Preparing For Sunday: “By Thy Mercy, O Deliver Us”

Have you found yourself in the middle of worshiping God in a song, and all of a sudden you feel or sense a great weight of His presence? It could be a characteristic of himself that God is teaching you, or a blaring sin that the light of Christ is making apparent. Sometimes there’s a feeling of a huge weight being lifted as the overwhelming wave of forgiveness of Christ comes over me. Other times it’s a sense of peace in my heart regarding a difficult issue, as the sovereignty of God overshadows everything; in that moment I am simply “His child”. Tears often ensue.

How I long to feel that peace, joy, and humility outside of the service! Do you experience those moments during your week? While you’re driving, at work, watching tv or spending time with your kids does the conviction, peace or forgiveness of the Spirit overwhelm you? I’m wagering the majority would say no, or that it’s more prevalent during the Sunday service. The work of the Spirit is not limited to the Sunday service, nor is that “when he’s really on.” Could it be that we’re simply listening more during the Sunday service? There are less distractions, less temptations around us, and we have a distinct purpose for being there – see God, hear from Him, respond to Him.

God reveals himself more than a specific hour on Sundays, why would we not listen more than a specific hour on Sunday?

What if you continued the intense prayer, listening, thankfulness you felt during the Sunday service? We can lessen the distractions and spend time with him. Yet…we often do not. Do not magnify the Sunday service; it’s like only eating once a week. Instead, feast on the Word daily, minimize the distractions and listen each moment. So often the minute the service ends, our minds switch right back into “me” mode. Do you ever breathe a sigh of relief and think “Ah, now I can relax.” I certainly experience that. How sinful and selfish my soul is, to taste the goodness of God and still long for my shell of reality. C.S. Lewis says it well:

“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

This week we’re singing “By Thy Mercy (Jesus, Lord Of Life And Glory)”. This song seems to resonate with the congregation, and I believe it’s in light of our simultaneous longing for Christ and weakness in following Him. Let’s make these words our prayer this week.

Our version is adapted from one by High Street Hymns, which is our friend Alex Mejias’ project in Charlottesville, Virginia. You can download their version here on iTunes.

By Thy Mercy (Jesus, Lord Of Life And Glory)
Words by James Cummins
Music by Greg Thompson

Jesus, Lord of life and glory,
Bend from Heav’n Thy gracious ear;
While our waiting souls adore Thee,
Friend of helpless sinners, hear:

By Thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord.
By Thy mercy, O deliver us,good Lord, good Lord.

From the depth of nature’s blindness,
From the hardening power of sin,
From all malice and unkindness,
From the pride that lurks within:

By Thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord, good Lord.
By Thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord, good Lord.

When the world around is smiling,
In the time of wealth and ease,
Earthly joys our hearts beguiling,
In the day of health and peace,

By Thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord, good Lord.
By Thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord, good Lord.

In the solemn hour of dying,
In the awful judgment day,
May our souls, on Thee relying,
Find Thee still our Rock and Stay