THE GREAT PHYSICIAN

       During the past year or two I have seen more physicians and specialists than I ever thought I would need to see.  And I am very thankful that close by we have many excellent doctors and medical care available, and I have gotten good care.  However, physicians are very busy and it is often hard to even get an appointment.  I had to wait three months to see a surgeon who had operated on me before.  And then when you do get an appointment you often have to wait to actually see them. And no matter how good they are, they are "practicing physicians" and there is no guarantee that they can even help you.  But there is one perfect physician.  He is available 24/7 and you never have to wait to enter his presence. No appointments needed, never on vacation, no waiting time required and no co-pays! And He knows your physical need ahead of  time because he created you.  I am talking about the Great Physician, theLord Jesus Christ.  Now, while he can do amazing miracles, and He always does hear our pleas, we are His workmanship and He has a plan for each of our lives.  And that plan may include the miracle of physical healing or it may be that He will choose to walk with you, comfort you and care for you in your physical need.  He will never leave you or forsake you.  But there is one condition that He will always heal, if you ask Him to, and that is the disease that we all were born with - Sin.  He is the dying and risen Lamb who provides redemption for all who call upon His name.  And that spiritual healing, forgiveness, and new life which He gives should make us want to sing and praise His sweet name - Jesus, blessed Jesus!  The words of this week's old hymn were penned by William Hunter (1811- 1877) who emigrated from England and settled in York, PA with his family when he was 6 years old. He graduated from Madison College at Uniontown, PA and became a Methodist minister.  He later taught Hebrew at Allegheny College, and also edited various periodicals. Though he wrote 125 hymns, the only one still in use is The Great Physician (originally called Christ, the Physician).  Originally the hymn had seven verses but hymn books generally have printed just four.  I have decided to include one of the omitted ones as verse five below because I feel it is a perfectly suited verse to conclude this hymn. Hopefully you've experienced the healing of your sin condition and your heart is rejoicing in His work in your life.  But also be reminded this week that He is the sympathizing Jesus.  He is the one who with His presence will wipe away your guilt and fear.  And while we sing His praises and bless His name now, someday we will gather around His throne and join together in singing His praises. Sweetest carol ever sung, Jesus, blessed Jesus!

(1)    The Great Physician now is near,

  The sympathizing Jesus;

He speaks the drooping heart to cheer,

  Oh, hear the voice of Jesus!

Sweetest note in seraph song;

Sweetest name on mortal tongue;

Sweetest carol ever sung:

    Jesus, blessed Jesus!

(2)    Your many sins are all forgiv'n,

  Oh, hear the voice of Jesus;

The veil 'twixt you and God is riven,

  Redemption wrought by Jesus.

Sweetest note in seraph song;

Sweetest name on mortal tongue;

Sweetest carol ever sung:

    Jesus, blessed Jesus!

(3)     All glory to the dying Lamb!

  I now believe in Jesus;

I love the blessed Savior's name,

  I love the name of Jesus.

Sweetest note in seraph song;

Sweetest name on mortal tongue;

Sweetest carol ever sung:

    Jesus, blessed Jesus!

(4)     His name dispels my guilt and fear,

  No other name but Jesus;

Oh, how my soul delights to hear

  The precious name of Jesus!

Sweetest note in seraph song;

Sweetest name on mortal tongue;

Sweetest carol ever sung:

    Jesus, blessed Jesus!

(5)     And when to that bright world above,

We rise to see our Jesus,

We'll sing around the throne of love

His name, the name of Jesus.

Sweetest note in seraph song;

Sweetest name on mortal tongue;

Sweetest carol ever sung:

    Jesus, blessed Jesus!

Listen to it here.   LISTEN

HAVE THINE OWN WAY LORD

          As I was growing up, public invitations to accept Christ as Savior were a regular part of most services. And part of those invitations was the singing of hymns that would call people to come to Christ or to yield themselves completely to Him.  One of those songs that I remember singing regularly is this week's choice, "Have Thine Own Way, Lord". We sang that frequently.  However, the older I become, the more I have come to realize that this hymn of consecration represents a continuing need in the life of each believer.  Daily we need to yield to the hands and will of the Potter.  "We are the clay, You are the Potter; we are all the work of Your hand."  Isaiah 64:6.  We are His workmanship.  The step of salvation is just the beginning.  We need to be yielded and molded daily in all that we do.  Are we really willing to yield to Him with our attitudes, our conversations, our thoughts, our relationships, our jobs, our activities, our finances, and even our health?  Can we say "have thine own way" in all areas of our life?  Are we really waiting before Him, "yielded and still"?  Do we really want Him to "search us and try us"?  Is it really our desire to be filled with His Spirit until all shall see Christ only always living in us?  We should.  Lord, may that be my desire.  The words to this hymn were penned by Adelaide A. Pollard (1862-1934) in 1907.  She believed that God wanted her in Africa as a missionary but she was unable to raise the funds to go.  In a confused state of mind she attended a prayer meeting.  There she heard an elderly woman pray, "It's all right, Lord.  It doesn't matter what You bring into our lives, just have Your own way with us."  That night at home, after being encouraged by this prayer, she wrote the words of this hymn.  Five years later, George Stebbins (1846-1945) wrote a tune titled "Adelaide" to accompany the text.  I hope that the words penned by Pollard will challenge you this week. Let this be our daily prayer. May we each be willing to daily ask the Lord to have His own way in every area of our lives and then willingly yield our all to the hands of our Potter.

1     Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! 

Thou art the potter, I am the clay. 

Mold me and make me after thy will, 

while I am waiting, yielded and still. 

2     Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! 

Search me and try me, Savior today! 

Wash me just now, Lord, wash me just now, 

as in thy presence humbly I bow. 

3     Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! 

Wounded and weary, help me I pray! 

Power, all power, surely is thine! 

Touch me and heal me, Savior divine! 

4     Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! 

Hold o'er my being absolute sway. 

Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see 

Christ only, always, living in me! 

Listen to it here.    LISTEN

JESUS LOVES EVEN ME

          I recently went through unexpected major open heart surgery with five by-passes.  It was a long ten day hospital stay with many periods of boredom in bed with nothing to do.  I did have plenty of time to pray and I felt as though the Lord was right there with me.  But one of the greatest blessings were the many hymns that came to my mind during those long hours.  Some of them were familiar ones, but a few were ones that I hadn't thought about in years.  One of those that filled my mind was  "I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me;  I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves even me."  I wasn't happy with being in the hospital but I was encouraged by the truth of this chorus, Jesus loves me!.  I might have been filled at times with fear and discouragement but I knew that Jesus really loved and cared for me.  The song, which was really for children, was written in 1870 by Philip Bliss.  One morning Mrs. Bliss came down to breakfast and shared the following with others who were there: "Last evening Mr. Bliss had a tune given him that I think is going to live and be one of the most used that he has written. I have been singing it all the morning to myself, and cannot get it out of my mind." She then sang the notes of "Jesus Loves [even] Me." Mr. Bliss later said that this song was suggested to him by hearing the chorus of the hymn "Oh, how I love Jesus," repeated very frequently in a meeting which he attended. After joining in the chorus a number of times the thought came to him, "Have I not been singing enough about my poor love for Jesus, and shall I not rather sing of his great love for me?"  The idea of Bliss in writing it was that the peace and comfort of a Christian were not founded by his loving Christ, but upon Christ's love to him, and that to occupy the mind with Christ's love would produce love and consecration.  The hymn became one of the all-time favorite children's hymns, gaining popularity in both Great Britain and the United States.  Now while it was the chorus that spoke to me while in the hospital, the simple verses are also powerful.  We have His Word, the Bible, given to us by the Father and it tells us of His love.  He is there to welcome us whenever we happen to stray.  And then there is the beauty of knowing that we will be with Him one day in eternity.  "Oh what a wonder that Jesus loves me!"

(1)    I am so glad that our Father in heav'n
Tells of His love in the Book He has giv'n;
Wonderful things in the Bible I see:
This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.
Iam so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me;

I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.

(2)    Though I forget Him and wander away,

Still He doth love me whenever I stray;
Back to His dear loving arms would I flee,
When I remember that Jesus loves me.
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,

Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me;

I am so glad that Jesus loves me,

Jesus loves even me.

(3)    Oh, if there's only one song I can sing,

When in His beauty I see the great King,
This shall my song in eternity be:
"Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me."
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me;

I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.

Listen to it here.   LISTEN

O COULD I SPEAK THE MATCHLESS WORTH

        Samuel Medley (1738-1799) was educated in a school that his father ran but he did not like the business to which he was apprenticed.  So in 1755 he entered the Navy during the Seven Years' War.  However in 1759 he was severely wounded in a battle with the French. He had been brought up with religious teaching but at that time did not have a personal relationship with the Lord.  As he lay wounded he was expecting the amputation of a limb and he spent the entire night in prayer.  But in the morning the surgeons were surprised at his improved condition and told him that the limb could be saved.  However, he had to retire from active service as a result of his injury.  About that time somebody read to him a sermon by a Dr. Watts and this led to his conversion.  Shortly afterwards he opened a school which for several years he conducted very successfully. But he also began to preach and in 1767 he accepted a call to become pastor of a Baptist church. Then  in 1772 he moved to a large church in Liverpool where he served for twenty-seven years. He was especially successful in reaching sailors, since he never forgot that he had been a sailor himself.  He filled his sermons with expressions that reached the men of the sea.  Medley wrote many hymns, most of which were printed on broadsides, or loose sheets of paper, as well as several volumes.  Among the most famous is this week's hymn.  After a long and painful illness he died July 17, 1799.  Now I don't know what led him to write this hymn, but the words are powerful and most likely his testimony.  He wants to share His Savior's matchless worth. He wants to rejoice in the wondrous grace which made salvation his.  He sings of the precious blood of Jesus and His glorious righteousness.  He wants to sing of the character of Jesus and vows to sing His praise and make His glories known now and throughout eternity.  And he concludes with the exciting hope and assurance of that delightful day when the Lord will call him home and there he will spend eternity triumphant in the Savior's grace.  What an exciting testimony.  Is this your testimony?  Do your actions and your life share the matchless worth of the Savior?  May each of us search our hearts and ask ourselves that question daily.

(1)     O could I speak the matchless worth,

O could I sound the glories forth 

which in my Savior shine!

I'd sing His glorious righteousness, 

and magnify the wondrous grace

Which made salvation mine, 

which made salvation mine.

(2)     I'd sing the precious blood He spilt,

My ransom from the dreadful guilt of sin, 

and wrath divine;

I'd sing His glorious righteousness, 

in which all perfect, heavenly dress

My soul shall ever shine, 

my soul shall ever shine.

(3)     I'd sing the characters He bears,

And all the forms of love He wears, 

exalted on His throne;

In loftiest songs of sweetest praise, 

I would to everlasting days

Make all His glories known,

make all His glories known.

(4)     Soon, the delightful day will come

When my dear Lord will bring me home, 

and I shall see His face;

Then with my Savior, Brother, Friend, 

a blessed eternity I'll spend,

Triumphant in His grace,

triumphant in His grace.

Because the hymn is so old and hardly sung anymore today, it was hard to find a good version to share with you.  So I am providing three different choices for you this week. 
          Organ, piano and words     ORGAN
          Recording by Melody 4       MELODY4
          Two verses by choir           CHOIR