Glory to God, and praise and love,
Be ever, ever given;
By saints below and saints above,
The Church in earth and heaven.
O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing
By: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788
Listen as you read. This is a nice instrumental version.
The first two lines of this stanza instruct “what” must be done and “when”. We examined those in our last Tuning, which you can find here. The final two lines tell us “who” should be doing it and “where”. Let’s think about this.
God’s Saints are the Church His Body
In some measure we might look at the first two lines as the qualifiers of who the saints actually are. Those who eternally give God glory, praise and love are His saints. But we should also consider what the Bible has to say about who the saints of God are.
There are many passages that speak of the saints in both the Old and New Testaments, and though our context here does not provide time to do an exhaustive study, let’s look at one from near the end of the book.
Revelation 14:12 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
“…the saints, who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”
So there are at least two characteristics.
- Faith in Jesus
- Obedience
There are many who would give intellectual ascent to having some trust in Jesus but have no evidence of working that out in their daily living.
Saints Below
Giving God glory, praise and honor. This is our work now. Not going to church as the image might imply, but being the Church, the hands and feet of Jesus to one another and the world around us.
When you think of the Church, not your church or a church, but THE Church, what comes to mind? Corporate gatherings like this one? People offering songs of praise to God? I would imagine it includes those things, but hopefully it is a lot more.
I am part of a missions movement that has kept my eyes beyond my local body with some success over the years, but even still, I long to find ways to celebrate the incredible, beautiful, diverse yet unified body we are! I want to continue to get a taste of what heaven is and will be like, even before I get there.
Diversity is a word that is thrown around a lot today, but in the last few months I have had a taste of it that stoked my desire for more. The experience was an opportunity to bring some differing cultural expressions together in a way that esteemed them both. The admiration and love that flowed from some music offering God praise was undoubtedly a small taste of what our God has in store for us when He gathers all the saints together around the throne. I am humbled to have been a part of something so wonderful and can hardly wait to experience it again, even before I join the…
Saints Above
Giving God glory, praise and honor. This is currently the work of the saints of God who have gone before and will be our work eternally when we join them there.
When you think about the “saints above”, what comes to mind? Think about for just a moment…
If your eyes tracked ahead at all you may have seen this image. I tried to find a good artists’ rendering that captured my sense of what that might look like and none represented the incredible differences that will make up that throng around the throne. They tended to be a single large group gathered around our Lord shrouded in clouds and brilliant glory.
While I could appreciate that concept, because we are indeed one in our Lord, the diversity that will be reflected within that unity was not rendered in anything I could find. Instead I offer this image.
Though it would take a thousand to truly begin to scratch the surface of the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice on the peoples of the earth, this one gives enough material for the question I will ask, and the exercise I want to offer.
Look at a few of those faces. Identify a few that are different from you, whatever that means. Question: Is your concept of the saints above expansive enough to include that face? Exercise: Will you ask God to expand your capacity for the saints above to match His? While I realize such an exercise could cause your mind to melt, I think it is a worthwhile one. Why? Because I believe it will enable you to give even more glory, praise and love to Him who not only gave a tongue to sing…but everyone one of them as well.
Let’s make the most of it, here and now, then and there!
Jesus, thank you for giving me a tongue to offer You glory and praise, and a life to offer You love. Thank You for granting me the privilege of becoming one of the saints, redeemed by Your blood. Stir my longing for that great worshipful throng, even as I enjoy the ones I come across here. Glory to Your Name. Amen
Joyful Thinking!
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Podcast 3.5 Transcript
Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.
Glory to God, and praise and love,
Revelation 4:11 ESV
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
This view of the worship around God’s throne is an invitation for us to join that praise now, even as we prepare for it and long to join it in heaven one day. He is worthy. Will you lift your voice and your life in praise today?
Be ever, ever given;
Psalm 86:12 ESV
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
From Revelation and the end of time, back to the ancient worship book of the Hebrew people, the eternal call to worship resounds continually. Forever and ever He is worthy of glory. Determine to continually find a way to be a part of the praise.
By saints below and saints above,
Psalm 30:4 ESV
Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
Not only is He worthy at all times, but also in all places. Across all time and space the saints of God, those redeemed by their trust in Him, have been, are, and will be giving Him praise. Thank Him that you get to be a part of that.
The Church in earth and heaven.
1 Corinthians 1:2 ESV
To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
What an incredible, beautiful, diverse, unified body we are! Sanctified means set apart as holy. Not because of anything we have done, but solely because of what Jesus has done, we are the Church. O, we have a thousand tongues, and far more, to sing our Great Redeemer’s praise! Hallelujah!
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.
Glory to God, and praise and love,
Be ever, ever given;
By saints below and saints above,
The Church in earth and heaven.
Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.
I recently visited Israel. While there I had the privilege of visiting the Western Wall also known as the Wailing Wall located in Jerusalem. It is said to be the closest place to God on earth. This week’s reading caused me to reflect on the beauty of this experience and to respond to the question of who and where are the Saints of God.
As I heard what was obviously praise and prayers in multiple languages, as I saw people kneeling, singing, and pressing their prayers into the cracks of the wall, I realized that God is the God of the Nations. As a worshipper, I could not help but cry out to God in song of His Majesty. I sang “Here I am to worship!” What a diverse experience as I witnessed Armenian, Muslim, Jews, Christians, Syrians, Lebanese, Americans, Ethiopians, and so many more nationalities and religions gathered at the wall in praise and love. Though I am uncertain of the beliefs of the hundreds and maybe even thousands of people who gathered at the wall. I am certain that it is only MY God, the creator of heaven and earth who deserves the glory. Whether in Jerusalem or Ohio, I am a Saint of God and where ever I am I will offer Him praise and love.
Thank you for providing me the opportunity to take the time to let his glory, praise, and love resound in my heart.
Thank you for taking the time to reflect on your recent encounter in the context of these thoughts. I pray that awareness will linger with you for some time, even as you endeavor to cultivate more. Blessings on you my friend, In Christ Jesus!