Free Our Hearts

Lo! the hosts of evil ’round us,


Scorn Thy Christ, assail His ways.


From the fears that long have bound us,


Free our hearts to faith and praise.


Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,


For the living of these days,


For the living of these days.

A few random thoughts as I contemplate this stanza:

There can be no question that the hosts of evil continue to scorn the LORD's Christ and assail his ways.  And certainly Jesus let his disciples know straight out that they would be ridiculed and persecuted for his name's sake.  When that happens, we are blessed.  But I think that sometimes we may be a bit too quick to assume that opposition and resistance we may meet with are indeed for his name's sake.  Sometimes we are ridiculed because we say and do stupid things.   We are not promised a reward in heaven for that.  So when faced with opposition, be careful to consider whether what's being assailed is Christ's ways or my own bad judgment.

For several weeks, I have met with song after song and Bible reading after reading and sermon after sermon about being free from fear.  Here's another mention, and here's another angle. I get that fear means I'm not trusting, and I get that fear interferes with action.  If I'm scared, I don't go do.  But Mr. Fosdick's lyrics here bring up another problem to consider.  Does fear keep me from worship?  Can I truly praise if I'm not trusting?  That's a very good question. Lord, let me see where the barriers I have to worship are rooted in fear. Grant me widsom for the living of these days.