6 Apr 2020
Rev Elisha Hoffman. Was a Presbyterian-minister who wrote over 2000 hymns in his 90-years. In 1887 he received 2-letters from former-pupils whose wives had died due to an outbreak of the “Flu”. Reading from the words-of-Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting-arms” he wrote to his pupils words-of-consolation “Leaning on the Everlasting-Arms”
We journey this week as Holy Week where we walk with Jesus, it was a most exhausting week, where he was betrayed, arrested, spat-upon, battered-with-thorns, mocked, carry a heavy-cross and nailed-upon-it, all this was done for our-redemption. We have never been asked to equate ourselves with our-Lord, but as we face Corono-19 and as
Her-Majesty Queen-Elizabeth said in a broadcast to the united-kingdom/world Sunday we must hold-on-to-each-other, our faith and God.
These thoughts echoes the words of Rev-Hoffman that we Lean-on-Jesus and just as he rose from death we too shall be relieved from this virus
Hear Rev Hoffman delight
What a fellowship, what a joy divine
Leaning on the everlasting-arms
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine
Leaning on the everlasting-arms
We are asked to social-distance, put on face-mask we must heed the words of
Health-and-elected-leaders if we are to win this battle, here Rev-Hoffman joy is unquestioned
Oh, how sweet to walk, in this pilgrim way
Leaning on, the everlasting-arms
Oh, how bright the path, grows from day-to-day
Leaning on, the everlasting-arms,
Holy week,, Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Maundy-Thursday and Good-Friday draws us close to that Easter-morning when our Lord triumphed-over-death, we too shall triumph if we obey the good-advice we are receiving. IF WE DO OUR PART God will do his part
Hear Hoffman one last time
What have I to dread, what have I to fear
Leaning on the everlasting-arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near
Leaning on the everlasting-arms
Be safe
THE CHURCH MAYBE EMPTY, BUT SO IS THE GRAVE
++Hartley, Presiding Bishop of the ACW
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