Prayer

“This, then, is how you should pray: “ Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV 1984)

Needless Pain We Bear

/ Henry Jiang / Leave a comment

My beloved brothers and sisters, have you taken a look at yesterday’s post? The post about meditating on the lyrics of the well known hymn: “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”. Honestly, though we are told to fear God, we should also treat Jesus as our best friend. However, although we understand that Jesus is our best friend, many times, we forget about this because we don’t physically see Jesus. Moreover, it is important to believe when we haven’t seen Jesus physically (John 20:29). In my personal life, I can witness the Holy Spirit existing at every corner of the world. But due to the human instinct of requiring to see something in order to be reminded, we often forget about asking Jesus in times of high stress and struggles, and this again comes back to the sin of self-reliance. However, Joseph Scriven has left behind a poem (later transforming into a hymn) which we should meditate on especially at times of trouble.

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Honestly, if we are not praying to God about all our struggles and burdens, we are forfeiting our peace and feeling needless pain. This is the truth. 1 Corinthians 16:11 is one of the Bible verses that back up this claim but it is actually so simple. Also, in Scriven’s poem, the first verse uses the diction “privilege to carry”, and this is very true. We do not even deserve to talk to God face to face because we are such sinners, and that is why the temple veil was torn when Jesus was crucified: Jesus took away our sins so that we are washed to be sinless and made worthy to even talk to God, only when we repent and confess our sins and believe in Jesus Christ.

Therefore my brothers and sisters, have you been forfeiting this privilege? Are there any problems causing you pain and burden that you haven’t taken to Jesus in prayer? Have you ever thought of Jesus as your friend? I challenge you to ponder about these questions and reflect on how you are using these words of wisdom in your daily lives.

 

What a Friend We have in Jesus

/ Henry Jiang / Leave a comment

This happened during the Cornerstone Regent Park Soup Kitchen. I was playing hymns on that very out-of-tune out-of-shape piano and an elderly man came over to comment. He told me he really liked the hymns I played and he only knows the hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”. Turns out he plays the piano at his church for only 2 hymns and I asked him to play it for me on the piano.

He played a really weird somewhat-like jazz version of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” (Although I did not really like that interpretation, I do not disapprove of any worship music when the intentions are correct). Later, we talked and he told me he is worrying very much about the political state of his home country along with his household struggles. I asked him does he pray about it and he told me that he only prays when he is in deep trouble and only then does God answer his prayer. The ironic thing is I don’t really think he looked carefully at the lyrics of this hymn.

For today’s blog post, I challenge you, my beloved brothers and sisters to meditate on the lyrics of this old hymn. There is a lot to take out from this hymn and the posts for the next few days will be based on this famous hymn as we discover God’s goodness and how we should treat Him as our best friend, and at the same time fear Him. The hymn has enough to speak for itself!

What a Friend We Have in Jesus — Joseph M. Scriven (1855)

 

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Saviour, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.

 

God Bless you all! 😀