us of his mercy to Israel. "Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, I, I am the God and will still give thee aid."  "When through the deep waters I cause thee to go," references the parting of the Red Sea.
"The flame shall not hurt thee, I only design thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine," brings to mind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace, where the flame did not burn them.
The hymn concludes with God's assurance that He will never leave us or forsake us. Satan may do all that is within his power to shake the foundations of our faith, but ultimately that foundation is Christ and He cannot be overcome by Satan.

For me, this has been a powerful week of reassurance of God's faithfulness and the immovable foundation on which we build our faith.
Sanctuary flowers, Feb. 24



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