Day 4: Mid toil and tribulation
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you (2 Corinthians 13:11).
"May God enable me to have a single eye and a simple heart, desiring to please God, to do good to my fellow creatures, and testify my gratitude to my adorable Redeemer."
~ William Wilberforce
The church has one foundation, ’Tis Jesus Christ her Lord; She is His new creation, Through water by the word. From heav’n He came and sought her To be His holy bride; With His own blood He bought her, And for her life He died.
Elect from every nation, Yet one o’er all the earth, Her charter of salvation— One Lord, one faith, one birth. One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food; And to one hope she presses, With every grace endued.
Long with a scornful wonder Men saw her sore oppressed, By schisms rent asunder, By heresies distressed. Yet saints their watch were keeping To hail a brighter day, When God should stop their weeping, Take their reproach away.
The evening sun is shining, The cloudy day is past; The time of their repining Is at an end at last. The voice of God is calling To unity again; Division walls are falling, With all the creeds of men.
Back to the one foundation, From sects and creeds made free, Come saints of every nation To blessed unity. Once more the ancient glory Shines as in days of old, And tells the wondrous story— One God, one faith, one fold.
~ Samuel J. Stone, pub.1866; alt. and v. 3-5 by Charles W. Naylor, 1907 | The Church’s one foundation Is Jesus Christ her Lord; She is His new creation By water and the Word: From heav’n He came and sought her To be His holy Bride; With His own blood He bought her, And for her life He died.
Elect from every nation, Yet one o’er all the earth, Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth; One holy Name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses, With every grace endued.
’Mid toil and tribulation, And tumult of her war, She waits the consummation Of peace for evermore; Till, with the vision glorious, Her longing eyes are blest, And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest.
Yet she on earth hath union With God the Three in One, And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won: O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we, Like them, the meek and lowly, In love may dwell with Thee.
~ version: hymnal.net |
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