Third Verse
Hymnal sits on my bookshelf reminding me of singing in church, the way it used
to be. My first memory includes sitting
by my Dad’s side on the short pew in the back of the church in Clinton Ok. His leg crossed on his knee made a perfect
holder for the hymnal. He pointed at the
verses, and showed me at the tender age of six years old, how to follow the
verses.
succession of song leaders who intoned from the church platform, Page Number
61, lets sing the first, second and fourth verses. Then came the introduction to the hymn on the
piano and voices sang out the lyrics.
But never verse three.
this, I wonder if the lyricist could save time by writing Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah for the third verse. Of course, a hymn is NOT complete until we
sing the last verse. A.W. Tozer
commented on this anomaly. “I suppose it is not of vast importance that
the third stanza is so often omitted in the singing of a hymn, but just for the
record let it be said that the worshipers are deprived of the blessing of the
hymn by that omission if, as is often true, the hymn develops a great Christian
truth in sermonic outline. To omit a
stanza is to lose one link in a golden chain and greatly to reduce the value of
the whole hymn.”
I wondered what would be missing from the ‘golden chain’ if the third verse of
Paul’s writings were omitted. I listed
the third verses and was astonished.
verbs: give (grace, peace), thank (God,
in prayer) and remember (you). One of
these third verses is very dear to me.
When I consider those I have met and known for a short period of time, those
who have so blessed me, Philippians 1:3 speaks to me. “I
thank my God every time I remember you.”
The stanza of a poem says – “Wherever I go today, Help me leave heart-prints! Heart-prints of compassion, Of understanding
and love.”
many journeys, telling of his faith and the grace of God through Jesus
Christ. How many times Paul remembered
those who left heart-prints on His Heart as he preached Christ. How do those we meet in our life-journey
remember us? What is the bottom line of
remembering? Love. And all those attributes that are a part of
love that include joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and
self-control. Love isn’t love until we
learn to forgive.
of Grace and Peace? God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! (Galatians 1:3) And this is how you know people. Yes, just as you can identify a tree
by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Matthew 7:20
people to remember us? Is there a
standard of behavior? I once heard a
pastor say, God speaks only one language – Truth. Do we speak the same language as the One whom
we profess to follow? I
Thessalonians 1:3 gives a pattern of life
— work of faith, labor prompted by love and endurance inspired by hope in the
Lord Jesus Christ.
given me hope through the years. My
grandparents and parents, first of all, are in my Hall of Faith. I include my
children, too. Then a myriad of others, those I have worked with and prayed
with who by their fruits, became my example and my understanding of how faith
grows. Those are the ones I cherish in
the faith. As 2 Thessalonians 1:3 says… We ought
always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so,
because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for
one another is increasing.
Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Every spiritual blessing does not include
worldly riches, but the assurance we have in Jesus Christ.
ministry. He began his ministry blinded.
Paul was blinded, just as we are blinded by the aura of the world’s faux
glory. When our hearts awaken to the
reality of living in Jesus, we truly are alive.
It never grows old to hear the story of Jesus, the truth of His amazing
love.
his incredible faith in Jesus Christ. I
thank you, Lord for your Words; and how they fill me with hope. You have become
a Light, a Presence in my life. I give thanks every time I think of you.
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1:3 – Grace and peace
to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
Philippians 1:3 – I thank my God
every time I remember you.
Colossians 1:3 – We always thank
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
1 Thessalonians 1:3 – We remember
before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor
prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 – We ought always to thank
God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith
is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is
increasing.
Titus 1:3 – and which now
at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching
entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,
Philemon 1:3 – Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Corinthians 1:3 – May God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ give you grace and peace.
Corinthians 1:3 – All praise to God, the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.
be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in
the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms
because we are united with Christ.
Comments? eacombs@att.net