Author: Josiah Conder Tune: The Church’s One Foundation (Samuel S. Wesley)
1. ’Tis not that I did choose Thee,
For Lord, that could not be;
This heart would still refuse Thee,
Hadst Thou not chosen me.
Thou from the sin that stained me
Hast cleansed and set me free;
Of old Thou hast ordained me,
That I should live to Thee.
2. ’Twas sovereign mercy called me
And taught my opening mind;
The world had else enthralled me,
To heav’nly glories blind.
My heart owns none before Thee,
For Thy rich grace I thirst;
This knowing, if I love Thee,
Thou must have loved me first.
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Who Can Tell
Jonah 3:1-10
1) “And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,” 2) “Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.”
3) “So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.” 4) “And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”
5) “So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.” 6) “For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.”
7) “And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:” 8) “But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.” 9) “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from His fierce anger, that we perish not?”
10) “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that He had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not.”
In this chapter and specifically in this one verse (verse 9) the King of Nineveh is speaking, what he is saying is what the old writers used to call: Suing For Mercy. Read the chapter sinner and ask The One Great Sovereign to make you as this King! I implore you as an ambassador for Christ, be ye reconciled to God! This language is similar to many in scriptures: look, if you will, at that leper in Luke's' gospel seeking the Lord and worshiping Him and asking: "if you will, you can make me clean". Or at the young prodigal coming back to His father, note well the spirit of begging or suing for mercy, or at least to be heard. And look at this chapter here in Jonah, and note the results! The Lord granted unto the Ninevites repentance unto life. Do not linger, do not hesitate, look and live, come and find rest for your souls. May we all continue to come to God and say: “Who Can Tell!” The child of God knows that God delights to show mercy and have pity on the likes of us, who cannot discern between our right hand and our left hand! --Drew Dietz
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Brethren, At All Costs, Press On!
Brethren, as redeemed sinners, we have the greatest privilege in all the world: to be counted among the people of God and gather with them to worship our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. As enlightened sinners, we have the greatest work to do: make known in this world the glories of the Savior who has saved us. As children of God, we have the most glorious destiny in all the world: to be made like the Lord Jesus Christ. In light of these things, do not the troubles and disappointments of this life become small? O, let us, with sincere hearts, press on to lay hold of the wonderful salvation for which God has laid hold of us, letting nothing distract us from the goal. We will never regret the loss of anything which is lost for the sake of Christ. But, O, the regrets of the Esaus of the world: who for comfort, riches, worldly success, self-vindication, or anything else, draw back from their dedication to Christ and His gospel. Brethren, at all costs, press on! The end is glorious to those who persevere! --Joe Terrell
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