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ORSBORNAGAIN

a new look at old songs of new life

by Rob Birks ORSBORNAGAIN Rob Birks 2013 Frontier Press

Birks, Rob ORSBORNAGAIN

May 2013

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture references used in this text are from The Holy Bible, New International Version.

The King James Version is public domain in the United States.

ISBN 978-0-9768465-8-1

Printed in the United States For my mother, Major Ruth Birks, who always hummed a tune as I was growing up, and who is herself one of God’s great poetic works

my Poet Father, Major Daniel H. Birks— always reading, always writing, always loving.

iii Rob Birks has fittingly honored the enduring legacy of Albert Ors- born’s poetic brilliance, bringing the Salvation Army General’s timeless language into a modern context and adding commentary reflecting Birks’ own inimitable personality. I was blessed by this book, strength- ened and challenged in the reading to be a blessing to OTHERS. —Tom Walker, Social Services Secretary The Salvation Army Northwest Division

A living faith will find its voice in contemporary idiom. We rightly em- brace in our worship ever fresh expressions of Spirit-inspired praise. If in the process, however, we neglect our own rich hymnodic heritage, we impoverish our worship and limit our spiritual understanding. Ma- jor Rob Birks has recaptured for us the treasure trove of elegant, im- passioned and mature poetic expression to be found in the inspired songs of General Albert Orsborn, our Poet General. Each one merits the kind of spiritually sensitive and down-to-earth reflection that Birks brings to them in this collection of his meditations on them all. The book is a “must” to read and cherish—and to share with all who want to discover the heart of Salvationist spirituality. —General Paul and Commissioner Kay F. Rader (Ret.)

I was expecting to be orsbored reading through this, but instead it was orsborlievable. Seriously, this book needs to be in the hands of every musician within the Army. ORSBORNAGAIN not only helps us better understand these incredible poems/songs, it is a great reminder that the songs we play and sing should not be limited to just singing and playing, but should serve as a constant source of inspiration in our lives. —Jim Sparks, Youth Development and Leadership Director The Salvation Army Western Territory

For those of us who have been Salvationists for many years, the poetry of Albert Orsborn is not only familiar, but an integral part of our theological DNA. Rob Birks now helps us introduce these treasured writings to a new generation of readers, with additional commentary and reflection that will be helpful to believers of all generations. —Lt. Colonel Stephen Smith, Divisional Commander The Salvation Army Golden State Division

iv By its nature, poetry both resists and encourages commentary. Those with a poet’s soul understand this and annotate their subject’s work in ways that provoke humility before the written word while undertak- ing its dissection. Rob Birks’ exploration of the poetry of Albert Ors- born maintains this tension and juxtaposes insights from the poet’s lyrics with reflections on how these poems continue to intersect with human experience. Those readers currently unfamiliar with the poet General will be introduced to a new conversation partner. For those of us who have sung and pondered these words in the past, a fresh take on the familiar is provided, always a welcome surprise. —Bruce Power, Adjunct Professor Booth University College Author of Conversations With God: Psalms as a resource for prayer and meditation

Where there is poetry, piety, prayer, and praise, music is never far off. From the psalmists of the Hebrew Bible to U2’s Bono, faith often finds expression in song. This is certainly true of the spiritual writings of General Albert Orsborn, celebrated here with Rob Birks’ characteristic wit, warmth, and charm. This delightful collection of meditations on the General’s poems is sure to inspire readers as they give voice to their own songs of adoration and praise. —Michael Gilmour, Associate Professor Providence University College Author of The Gospel According to Bob Dylan: The Old, Old Story for Modern Times

I totally recommend using ORSBORNAGAIN as your daily devotional guide for the next 36 days. Birks’ insightful prose provides a brilliantly current context for Orsborn’s poetry, and the combination of both will lift your soul to worship Jesus! —Major Lisa Smith, Divisional Secretary for Program The Salvation Army Southern California Division

Refreshingly contemporary in style, but solidly reflective in thought, Major Rob has managed to reintroduce the classic poetry of General Orsborn into our busy Salvationist lives. The challenge from Scripture and the poetry of song remain through the day, and I am grateful for the chance to actually “hear” some of these poems for the first time. —Commissioner Carol Seiler, Territorial President of Women’s Ministries and Territorial Coordinator for Strategic Mission Planning The Salvation Army Central Territory v General Albert Orsborn’s songs came alive to me as a young officer commissioned in 1950 when he was General. I was blessed to revisit the poetry/songs of this spiritual giant through the thoughts and meditations from the heart and soul of Major Rob Birks. I was drawn in by the personal challenge the author gives to the reader with each song. May ORSBORNAGAIN speak to a new generation who long to live in that sacred and secret place of God’s presence. —Major Carol Madsen-Yardley (Ret.)

ORSBORNAGAIN had me reliving not only some classic songs that have shaped my own worship life, but going deeper to the source of the writings—to the spirit’s leading, to the heart of worship, to the deep places! I highly recommend it for your devotional life; it’s been great for mine! —Major Danielle Strickland, Corps Officer Edmonton Crossroads Author of The Liberating Truth: How Jesus Empowers Women

Major Birks has not only invited a contemporary audience to appreciate the spiritual depth and cadence of General Orsborn’s poetry. He has opened a door to beckon all readers into that quiet place of contemplation and assurance of grace. Our worship can be personal but should never be private. In this book, Major Birks has given us a plat- form to discuss the songs we sing, making our worship more relevant and effectual. —Major Ted Horwood, General Secretary The Salvation Army Angola Command

The words of The Salvation Army Song Book have long been considered a great source of devotional material, so I’m most grateful that Rob has taken the timeless and poetic lyrics of General Albert Orsborn and provided extra devotional material for us to meditate on. I have been blessed and uplifted by reading these much loved songs again, together with Rob’s insightful and reflective comments, and I’m sure you will be too. —Major Darren Norton, Corps Officer Pasadena Tabernacle Corps

vi TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword...... ix Introduction...... xi

Put This Book Down!...... 1 Full-On Sacramental...... 4 What’s Wrong With the World?...... 7 Here’s to Melting Curses...... 10 A Really Good Friday...... 13 Twalumba, Dylan...... 16 Greater Things Than These...... 19 Promises, Promises...... 23 Uncle Bob & Healing Waters...... 26 Novel Grace—The Musical...... 30 Were You There?...... 34 It’s Good Work if You Can Get It ...... 37 Sacred Spaces—Even at Denny’s?...... 41 No More!...... 45 Burning Love...... 48 The Thrill of Victory...... 52 Do You Have a Bad Good-Work Ethic?...... 56 Building Up the Temple...... 59 Holiness & “MythBusters”...... 62 Promises of Grace...... 66

vii Water of Life...... 70 Long May We Wave...... 74 Clueless in Seattle...... 78 In Range or Roaming?...... 82 Shepherd, Hear My Prayer!...... 86 The Beauty of Holiness...... 89 Balloon Brigade...... 93 Free at Last!...... 97 Playing Dead and Faking Resurrection...... 101 The Jail Visit That Freed Me Up...... 104 O Lord—Thank You for Saving OTHERS...... 107 What’s in a Name?...... 111 Grace Beyond All Need...... 11 5 Frail Am I...... 11 9 You Too?...... 122 Sacred Hands of Jesus...... 126

viii FOREWORD Eric Himes & Bill Himes

Simply put, worship is the right response to the presence of God. ORSBORNAGAIN confirms this on every page. Just as the poems and songs of General Albert Orsborn (1886- 1967) were born in the secret place of private devotion, so they continue to cut through to the heart of our faith through a shared language of grace, redemption and consecration. Likewise, we see God present in the life of Rob Birks. His response is also faith born in art. As he unpacks 36 of Albert Orsborn’s original poems, we see how they have spurred him on to dig deeper into God’s character and respond to his presence. Rob gives us insight into the truth of these texts through personal stories of strength and humility—some sacred, some common, all helpful. His words are offered in sensitive counterpoint to Orsborn’s, drawing us to that intimate place of introspection the General so clearly expressed in his song:

O God, if still the holy place Is found of those in prayer, By all the promises of grace I claim an entrance there (SASB 619).

It is in the sharing of his personal failings and vulnerabil-

ix ity that Orsborn’s songs challenge us to approach God with the same honesty. Without a doubt, The Salvation Army Song Book (SASB) is the most introspective of church hymnals. Its contents abound with songs posing the most probing of questions. Not surprisingly, many of these came from the heart of Albert Orsborn as he asked them of himself. Ques- tions such as:

Have I worked for hireling wages, Or as one with vows to keep, With a heart whose love engages Life or death, to save the sheep? (SASB 522).

Except I am moved with compassion, How dwelleth thy Spirit in me? (SASB 527).

Or as expressed in this petition:

O make and keep me clean, Spare not one lurking sin, So shall my life each day proclaim The Christ who dwells within (SASB 494).

Albert Orsborn’s words remain with us—still sung, still sacred, and still true. They are foundational to the cannon of sung worship in The Salvation Army. And as we relate to Orsborn’s honesty, the Holy Spirit invites us to dig deeper into his character and respond to his presence—in worship. Will you allow the truth of God to get stuck in your head like a melody or a lyric or a favorite story? We hope you will.

x INTRODUCTION

I entered this world in November 1967, nine months after General Albert William Thomas Orsborn (1886-1967) left it. I never met the man, but his poetry has been important to my spiritual formation. My parents are Salvation Army officers who love Jesus, each other, their seven children, and OTHERS. My father is a poet/songwriter, so his children were raised with a healthy appreciation for the craft. I love music! A melody can draw me into a song, and a musical hook can keep the song in my head (which, as you know, is not always a good thing). But it’s up to the lyrics to keep the song in my heart. Many poets and lyricists have moved me over the years: William Blake, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Larry Norman, Paul Simon, Mark Heard, Luci Shaw, Elvis Costello, T.S. Eliot, Terry Taylor, Sara Groves, Jeff Tweedy, Charlie Peacock, Linford Detweiler, Karin Bergquist, and of course, Paul Hewson (a.k.a. Bono), to name a few. I love a well-placed word. And if you can place enough of them in a poem or a song, I’m taken in, and happily so. I connect with what Dr. Robert Docter wrote in his No- vember 7, 2011, “On The Corner” column in New Frontier: “Poets reach inside us with a sweet, sweet painful pleasure that mixes metaphor and meaning. We are lifted to places of greater understanding; places denied us formerly in the whirlwind of mundane, new deeper places that combine

xi both our thoughts and our emotions with the gentle power that true love brings.” While the written works of the artists listed above are meaningful to me, none are included in The Salvation Army Song Book. Many (not all) of the songs in our movement’s hymnal have also been formative for me. I did, however, remark to friends recently that I could sing every Sunday from a song book that contained only the songs of three writers: Charles Wesley, Fanny Crosby, and Albert Orsborn. These three were poetic, prolific and prophetic. Of the three, Orsborn stands out for me. Again from Docter’s 2011 article: “Orsborn’s poetry feels very personal, transparent and spread with remarkable humility.” A new version of The Salvation Army Song Book will be published in the near future. The current edition includes 36 of Orsborn’s works of art. I meditated on each one, prayed through each one, and lived with each one a while before attempting to write anything down. You will find the song book numbers and sections listed under the lyrics at the start of each chapter. My hope for ORSBORNAGAIN is to introduce the first Poet General’s poetry to a new audience and to reintroduce his work to dyed-in-the-(tropical)-wool Salvationists like myself. As the subtitle states, these are not new songs. However, the lyrics are jam-packed with new life, which may be missed during corporate worship. Re-examined through Scripture and experience, I am hopeful that these sacred songs will renew the spiritual fervor of believers, and point seekers to their Savior. To inspire younger Salvationist artists to take Orsborn’s words and re-imagine them for the 21st century would be a bonus for this project. I’d love to hear and sing some of Orsborn’s words married to new melodies, written by a new generation of Army songwriters.

xii I hope you find this work helpful to you. “I don’t wanna waste the words that you don’t seem to need” (lyrics from Over the Rhine, the favorite band of Stacy, my partner in life and mission).

To God be the glory! (Wait, that’s Fanny Crosby.) All my work is for the Master, Rob Birks

xiii

Put This Book Down!

Where lowly spirits meet Instant in prayer, All at one mercy seat, One plea to share, With thee we intercede, Leader of those who lead, Heart of our Army’s need, Make us thy care.

Let not thy people boast, Empty are we, Martial and mighty host Though we may be. Naught of our own we claim, Forth from thy heart we came, Thou art our altar-flame; We live by thee.

Where secret rivers rise, Lead us to grace; Even through clouded skies Show us thy face. Own us thy people still, Seal us within thy will, And in thy holy hill Stablish our place.

Albert Orsborn 648 Means of Grace – Prayer

1 YZ

You don’t have to look far to find books by well-meaning Christian authors telling you how to pray, where to pray, how long to pray and how to get those prayers answered. I’ve read a few books on prayer that definitely helped jump start my prayer life … for a time. What really gets me praying like my life depends on it is when I start thinking that my life depends on it. The truth is my life doesn’t depend on prayer. The truth is my life depends on and is found in the One to whom I pray. In an interview about his book Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?, Philip Yancey said, “I used to see prayer as a spiritual discipline, one of those things you’re supposed to do. Now I see it as a spiritual privilege, an opportunity to com- municate with the Creator of the universe who loves me and gives me the ability to converse.” In the three verse prayer-song we consider here, it’s obvious that Albert Orsborn, too, sees prayer as a privilege, one to be entered into humbly, reverently, and faithfully. There are words here that speak of proper prayer posture: “lowly,” “plea,” “need,” and “empty.” And yet, as lowly and empty as our needy pleas are, we are not alone. The “leader of those who lead,” the “heart of our Army’s need,” is with us to intercede. For those familiar with Orsborn’s works of art, you are well aware of his Christ-centric poetry. You don’t get far into one of his songs before you come face to face with the “altar-flame,” that is Jesus, the Christ. A few years ago, my old friend Jim invited my new friend Bart to speak at a big youth event I was to attend with a few hundred other friends. Before the event, Jim wanted to make sure Bart was on track, so he called to ask for his topics and titles. Bart informed Jim that he would be speaking about Jesus. Jim admits that this answer should’ve sufficed, but

2 he pressed the issue. Again Bart told Jim that he would be speaking about Jesus. Thus ended that lesson, and the phone call I imagine. By the way, Bart not only spoke about Jesus at that event, he spoke like Jesus. In the songs we will consider in this small devotional, the Poet General will touch on several topics: fellowship, grace, love, sanctification, courage, pardon, service, and compassion, to name a few. But he will never stray far from the Sav- ior. Why would he? Why would we? Not only are we praying to and with God, but this song also makes it clear that we are not alone because we are praying with God’s people. Words like “all,” “we,” “us,” “our” and “thy people” serve as a clarion call for the Army of God to unite in prayer, “all at one mercy seat.” Jesus made it clear that we’re not in it alone with the first two words of what has come to be called the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9), which our Catholic friends call the “Our Father.” Let’s try something. Let’s put down the books on prayer and devotion (yep, even this one) and pray prayers like “Lead us to grace,” and “Show us thy face.” Amen.

The Salvation Army has been called to prayer. You can join the worldwide prayer meeting at: salvationarmy.org/thegeneral/WWPM.

3 Full-On Sacramental

My life must be Christ’s broken bread, My love his outpoured wine, A cup o’erfilled, a table spread Beneath his name and sign. That other souls, refreshed and fed, May share his life through mine.

My all is in the Master’s hands For him to bless and break; Beyond the brook his winepress stands And thence my way I take, Resolved the whole of love’s demands To give, for his dear sake.

Lord, let me share that grace of thine Wherewith thou didst sustain The burden of the fruitful vine, The gift of buried grain. Who dies with thee, O Word divine, Shall rise and live again.

Albert Orsborn 512 The Life of Holiness – Consecration and Service YZ

A misconception makes its way around our section of the universal Christian church that we are non-sacramental. SO NOT TRUE! What is true is this: For reasons that you may or

4 may not agree with, The Salvation Army made a decision fairly early on that two of the traditional sacraments of the Church— baptism and communion—would not be practiced in our corporate worship services. To think that this decision leaves us sacrament-less not only misses the point entirely, but relegates sacramental living to merely a weekly, bi-monthly or monthly ritual. In the sacramental song we are considering here, Ors- born obliterates that way of thinking: “My life must be Christ’s broken bread / My love his outpoured wine.” These are some of my favorite words in the song book of The Salvation Army. And I’m not alone. Many followers of Jesus in our movement would cite this as their favorite work of Orsborn’s, if not their favorite hymn altogether. Putting aside the fact that this is beautiful poetry (and it is beautiful poetry), these words speak of a sacramental way of life, a life that does everything in remembrance of the One whose body was broken and whose blood was shed so that whoever partakes in Jesus would have full life now, and eternal life for … well, for eternity. We, all of us, have a choice. We can choose to only see holy things in church (Holy Bible, Holy Communion, the holiness table), or we can worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness (1 Chron. 16:29 KJV) wherever we are, whatever we’re doing, whoever we’re with, and whenever we find ourselves there. As A.W. Tozer wrote, “When we have so learned to live in God and to experience His continual Presence, everything in our lives becomes spiritually significant. The old dividing line between the spiritual and the secular is removed, and every act becomes spiritual. What before had seemed mundane and nonspiritual now shines with a new light. God is found to be inhabiting our simplest acts as surely as our most lofty ones.” That must be what Minnesota songwriter Peter Mayer was going for in his song “Holy Now”:

5 When I was a boy, each week On Sunday, we would go to church And pay attention to the priest He would read the holy word And consecrate the holy bread And everyone would kneel and bow Today the only difference is Everything is holy now.

It would be a sin at worst and a shame at best if we only used this Army classic as a kind of proof text for our position on the sacraments. The real power of this song is the location in which the songwriter places himself: beneath the name and sign of Jesus, sharing the life of Jesus, in the hands of Jesus, sharing the grace of Jesus, dying, rising and living again with Jesus. It’s not enough to give assent to a position statement on the sacraments. That matters little compared to whether or not each of us receive Jesus, continually place ourselves in the hands of Jesus, and consecrate ourselves to a life of refreshing and feeding the souls of OTHERS “for his dear sake.” I reject the label “non-sacramental.” Instead, by sharing “that grace,” I aspire to be “full-on sacramental”! How about you?

6 What’s Wrong With the World?

Spirit of eternal love Guide me, or I blindly rove; Set my heart on things above, Draw me after thee. Earthly things are paltry show, Phantom charms, they come and go; Give me constantly to know Fellowship with thee.

Fellowship with thee, Fellowship with thee, Give me constantly to know Fellowship with thee.

Come, O Spirit, take control Where the fires of passion roll; Let the yearnings of my soul Center all in thee. Call into thy fold of peace Thoughts that seek forbidden ways; Calm and order all my days, Hide my life in thee.

Thus supported, even I, Knowing thee forever nigh, Shall attain that deepest joy, Living unto thee. No distracting thoughts within, No surviving hidden sin,

7 Thus shall Heaven indeed begin Here and now in me.

Albert Orsborn 630 Means of Grace – Prayer

Along with other prominent authors and thinkers of his day, G.K. Chesterton was once asked by a newspaper to write an essay response to the question: “What’s wrong with the world?” Chesterton’s reply had to be the shortest of them all:

Dear Sirs,

I am.

Sincerely yours, G. K. Chesterton

“Fellowship with Thee” seems to be written in that same spirit. In fact, this song of Orsborn’s would serve well as his answer to the same question that was posed to Chesterton. Orsborn is alarmingly transparent here in his confession of blindly roving for “earthly things” and “phantom charms,” his rolling “fires of passion,” his “thoughts that seek forbidden ways,” and his “hidden sin.” This is serious stuff! It’s possible that having sung this song so many times, we’ve become anesthetized to the power and punch of the poetry. This song gets to the heart of the matter, which, as many have said, is a matter of the heart. When examined closely, the words of this song echo the words of the Apostle Paul from 1 Timothy 1:15 (KJV), when he referred to himself as the “chief” (in NIV, the “worst”) of

8 sinners. When examined honestly, the only right response is to raise our guilty hands with Orsborn, Chesterton, and with Paul, and say, “What’s wrong with the world? I am.” I see that hand. Paul also warned believers to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them (Eph. 5:11 KJV). John follows up with: everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world (1 John 2:16). It is painfully clear then, from Scripture and from our own experience, that whatever the systems of this world have to offer us is trash. It doesn’t come from the Father. The harder truth is that, if we’re honest, we often want to have fellowship with that junk, those “unfruitful works of darkness.” And those “distracting thoughts within,” if left unchecked, will lead us to death. This all leads us to the good news of this song. Orsborn goes on to answer the unasked question: What’s the answer to what’s wrong with the world? It’s this: Instead of having fellowship with what a fallen world has to offer, we’re offered fellowship with God the Holy Spirit, the “Spirit of eternal love.” Only this Spirit will set our hearts on things above. Only this Spirit will call our chaos into the fold of peace. Only this Spirit will calm and order all of our days. Only this Spirit will hide our lives in Christ. Only this Spirit will begin heaven “here and now in me,” and in you too!

Give me constantly to know Fellowship with thee.

9 Here’s to Melting Curses

Yet once again, by God’s abundant mercy, We join our song of thankfulness and praise; Ever the light of our redeemer’s victory Shineth before us in the world’s dark ways.

Jesus shall conquer, lift up the strain! Evil shall perish and righteousness shall reign.

O for the time of Christ’s completed mission! Throbs of its rapture reach us as we pray; Gleams of its glory bursting on our vision Speed us to labor, urge us on our way.

Stretch out thy hand, O God, and let the nations Feel through thine host the thrill of life divine; Grant us, we pray, still greater revelations, Make of these days an everlasting sign.

Albert Orsborn 173 The Lord Jesus Christ – Kingdom

Susan and Lucy followed Aslan and witnessed the brutality and horror of his death. Just when things seemed hopeful for them and for all living under the curse in Narnia, the evil Witch killed the King. The two girls grieved the loss of their friend and fearless leader. At some point after dawn, a deafening noise caught the attention of the girls. The Stone

10 Table was cracked in two pieces. The lion’s body was gone. The girls asked each other who had done it, and what it all meant. Then an audible, familiar voice answered their questions. The girls saw the resurrected Aslan standing before them, larger than they remembered him:

“Oh, Aslan!” cried both the children, staring up at him, almost as much frightened as they were glad ....

“But what does it all mean?” asked Susan when they were somewhat calmer.

“It means,” said Aslan, “that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward” (excerpt from C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe).

This scene has captured the imagination of millions of readers since C.S. Lewis first dreamed it up way back in 1950 (right in the middle of Orsborn’s eight-year term as leader of the international Salvation Army). For Christians, of course, these words are far from fiction. They are filled with truth and hope and life. They remind us that even though things look grim, God is not dead! Even though evil seems to reign, righteousness will win out! Even though evil rulers kill the innocent, life lives eternally. We have hope because

11 “the light of our redeemer’s victory shineth before us in the world’s dark ways.” As the second line states, this is a song of “thankfulness and praise.” It’s not an ode to escapism. No way! The very fact that this is a victory song implies that there is a war going on. Union Army General William T. Sherman was spot on when he said, “War is hell.” It is! The “world’s dark ways” are ever-present, and seem to be ever-increasing. But true to form, Orsborn is quick to recognize for himself and remind his readers just who it is that brings victory: “Jesus shall conquer, lift up the strain! / Evil shall perish and righteousness shall reign.” And the victory Jesus won is not for one person, but for all people. His righteous reign gives hope not just to one nation, but to all nations who feel “the thrill of life divine” offered by the outstretched hand of God. This song is found in the “Kingdom” section of The Salva- tion Army Song Book (SASB). When Jesus taught his first and 21st century followers to pray, he began with: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:9). This world is under a curse, no doubt! However, there is an already and not yet kingdom where righteousness, not evil, rules. That kingdom will be fully realized at “the time of Christ’s completed mission.” We are citizens there. We should act like it here. Let’s allow the hope of the “deeper magic” of the resurrected Christ, the complete victory obtained and offered by the “willing victim who had committed no treachery,” prove more than enough inspiration to “speed us to labor, urge us on our way.” Here’s to greater revelations, everlasting signs, perishing evil, broken tables, and melting curses.

12 A Really Good Friday

Many thoughts stir my heart as I ponder alone; Many places attract me with charms all their own; But the thought of all thoughts is of Christ crucified, The place of all places, the hill where he died.

O the charm of the cross! How I love to be there! With the love that shines from it, what love can compare? The seal of my ransom in Calvary I see, All my sin, O my Saviour, laid upon thee!

’Tis the end of my sin and the source of all grace; ’Tis the word of God’s love to a prodigal race; ’Tis the greatest, the grandest gift God could impart, Surpassing my reason but winning my heart.

For the sake of the Christ and the love of his cross I have yielded my all and not reckoned it loss; There’s a place in my heart which the Saviour must fill; No other can take it, and none ever will.

Albert Orsborn 119 The Lord Jesus Christ – Atoning Work

The idea for this collection of devotional thoughts came to me on Good Friday 2012. Stacy and I spent a holy Holy Week in Northern Ireland with our good friends, who showed us the sights in that gorgeous part of that gor-

13 geous country. Surely the first person to coin the phrase “God’s green Earth” did so while visiting County Down in Northern Ireland. On Good Friday, we took a break from touristy sight- seeing to focus our eyes and the eyes of our hearts on the cross of Christ. On our way to the Lurgan Corps, where our friends soldier, I suggested a game. We would all choose one song we thought would be used during the service as a con- gregational song, a vocal solo, or a songster or band piece: one player, one guess, one song. The winner(s) would be the lucky recipient of a “to be determined” prize. My wife and friends seemed up for it (if only to pacify me), and we each made our choice. I can’t remember who chose what, but there’s a good chance you are thinking of a few of those songs right now. The visiting leader for that Easter weekend was Commis- sioner Keith Banks. He had planned the service, and he led it masterfully from a swivel stool in the front of the corps chapel. Woven through the service were songs, readings, and Scripture—all chosen to create a climate conducive to cross contemplation. We were all able to do exactly that. The commissioner presented his message in three segments: the pain of the cross, the pardon of the cross, and the power of the cross. These words of Orsborn’s weren’t sung that night, but they convey accurately the theme and tone of that Good Friday service. It was a meaningful service (and not just because that’s what I tweeted later that night). By the way, my friend Eddy won the contest; I was a gracious loser, and gave him a Star- bucks card the next day. I must confess, with Orsborn, that many thoughts and places often distract me from the “thought of all thoughts” and the “place of all places.” All kinds of shiny charms worm their way into my heart and attempt to crowd out the “charm

14 of the cross” and “the love that shines from it.” But in those moments when I look closely at the cross of Christ, like on that Good Friday night, I see something more beautiful and more mysterious than even the Giants Causeway we visited that week: “The seal of my ransom in Calvary I see, / All my sin, O my Saviour, laid upon thee!” I want to regularly experience Good Fridays (through Good Thursdays). I want to experience 52 Holy Weeks a year. I want to yield my all and not reckon it loss, “for the sake of the Christ and the love of his cross.” I want to live a life that points to the pain, pardon and power of the cross of Christ. I want to live a cross-charmed life. (And I want to go back to Ireland someday.)

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor. 1:18).

15 Twalumba, Dylan

Say but the word, thy servant shall be healed, I shall be loosed from my infirmity; And, once again, the fount of life unsealed Shall upward spring and flow eternally.

Vainly I seek a cure for my soul’s ailing, Vainly aspire to reach the life divine; Slave of myself, myself for ever failing, Helpless am I until thy grace be mine.

I dare not ask as though by right of pleading; Only my need lays hold upon thy name; Yet none can cry and find thy love unheeding, And none need fail thy saving grace to claim.

Thine is the name whereon I cry, believing; Thine is the love that sees and pities me; Thine is the power and mine the faith receiving Cleansing and healing, life and liberty.

Albert Orsborn 456 The Life of Holiness – Challenge

Orsborn was promoted to glory (went to be with Jesus, shed the mortal coil, joined the heavenly band, and so on) in 1967. So it’s highly unlikely, (i.e., impossible) that he was a Switchfoot fan. However, he and Jon Foreman, Switchfoot’s

16 lead singer, have much in common. Orsborn knew he had a sickness. He knew he needed healing. He knew he couldn’t heal himself. And, most importantly, he knew where true and complete healing could be found. Jon Foreman is four- for-four in this area. A few albums ago, Switchfoot recorded a song called “Mess of Me,” which includes these lyrics:

I am my own affliction I am my own disease There ain’t no drug that they could sell Ah, there ain’t no drug to make me well … I made a mess of me I wanna reverse this tragedy I made a mess of me I wanna spend the rest of my life alive.

A lot of people know that Jesus is the master physician … for other people. These “healthy” people are more than happy to point “sick” people to Jesus. Interestingly enough, these people are also all too ready to write out prescriptions for the “sick”—what to do, what not to do, and so on. We can only assume they believe they are somehow helping Je- sus’ healing ministry. Speaking of Jesus’ healing ministry, in Matthew 9, after Jesus called Matthew to follow him, he went to Matthew’s house for dinner. The religious leaders didn’t like this at all because there were sinners present. They asked the disciples why their master ate and drank with sinners. Even though the question was asked behind his back, Jesus answered; “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (v. 9:12). The sick who know they are sick can find help and healing in Je- sus. The “healthy” who are unaware of their sickness cannot and/or will not. In the summer of 2008, the “Birksfam” and 10 of our

17 friends traveled to Africa to spend time at The Salvation Ar- my’s Chikankata Mission in Zambia. On July 17, my daughter Lauren’s birthday, we went out with a mobile medical team to witness the life-saving HIV/AIDS prevention work they do in the villages surrounding Chikankata. After a training session with about 100 women and their babies, we went with Chiku, one of the saintly nurses. She took us to visit Dylan (not his real name), one of her AIDS patients, who had been very weak. He wasn’t home, which was a good sign, because it meant he had enough strength to work in his garden. We drove a ways further before walking down a path to his garden. My journal entry describes the mo- ment we walked through the gate this way: “Life! Growth! Health! Green!” There was Dylan, standing in the middle of his garden, life tending life. He greeted us, and generously shared his story. We prayed together, purchased fresh greens from him, and left that “secret (of Thy presence) garden.” As I think back, I can’t help but wonder if Dylan was healthier than I was at the time. He knew he was sick, and I’m confi- dent he knew where to find “cleansing and healing, life and liberty.” Twalumba (thank you), Dylan. This all reminds me of a lyric from the second Poet Gen- eral, John Gowans: “We’re all claiming the same cleansing, / We’re all finding our peace restored” (SASB CS112).

18 Greater Things Than These

What a work the Lord has done By his saving grace; Let us praise him, every one, In his holy place. He has saved us gloriously, Led us onward faithfully, Yet he promised we should see Even greater things.

Greater things! Greater things! Give us faith, O Lord, we pray, Faith for greater things.

Sanctify thy name, O Lord, By thy people here, For the altar or the sword! Save us from our fear When the battle rages fast; Help us in the fiery blast, Let us not be overcast, Prove thy greater things.

Every comrade, Lord, we pray, Thou wilt richly bless; Lead us forth into the fray, One in holiness, One in faith and harmony, One in perfect charity; Then we know that we shall see Even greater things.

19 Albert Orsborn 769 The Salvation Soldier – Faith and Trust

Jesus promised his followers would see “greater things” on at least two occasions in Scripture. The first takes place near the end of the first chapter of John’s gospel. Nathana- el, amazed that Jesus knew him before they even met, ac- knowledged Jesus as the Son of God, the King of Israel. Jesus replied: “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that”(v. 50). More than likely, however, Orsborn drew his inspiration for this song from John 14. Not long after Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, predicted Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial, and comforted his disciples, he schooled Thomas with a lesson on his oneness with the Father: “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves” (v. 11). He follows that pronouncement with a promise: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Fa- ther” (v. 12). As Orsborn paraphrases it: “Yet he promised we should see even greater things.” Greater things than these? Those “these” were pretty great! In the first 13 chapters of the book of John, Jesus had been up to amazing feats. He changed water into wine, he cleared the temple courts, he told the woman at the well everything she ever did, he healed the official’s son, he healed the in- valid at the Bethesda pool, he fed more than 5,000 people, he walked on water, he healed a blind man, and he raised Lazarus from the dead. That’s not too shabby. Of course, we now know that he has also “saved us gloriously” and “led us onward faithfully.” “Yet he promised we should see even

20 greater things.” What could be greater? What kinds of greater things might Jesus have been referring to? What kinds of greater things require the kind of faith Orsborn wrote of and prayed for? How about ending extreme poverty? Or finding a cure for HIV/AIDS? Abolishing the human slave trade would be a great thing! How about closing every sweatshop for good? That would be great! Making sure kids aren’t forced to fight in senseless wars that will take their young lives ranks up there on the list of great things that require faith. How about housing the homeless? Feeding the hungry? Educating the uneducated? In- cluding the marginalized? All these things (admittedly, just a starter list) would qualify as great, and greatly needed. All of these tasks will require much faith, and much love as well. As Mother Teresa famously put it: “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” I love the way Orsborn, by the third verse, is asking that God would richly bless everyone, lead us in battle, and bring about unity of holiness, faith, harmony, and perfect charity. Unity is essential for greater things to be seen. Without it, we will focus on smaller things. Our thinking will be small. Our faith will be small. Our vision will be small. If we’re all together, the sky’s not even the limit. Rupertus Melde- nius (cool name, right?), a German Lutheran theologian of the early 17th century, nailed it when he wrote in a 1627 tract: “In essentials—Unity. In non-essentials—Liberty. In all things—Charity.” So let’s definitely sing of, pray in faith for, look forward to and celebrate the greater things Jesus spoke of and the first Poet General wrote about. Let us be people of one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father (Eph. 4:4-6). Let us be “one in holiness, one in faith and harmony, one in perfect charity.” And “let us praise him, every one”!

21 FYInspiration—The Atlanta-based band transMission has recorded a great(er) version of this song! You can listen to it at: saytunes.com/ song/SAUS-7Q2SQ6

22 Promises, Promises

Since the Lord redeemed us from the power of sin, Since his Spirit sealed us other lives to win, Grace enough is given that we may endure, And we prove the promises of God are sure.

All the promises of God are sure, Through the ages shall their truth endure; Hallelujah! To the heart that’s pure All the gracious promises of God are sure.

What the Lord ordaineth will be for the best, Just to trust and follow him is perfect rest; Never will he fail us if our faith is pure For we know the promises of God are sure.

Hope will give us courage in the darkest night, Faith and love will make the heavy burden light; Let us then be cheerful and our hearts assure That the gracious promises of God are sure.

Albert Orsborn 755 The Salvation Soldier – Faith and Trust

In 1990, University of Colorado football coach Bill Mc- Cartney (Coach Mac) founded a Christian para-church movement. Promise Keepers (PK) gained momentum throughout the 90s, as its arena conferences drew hundreds

23 of thousands of (mostly) men. As a movement, PK peaked at its 1997 “Stand in the Gap” event at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. In addition to lively worship, inspir- ing messages, and intense prayer times, the attendees at PK events were challenged to make seven promises, para- phrased here:

1. Honor Jesus Christ through worship prayer and obedience. 2. Pursue vital relationships with a few other men for accountability. 3. Practice spiritual, moral, ethical and sexual purity. 4. Build strong marriages and families. 5. Support the mission of your church and your pastor. 6. Demonstrate biblical unity by reaching beyond racial and denominational barriers. 7. Influence the world by obeying the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

I am aware that the PK movement has its critics, and it’s not as popular or influential as it once was. Still, as far as promises go, these are pretty good. Regardless of gender (with a slight change to promise two), we would all do well to make and keep these or similar promises. That’s the key though, isn’t it: keeping the promises we make? Anyone can make promises. It’s easy. You just start a sentence with “I promise” and then add the specific commitment(s). Sometimes it can be even easier than that. In most wedding ceremonies, soldier enrollments, officer commissionings, and other promise-making moments, it’s not out of the ordinary for someone else to read off the promises, and the promise-maker to merely raise a hand and

24 say “I do” or “I will” (not that there’s anything wrong with that). When I became a soldier in The Salvation Army, I promised to adhere to the principles and practices of our movement, to obey my leaders, and to, among other commitments, “make the values of the Kingdom of God and not the values of the world the standard for my life.” So far, so good. When I married Stacy, I promised to love her as Christ loves his bride. By God’s grace, I’ve kept that promise. And by that same grace, it will remain kept. I’ve made many other promises in my life. I’ve even kept some of them. Others, sadly, have been broken beyond all recognition. Here’s my point: Promises made by humans are subject to the imperfections and failings of the promise-maker. Some will be kept, while others will be sacrificed mercilessly for personal pleasure or gain or convenience. I don’t put any faith in the adage, “Promises were meant to be broken.” Whoever said that originally was just looking for a way out, like a chicken exit at an amusement park’s most frightening ride. But neither do I believe this adage, “A promise made is a promise kept,” unless we’re speaking of God’s promises to us. In that case, we can expect a 100 percent cemented commitment on his part. God has never made a promise to his people (or those who opposed him, frankly) that he hasn’t kept. And they are “gracious promises.” God always has our best interest at heart. It’s rare that I disagree with an Orsborn lyric, but “Never will he fail us if our faith is pure” can give the impression that if our faith is not pure, God may fail us. Not true! Never true! No way! No how! “All the promises of God are sure.” Whether or not you or I are promise keepers (and we should be), God is! For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20a).

25 Uncle Bob & Healing Waters

When shall I come unto the healing waters? Lifting my heart, I cry to thee my prayer. Spirit of peace, my Comforter and healer, In whom my springs are found, let my soul meet thee there.

From a hill I know, Healing waters, flow: O rise, Immanuel’s tide, And my soul overflow!

Wash from my hands the dust of earthly striving; Take from my mind the stress of secret fear; Cleanse thou the wounds from all but thee far hidden. And when the waters flow let my healing appear.

Light, life and love are in that healing fountain, All I require to cleanse me and restore; Flow through my soul, redeem its desert places, And make a garden there for the Lord I adore.

Albert Orsborn 647 Means of Grace – Prayer

Oh, come on! Are you kidding me? If those aren’t some of the most beautiful words ever written, then I don’t know what beauty is. I dare you to re-read them right now. Read them out loud, even if you’re surrounded by other people.

26 For me, this song isn’t just about healing, it is healing. Its words are like a balm for a weary soul who is worn out from “earthly striving,” stressed out from “secret fear,” and whose wounds are found out, and cleansed, when the waters flow from “Immanuel’s tide.” There is no question that when Orsborn speaks of healing waters flowing from a hill, he’s referring to Je- sus Christ and the blood he shed for all humankind. Re- member, Orsborn’s poetry is Christ-centric. For him, it’s all Jesus, all the time! And there is no question that God is concerned with the physical health and healing of the men, women and children he lovingly created and cares for. Of course we reject any sort of unbiblical health and wealth gospel. But even a cursory read through the four Gospels would lead any sensible reader to conclude that Jesus is concerned with the physical well being of fallen humanity. Just ask the leper, or the 10 lepers, healed by Jesus. Ask the centurion’s servant, or Peter’s mother-in- law, or the bleeding woman, or the two blind men, or the blind man at Bethsaida, or the man born blind, or the deaf mute, or the paralytic, or the many sick people with various diseases. Heck, ask Lazarus someday. All of these people, and many more, had some aspect of their physical life restored to them. Jesus cares about physical restoration. So when we consider this great song, we must remember that physical healing happens by the hands of Jesus. It doesn’t always happen. But when it does happen, Jesus has a hand in it. As I see it, however, this song is getting at something beneath our leprous skin. Orsborn’s writing pen is poking at some part of us that is well past our blinded eyes and deaf ears. These words long for and speak of a healing available for soul-sickness. We all suffer from it. It comes with our fallen human condition. There are “desert places” within each

27 of us that need to be redeemed by the “healing waters” that flow freely from “Immanuel’s tide.” When I was growing up, our family would spend a week or so each summer with other Salvation Army families at “Sally’s Trailer Club.” Our leader, or wagonmaster, was the perpetually cool, always awesome, spiritual giant Brigadier Bob Yardley (“Uncle Bob” to us young’uns). We’d enjoy sep- arate family time during the day and meet for united campfires at night. It was so much fun! “Sally’s” usually met in a campground in Mammoth Lakes, California. Not far from camp were the Mammoth Hot Springs. This was a popular destination during those campouts. Some people would sit in the springs until they couldn’t stand the heat any longer. I’m sure some people considered these to be “healing waters.” I just remember two things: 1. They weren’t as cool as a pool, and 2. They stunk like a skunk! No joke. These waters did not smell good. I’m sure I took a dip or two as a kid, ’cause that’s what was expected. After all, everybody was doing it. But there’s something weird about wading in water that makes you feel dirtier than you felt when you entered into it. Seriously, I think I smelled decent going in (well, I was a normal pre-teen boy), but I definitely needed a shower after those springs got all over me. What does any of that have to do with this song? Just this: The healing waters referred to here have little in common with the Mammoth Hot Springs, except that God had a hand in both streams. Other than that, they are po- lar opposites. “Immanuel’s tide” is accessible to all who want to wade there, not just those who have the luxury of a vacation. “Immanuel’s tide” actually contains healing properties, instead of merely making you feel good until you burn. “Immanuel’s tide” will wash you clean, and

28 take away the stench of sin and death, and decay. The hot springs at Mammoth will … well … they won’t do that. Natural springs are nice to look at (if not to smell). The supernatural springs flowing from “Immanuel’s tide” will save your life!

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness (Matt. 9:35).

29 Novel Grace – The Musical

I have no claim on grace; I have no right to plead; I stand before my maker’s face Condemned in thought and deed. But since there died a Lamb Who, guiltless, my guilt bore, I lay fast hold on Jesus’ name, And sin is mine no more.

From whence my soul’s distress But from the hold of sin? And whence my hope of righteousness But from thy grace within? I speak to thee my need And tell my true complaint; Thou only canst convert indeed A sinner to a saint.

O pardon-speaking blood! O soul-renewing grace! Through Christ I know the love of God And see the Father’s face. I now set forth thy praise, Thy loyal servant I, And gladly dedicate my days My God to glorify.

Albert Orsborn 290 The Gospel – Response

30 YZ

When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down (Rom. 5:20b MSG).

As I’m writing this, Stacy is in London finishing eight weeks of study and spiritual renewal at The Salvation Army’s Interna- tional College for Officers. A few nights ago, thanks to a gener- ous gift from an old friend, she was able to see Les Misérables on stage with a new friend. Yesterday, coincidentally, a friend of mine posted the trailer for the new film version of the musical. By the time this is read, we will all have our own opinions on whether or not the film honored the beauty of the stage production, and how it compared to the 1998 movie with Liam Neeson, Uma Thurman and Geoffrey Rush. I remember receiving the novel as a gift one Christmas, and reading it in just about 24 hours (and it’s not a Grish- am-length tale). There’s just something about that story that resonates in me. The same year that the non-musical movie version of Les Misérables was released, the modern classic book What’s So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey was published. In that book I discovered, among many other things, the reason Victor Hugo’s story is so compelling to me: GRACE! (Yes, I am yelling, but in a good way.) There are many depictions of grace in the novel and screenplay, but one of the scenes Yancey points to is the one that has stuck with me ever since. After he wandered the village roads for four days, looking for lodging, ex-con Jean Valjean was given food and shelter by a bishop. That night, while the bishop slept, Valjean ran off, but not before he took the household silver. The next morning, the police are at the bishop’s door. They had captured the convict. All it would take was a word from the bishop, and Valjean would go back to prison and hard labor. The bishop gave a word

31 alright, but it wasn’t the one the police, or Valjean, or the reader was expecting:

“So here you are!” he cried to Valjean. “I’m delighted to see you. Had you forgotten I gave you the candle- sticks as well? They’re silver like the rest, and worth a good 200 francs. Did you forget to take them?”

The bishop then told the police, “The silver was my gift to him.” In the musical version, during the song “What Have I Done,” the bishop sings these words to Jean Valjean: “You forgot I gave these also. / Would you leave the best behind?” Grace, and more grace! In the novel, the movie and the musical, Valjean can’t believe his ears. He was captured. He was guilty. He was on his way back to prison. Now he was free. He was declared innocent. He was on his way to make something meaningful of his life. Thanks to the bishop, Valjean hadn’t left the best behind. But he had, thanks also to the bishop, left the worst behind—for good. Grace is found in all three verses of the work of Ors- born’s art that we are considering here. Actually, grace can be found in all of his writings, but here he names it. Grace. Grace. Grace. He had “no claim” on it. He knew his “hope of righteousness” was found in it. And he had experienced its “soul-renewing” power. Like Jean Valjean, Orsborn knew himself to be “condemned in thought and deed.” And like Orsborn, Valjean was forgiven and set free by the one against whom he had sinned. Here’s the bad news. We, all of us, after sneaking off in the middle of the night with something that isn’t ours, have been caught red handed. We, all of us, deserve to be con- victed and sentenced, not just to a life of imprisonment, but to death. Here’s the good news. We, all of us, have a Savior who, guiltless, our guilt bore. We, all of us, can speak to him

32 our needs, and tell our true complaint. And we, all of us, can be converted from “a sinner to a saint.” Here’s one more thing that faithful Orsborn and fictional Valjean had in common. Neither of them forgot the mo- ment they were graced, but made it a way of life.

I now set forth thy praise, Thy loyal servant I, And gladly dedicate my days My God to glorify.

33 Were You There?

Silent and still I stand Before that weeping tree Whereon the Son of man Pours out his life for me. O sin of man! O love of God! O cleansing, efficacious flood!

The Saviour asks no tears, Weep not for me, he cries; Yet all our broken years Are mirrored in his eyes. And all our griefs, including mine, Go surging through that heart divine.

Fain would I hide mine eyes From love so torn with pain; Yet all within me cries To look, and look again; I cannot pierce the mystery, But this I know: he dies for me.

For me, and once for all, Our Saviour willing dies, As mercy’s tender call Rings out upon the skies; O man upon that weeping tree, In penitence we come to thee!

Albert Orsborn 131 The Lord Jesus Christ – Atoning Work YZ

34 When we considered the first song in this collection, I mentioned the observation that Orsborn’s poetry is Christ- centric. I would just add now that his writings are also cross- centric. In fact, the cross of Christ never seemed to be far from the first Poet General’s thoughts when he thought of Christ (which seems to have been quite often). There is no cause for alarm here, however, no reason to think that Ors- born didn’t believe in the resurrection of Christ. It is inter- esting (to me, at least) to note that only one of his songs appears in the “Resurrection and Ascension” section of The Salvation Army Song Book. But that song (SASB 145) contains a beautifully strong description of Christ’s resurrection from the dead in the second verse:

Not for long the grave prevailed; When the dreary night had paled Into God’s appointed day, Angels rolled the stone away. Christ, the Lord of truth and might, Faring forth in robes of light, Drove the fearful shades of loss From the garden near the cross.

That verse, as well as the other two, ends “near the cross.” The song begins with the line: “In the shadow of the cross.” As I said, Orsborn’s work is Christ-centric as well as cross- centric. So what? So everything! Even if we only had this one song of Orsborn’s, it would be obvious that as he contemplated the cross of Christ, he was thoroughly convinced of its importance in God’s plan, and its impact on God’s people. His writing makes it clear that while Jesus’ earthly life ended at the cross, that’s the where our lives begin: “Whereon the Son of man / Pours out his life for me.” But Orsborn doesn’t take that life for granted. He realizes it comes at a precious price. “Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us,” said evan-

35 gelical leader John R.W. Stott (the late-great!). Orsborn owns his part in Christ’s punishment. He knows all too well that it was the “sin of man” that called for Christ’s crucifixion. It was his own “broken years,” his own “griefs” that Christ bore as he bled. In fact, he knows and regrets his part in the passion so strongly that he feels the need to look away from the cross, to hide his eyes “from love so torn with pain.” But as bloody and brutal as the sight is, Orsborn is compelled “to look and look again” at the cross, at the Christ. As Ors- born looks, all is not revealed to him. The mysteries of the cross are deep (notice the use of the word “pierce” in verse three). However, he is convinced of this one thing: Jesus died for Albert Orsborn! So what can we take away from this song, other than four verses that have a nice meter and some clever rhymes? I suggest this: We could do a whole lot worse than to follow Orsborn’s lead in contemplating the cross of Christ on a regular basis. And when the question is asked from the traditional slave hymn, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?,” may God give us the grace to raise our hands and not only admit to being there, but to playing our part in the passion. Then, with Orsborn and with hundreds of thousands of cross-contemplators before and after him, may we hear “mercy’s tender call,” respond with repentance, and begin again.

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my dis- ciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

36 It’s Good Work if You Can Get It

Saviour, if my feet have faltered On the pathway of the cross, If my purposes have altered Or my gold be mixed with dross, O forbid me not thy service, Keep me yet in thy employ. Pass me through a sterner cleansing If I may but give thee joy!

All my work is for the Master, He is all my heart’s desire; O that he may count me faithful In the day that tries by fire!

Have I worked for hireling wages, Or as one with vows to keep, With a heart whose love engages Life or death, to save the sheep? All is known to thee, my Master, All is known, and that is why I can work and wait the verdict Of thy kind but searching eye.

I must love thee, love must rule me, Springing up and flowing forth From a childlike heart within me, Or my work is nothing worth. Love with passion and with patience, Love with principle and fire,

37 Love with heart and mind and utterance, Serving Christ my one desire.

Albert Orsborn 522 The Life of Holiness – Consecration and Service

One of my favorite living poets is the eloquent and insightful Luci Shaw. While living in Seattle, I once sat across the table from her in a small bookstore on 85th Avenue. A large crowd was expected for the book reading, but only a few of us showed. At one point in the evening, I asked her to read my favorite poem of hers, “Judas, Peter.” This poem is comprised of two short verses, contrasting what happened to these two betrayers after they each had committed their offense. The first verse artfully describes the epic fail of Judas. Here is the second verse:

but if we find grace to cry and wait after the voice of morning has crowed in our ears clearly enough to break our hearts he will be there to ask us each again do you love me?

This great song of Orsborn’s can also be viewed as a com- parison and a contrast of Judas and Peter. The feet of both men certainly “faltered on the pathway of the cross.” The purposes of both of these followers of Jesus had been altered to varying degrees. Gold and dross (impurities) were

38 definitely all mixed up (as were both Peter and Judas). Both men betrayed their master. While the consequences of their sin differed, the crimes were comparable. However, one follower/betrayer killed himself, and the other follower/betrayer found life and founded the church. Peter eventually allowed himself to be passed “through a sterner cleaning,” while Judas … just passed. The “day that tries by fire” can be any day that ends with a “y.” You and I constantly find ourselves in similar situations to those of Peter and Judas. We are given opportunities to identify ourselves with Christ, or deny him—to show him genuine affection, or give him the kiss of betrayal. The first line of Shaw’s poem, “because we are all betrayers,” conveys the biblical truth that we are all sinners (Rom. 3:23). Given that fact, I’m going to go out on a limb (with apologies to Ju- das), and say that we have all, at times, chosen poorly when faced with these choices. Here’s the beautiful thing. Even after we have faltered and failed, forgiveness and faithfulness are offered to us by the One we’ve sinned against, the One we’ve denied, the One we’ve betrayed. The “kind but searching eye” of the Master sees it all—the gold and the dross, the good kisses and the bad kisses, whether we’ve “worked for hireling wages” or “as one with vows to keep,” all of it. And the Master will still “be there to ask us each again, do you love me?” Well, do you? Do I? And is it a love that “engages life or death to save the sheep?” Our prayer must be that of Orsborn’s here: “I must love thee, love must rule me.” If not, if we don’t love Jesus and OTHERS “with passion and with patience,” “with principle and fire,” “with heart and mind and utterance,” then all of our “work is nothing worth” (see 1 Cor. 13:1-13). Frederick Buechner, in describing the re-commission Peter received from his Master (John 21:9-19) writes: “From fisher

39 of fish to fisher of people to keeper of the keys to shepherd. It was the Rock’s final promotion, and from that day forward he never let the head office down again.”

All my work is for the Master!

40 Sacred Spaces—Even at Denny’s?

In the secret of thy presence, Where the pure in heart may dwell, Are the springs of sacred service And a power that none can tell. There my love must bring its offering, There my heart must yield its praise, And the Lord will come, revealing All the secrets of his ways.

In the secret of thy presence, In the hiding of thy power, Let me love thee, let me serve thee, Every consecrated hour.

More than all my lips may utter, More than all I do or bring, Is the depth of my devotion To my Saviour, Lord and King. Nothing less will keep me tender; Nothing less will keep me true; Nothing less will keep the fragrance And the bloom on all I do!

Blessed Lord, to see thee truly, Then to tell as I have seen, This shall rule my life supremely, This shall be the sacred gleam. Sealed again is all the sealing, Pledged again my willing heart,

41 First to know thee, then to serve thee, Then to see thee as thou art.

Albert Orsborn 591 Means of Grace – Prayer

When I was growing up, people used to ask the question: Where were you when Kennedy was assassinated? I guess people still ask that question, but increasingly another question is taking its place: Where were you on 9/11? Since I was born in 1967, I can’t answer the first question. But I know exactly where I was when I first heard about the horrific trag- edies of September 11, 2001. Why are these questions asked? Why do we know the an- swers? I think it has something to do with the fact that we associate monumental and/or meaningful events with places. No doubt the place where you first met Jesus holds a sacred spot in your memory. Don’t you know where your first kiss took place? Where were you on your wedding day, or the wedding day of your child? I’m sure you remember where you were when you heard that Sanjaya Malakar was voted off the sixth season of “American Idol.” No? Well, that’s because there’s a very good chance that particular event did not have much of an impact on you or the world around you. As I write this, I’m at Camp Redwood Glen, one of the sacred spots in my life. I didn’t meet Jesus here, but this is where he has met me over and over again. I didn’t meet Stacy here either, but this is where we fell in love and planned our lives (well, at the Denny’s that used to be nearby). We were even married here in 1989. This is where I served on staff for several summers in the 80s, and met many of my good friends. This is where I made and renewed several im-

42 portant spiritual commitments. (Broke a few here too, but found grace in this place as well.) This is the place where, in 1990, Stacy and I and our fellow Followers received bless- ings and Bibles from our division, before leaving from here to be trained as officers in The Salvation Army. I’m thankful that this camp has also played an important role in two of our appointments so far, including the current one. I’m here today for the opening day of music and worship arts camp. Places where important things happen are important to us. Where we find ourselves when we, ourselves, are found— those places are especially important. This place, to me and to my life, is of the utmost importance. However, while I consider this to be holy ground, it’s crucial to keep in mind that Jesus is not confined by the Camp Redwood Glen prop- erty lines. Yes, this place is a sacred spot to me. But if I wait for retreats, camps, councils or vacation days here to enjoy his presence, I miss out on all he has for me elsewhere. The good news of the presence and power of Jesus is presented clearly in this great gift from Albert Orsborn. We don’t have to go looking for the presence of Jesus some- where we’re not. We don’t have to wait for a weekend on a calendar. Jesus is a call away. In fact, according to Bono, God’s phone number is Jeremiah 33:3: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Orsborn echoes this truth beautifully and poetically in the last two lines of the first verse of this song: “And the Lord will come, revealing / All the secrets of his ways.” I love this song. It’s definitely one of my favorite songs ever written. I also love that we usually sing it to the same tune we use for “All My Work is for the Master.” The titles of the two songs can be misleading. It’s not that one song describes work and the other describes worship. In fact, both songs steer clear of separating duty and devotion. However, it is important (i.e., imperative) for a movement that puts so

43 much emphasis on … well … movement, to remember that it is only in the secret of God’s presence that the “springs of sacred service” are found. Much more important than what we say, do or sing is the depth of our devotion to our Jesus, our King. Nothing less will keep us tender and true. Nothing else will keep the fragrance on all the doing we do. There is nothing wrong and a lot right about remember- ing where we were when important things happened to us or around us. My prayer for myself and for you, however, is that we would experience the presence and power of the resurrected Jesus “every consecrated hour.”

44 No More!

Have we not known it, have we not heard it? Power unto God belongs. Yet do we daily find in his mercy Themes for the sweetest songs; Healing the wounded, raising the fallen, Making the blind to see, Saying to all who seek his face These precious words of redeeming grace:

No more! No more! He remembers sins no more, They are pardoned forever, And he will never Bring them up against me any more. I’ll hear no more Of the evil days of yore; I’m a pardoned offender, And God will remember them no more.

Joy-bursts of singing gaily are springing With every day that starts; If we were silent then would the stones cry Shame on our fainting hearts. O banish sadness, sing now for gladness Glory in Christ, the Lord! Who is a God like unto thee, One who can pardon iniquity?

Safe in the dark day; safe in the bright day; Safe till my latest breath; There is endurance in this assurance, Stronger than fear of death. When the accuser comes to the judgment,

45 Seeking my soul to claim, I have a token in the blood. I have the word of a pardoning God.

Albert Orsborn 724 The Salvation Soldier – Faith and Trust

Do you have any idea where the sea of forgetfulness is? Me neither. I did, however, think it could be found in the Bible. Nope. Haven’t we always heard that God throws our forgiven sins into the sea of forgetfulness? Well, as it turns out, he doesn’t. No worries, though. He does forgive us. He does forget our forgiven sins. There is a sea involved. And God does have a serious arm when it comes to distance throwing. There are several verses in the Bible that tell the comforting truth about God choosing to forget our forgiven failures. Here are a few: “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jer. 31:34b); “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (Is. 43:25). Here’s where the sea comes in: You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). I don’t know if Orsborn was partial to one of these verses over another, or whether or not he was meditating on one or more of them before writing this great freedom song. I don’t need to know. I’m just glad he wrote it. And I’m doubly glad for the truth of it! This is a song that should be sung loud and often—both corporately, in large crowds, and individually, in great humility and thankfulness. In November 2006, the corps we served in Seattle held a worship and justice weekend. We invited special guest speakers, including Danielle Strickland from Canada, and guest worship leaders, including Eric Himes and The Sing-

46 ing Company worship team he leads. It was a meaningful weekend for us and for those who accepted our invitation to attend. We learned about worship and we worshipped. We received biblical teaching on justice, and we went out and did justly in that great city. As weekend events tend to do, everything culminated at the Sunday morning holiness meeting. At one point, The Singing Company broke into a rousing rendition of “No More, No More.” By the closing chords, if there was anyone in that place unconvinced of God’s power and his willingness to forgive and forget, they must have been either hard of hearing or hard of heart. That Sunday was a little bit of heaven. Hey, we all have people in our lives (well-meaning or just, well, mean) who remind us of the times we fell short of the glory of God, in the “evil days of yore.” Sometimes we do that to ourselves, don’t we? Forgiving doesn’t come naturally to most of us, and forgetting is even less common. The good news of this Orsborn classic (and, by the way, of the gospel of Jesus Christ) is that the same God who is faithful and just to forgive our sins (1 John 1:9) is also faithful and just to forget our sins. Those of us who “have a token in the blood” also “have the word of a pardoning God.” Thank God! From one “pardoned offender” to another, let’s get better at forgiving sins and forgetting forgiven sins. When we do, we’re becoming more Christ-like and less accuser-like. Which reminds me, even though there is no sea of forgetfulness mentioned in Scripture, there is a lake of burning sulfur mentioned in Revelation 20:10. That’s where the accuser will ultimately be thrown.

Power unto God belongs!

47 Burning Love

The Saviour of men came to seek and to save The souls who were lost to the good; His Spirit was moved for the world which he loved With the boundless compassion of God. And still there are fields where the laborers are few, And still there are souls without bread, And still eyes that weep where the darkness is deep, And still straying sheep to be led.

Except I am moved with compassion, How dwelleth thy Spirit in me? In word and in deed Burning love is my need; I know I can find this in thee.

O is not the Christ ’midst the crowd of today Whose questioning cries do not cease? And will he not show to the hearts that would know The things that belong to their peace? But how shall they hear if the preacher forbear Or lack in compassionate zeal? Or how shall hearts move with the Master’s own love, Without his anointing and seal?

It is not with might to establish the right, Nor yet with the wise to give rest; The mind cannot show what the heart longs to know Nor comfort a people distressed. O Saviour of men, touch my spirit again,

48 And grant that thy servant may be Intense every day, as I labor and pray, Both instant and constant for thee.

Albert Orsborn 527 The Life of Holiness – Consecration and Service

Jesus movement singer/songwriter Larry Norman was one of the founding fathers of what is now referred to as contemporary Christian music. Whether he deserves the blame or credit for that depends largely on your view of that particular genre and industry. Still, in the 70s at least, he had a knack for weaving biblical truths into songs that could’ve received radio airplay alongside his contemporaries in the mainstream music market. I grew bored and suspect of his work as I entered adulthood, but in my formative years, his songs provided a Mon- day-to-Saturday soundtrack to my faith journey. (Sundays were reserved for Fanny Crosby, Charles Wesley and Albert Orsborn, among others.) Here’s an example of his songwriting from the 1976 song “Righteous Rocker #3”:

You can be a righteous rocker or a holy roller, You can be most anything. You can be a child of the slum or a skid row bum, You can be an earthly king. Without love, you ain’t nothing, without love.

It’s not Shakespeare, right? But in the spirit of Shakespeare, Norman did attempt to speak of lofty truths in earthly terminology. In essence, this song is a retelling of the apostle Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 13.

49 In that iconic portion of Scripture, Paul makes it crystal clear that it matters little (i.e., nothing) what any of us speak, have, give or do—unless LOVE is behind it, in it, through it and all over it. It seems to me that is precisely what Orsborn is saying here. Considering the Christ-centric poetry of Orsborn, it’s no surprise that he begins this song with a reminder that Jesus’ ministry was motivated by the love of God (as is our ministry, according to The Salvation Army’s mission statement). He then masterfully brings Christ’s purpose in our world from the past to the present: “O is not the Christ ’midst the crowd of today, / Whose questioning cries do not cease?” Of course it’s a rhetorical question, but the answer has to be YES! Not only is he “’midst the crowd,” but his deep desire is to answer their cries and offer them peace. And what is one of God’s main strat- egies to be present in and offer peace to the “crowd of today”? Right. You and me. But that won’t happen if we aren’t reaching out to others out of an overflow of being IN LOVE. And that will only happen if our spirits are touched again by the Spirit of love. I currently serve in the city in Northern California named after St. Francis. I have the opportunity every day to walk “’midst the crowd of today.” In fact, today, while walking back to the office from lunch, I saw a man lying right in the middle of the sidewalk. He was sleeping soundly, if not securely. I wasn’t sure what to do, but I knew that walking by wasn’t the right response. Plus, I didn’t want Jesus to use me as a bad example some day in a story about neighbors. I tried to wake him by saying, “Sir, is there anything I can do to help you?” He snored his reply. I tried again, but as I mentioned, he was sound asleep. As I walked away (knowing I was going to write about this Orsborn classic today), I was struck by the realization that in most cases, it’s often

50 those of us who claim membership in the 2,000-plus-year- old Jesus movement who need to be woken up. The “souls without bread,” the “eyes that weep” and “straying sheep,” the “people distressed,” they are wide awake—often through the night. To borrow a phrase from Keith Green, another musical missionary from the Jesus movement, it’s those of us “asleep in the light” that need to wake up:

Open up open up And give yourself away You see the need, you hear the cries So how can you delay?

Incidentally, the “burning love” Orsborn is praying for in his chorus should not be confused with the “hunk of, hunk of burning love” Elvis popularized in 1972. (Orsborn was promoted to glory five years prior to this Presley hit.) The world has no shortage of that type of “love.” Orsborn is describing the kind of love that emanates from a different king, the one true king—a love that can appear to be in short sup- ply these days. It’s the “Master’s own love,” the “boundless compassion of God” that must mark our Army, our ministry, our lives. If not, if we forsake our first love (and those he loves), our lamp stands will be removed (Rev. 2:4-6). Fortunately, Orsborn’s writings point us to Jesus. Jesus’ love points us to OTHERS!

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Cor. 13:13).

51 The Thrill of Victory

O Lord, how often should we be Defeated, were it not for thee; Cast down, but for thy grace! When all the arts of Hell oppose, We find a refuge from our foes Within the holy place.

We dare not boast, O Lord of light, In human wisdom, or in might, To keep us pure within. Do thou assist, we humbly pray, Lest in our blindness we should stray Into the toils of sin.

Thee will we serve, and thee alone, No other ruler will we own, But with a godly fear Redeem the time at thy command, Then, with the saints at thy right hand, Triumphantly appear.

Albert Orsborn 747 The Salvation Soldier – Faith and Trust

The thrill of victory is something we are taught to pursue from a young age. The agony of defeat is something nobody has to teach us. When we lose, we know it. As I write this, the

52 30th Summer Olympic Games are in full swing (I shouldn’t use a baseball term here, I guess—too sad) in London, Eng- land. For the first week of the games, I was in the states, and whenever I could fit it in, I kept track (that’s a more appropriate term for this piece) of how the young Americans were doing. It was exciting watching those amazing athletes really dive into it (OK, that’s the last one) with everything they had. Now I am in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, the home of The Salvation Army’s Booth University College. I am working on completing a degree here. However, I have yet to experience the thrill of victory in that event. Today, several of us were huddled around the TV (on a break, of course) sneaking glances at the Canada vs. U.S. semifinal women’s soccer match. At that time the game was tied, 3-3. Being the only student from the U.S., I felt a bit awkward. I stopped watching and went to class. The game ended 4-3, giving the U.S. team an opportunity to go for gold. Needless to say, I kept a low profile the rest of the evening. Regardless of what country you’re from or what country you’re cheering for, the Olympics never fail to show us clear pictures of what the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat look, sound and feel like. Young athletes who have trained since they were much younger athletes give it their all. At the end of the event we are given a front row seat to watch how they process their performances. When they are standing on the podium, we witness their pride and patriotism. When they are standing alone, we witness (if we can bear it) their defeat and disappointment. What Orsborn seems to be getting at in this song is that, were it not for the grace of God, we would be defeated repeatedly. “When all the arts of Hell oppose,” we would be cast down, lost in sin, blindly looking for a refuge which wouldn’t exist. But God is there for us. He does offer grace to us. The “Lord of light” does save us from our

53 blindness, and offers to “keep us pure within.” For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph. 2:8-9). With this is mind, “we dare not boast … in human wisdom, or in might.” The Olympic athletes can boast a bit over their accomplishments (and some of them excel in this area). After all, they are the ones putting in so many hours, days, weeks, months, and years of training to get the chance to compete on that worldwide stage. But even gold medal Olympians can’t take all the credit for the thrill of victory they get to experience firsthand. The most wise and humble of them never forget to thank their parents, trainers, coaches, country and their God. In a pre- Olympics interview with Chad Bonham on Beliefnet, U.S. Swimmer Missy Franklin said, “God is always there for me. I talk to him before, during and after practice and competi- tions. I pray to him for guidance. I thank him for this talent he has given me, and promise to be a positive role model for young athletes in all sports.” Four golds and one bronze— not too shabby, Missy. So the grace to dodge defeat comes from God alone. He provides a refuge from our foes. He provides the assist when we humbly pray. And it’s his light that keeps us from getting lost in sin now and forevermore. So while there may be nothing wrong with a bit of national pride every fourth summer and winter, boasting for our spiritual victories belongs to Jesus. While it is patriotic to pledge allegiance to the flag, our prayer must be that of Orsborn’s: “Thee will we serve, and thee alone, / No other ruler will we own.” Most of us won’t make it to the Olympics (even as spectators). But we do not want to miss that day when, with Jesus, we will know the thrill of triumphant victory, and the artist of hell will finally and forever know the agony of defeat.

54 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever (1 Cor. 9:25).

55 Do You Have a Bad Good-Work Ethic?

Earnestly seeking to save and to heal, Working for thee, working for thee; Grant me, O Saviour, the marks of thy zeal, Earnestly working for thee.

Working for thee, working for thee, Earnestly, constantly, faithfully working for thee.

Constantly working, I will not delay, Working for thee, working for thee; Keeping my trust through the whole of the day, Always and only for thee.

Faithfully working, my life’s purpose claimed Wholly for thee, wholly for thee, That of my work I may not be ashamed When I am summoned to thee.

Albert Orsborn 484 The Life of Holiness – Consecration and Service

OK, let’s get a few things straight—straight away:

1. We are not saved by our good work (Eph. 2:8-9)! 2. There is important work to do, and not

56 enough people doing it (Matt. 9:37- 38). 3. We are not saved by our good work (Rom. 3:28)! 4. The work of God is to believe in the one he has sent (John 6:28-29). 5. We are not saved by our good work (Gal. 2:16)! 6. Faith without works is dead (James 2:17)! 7. We are not saved by our good work (Gal. 3:1-3)! 8. We were created for good works (Eph. 2:10). 9. We are not saved by our good work (Rom. 9:31-32)! 10. We are to work with all our hearts, as working for the Lord (Col. 3:23).

All clear? Good. I thought it would be. If I am to be honest (and I am to be), I would have to say that this is not one of my favorite songs penned by Orsborn. My lack of enthusiasm for this song could be due to the fact that the word “working” is used 10 times (16, if you sing this through with the chorus each time). Don’t get me wrong; I am not averse to the idea of working, or even doing actual work. While I have been accused of working smarter, not harder, I still consider myself to be a hard worker. Here’s the thing. It is easy for anyone in ministry, doing the “Lord’s work,” to feel that work is where it’s at. We have created a culture in the church that equates a good, Prot- estant work ethic with a good, Christian life. Again, don’t hear what I’m not saying. I firmly believe the truths stated in points 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 above. It’s just that I also firmly believe the truths stated in points 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 above. If I am to be honest again (this is getting to be a habit), I would suggest that the even points above are over-stressed in the church (institution), which tends to over-stress the church (individuals). The odd points above are given brief

57 lip service, and then it’s back to work. In other words, if we’re not careful, we can give the impression that we have faith that we are saved through faith, but we work as if we are saved through work. Here are two questions to help prove my point: 1. When was the last time you said or heard someone in ministry say, “Oh, man, I have so much work to do today/this week/this month?” 2. When was the last time you said or heard someone in ministry say, “Oh man, I only have one thing on my “to do” list today/this week/ this month. It’s to believe in the one God has sent”? I’m pretty sure each of us has to figure this faith and works thing out for ourselves, with the help of the Holy Spirit and some wise counsel from Scripture and other believers, of course. If this song can help us out at all, it’s the fact that Orsborn was sure of a few things regarding his work, all of which are in agreement with the “Top 10” list above.

1. His desire was that his work would benefit OTHERS (v.1). 2. He wanted his work to be marked with Christ’s zeal (v.1). 3. He was working for Jesus (vv. 1, 2, 3 & chorus). 4. His work was purpose-full (v.3). 5. He wanted to do good work (v.3). 6. He knew where his eternal Sabbath would be spent (v.3).

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstak- ing excellence. —Martin Luther King Jr.

58 Building Up the Temple

O Lord, regard thy people, Whose love designs to frame This house of glad remembrance, And here inscribe thy name. To thee, the sure foundation, Our witness would we raise, Her walls to speak salvation, Her gates to tell thy praise.

We thank thee for our birthright, Secured at such a price; Forbid that we despise it, Or shrink from sacrifice. Inspire our hearts to serve thee, Thy chosen path to tread, That we may follow boldly Where nobler hearts have led.

Albert Orsborn 944 Special Occasions – New Buildings

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord (Eph. 2:19-21).

59 Of the 36 Albert Orsborn songs included in The Salvation Army Song Book, this is the only one that is found in the “Special Occasions” section. I don’t think we need to infer from this fact that the first Poet General was averse to or un- inspired by parties, dedications, weddings, corps anniversa- ries and other celebrations, or that he was not a supporter of self-denial or harvest efforts. Having said that, he does only have one song in this section. For some reason, Orsborn seemed to be more interested in Calvary discipleship than in calendar dates. However, even in this song, written for a building dedication, Orsborn masterfully moves the focus from The Salvation Army prop- erty’s edifice to the singer’s personal experience. In fact, right off the bat Orsborn is really asking God to remember his people who will be worshipping in community and witnessing out in the community. Words like “witness,” “salvation,” “praise,” “sacrifice,” “serve” and “follow” get right to the heart of what the church is meant to be: not a sound building, but sacred beliefs and sanctified behavior. Not that there is anything wrong with dedicating a building to the glory of God. That practice has been a part of humankind’s worshipful expression to the Creator since the Old Testament days. Heck, piles of rocks were dedicated as a monument to God’s presence, provision and protection. Not only is there nothing wrong with dedicating our buildings to God, we would be remiss if we didn’t do so. Of course, we could get into a long, drawn-out discussion about whether or not we even need buildings, or at least whether or not we need to own buildings (and I would love to have that conversation with you). We could also get all snarky and ask why, if we are in fact dedicating the building to the glory of God, any officer’s name needs to be on the cornerstone plaque (we can work that topic into our future communication as well, if you’d

60 like). But neither of those discussions has much, if anything, to do with this song or the Savior it extols. Chances are you weren’t present at the dedication of the building where you join (hopefully) regularly with other Christ followers to corporately worship the chief cornerstone. But you didn’t have to attend that ceremony to understand the significance of that sacred ground. That’s the place where marriage covenants have been signed, sealed and delivered, babies have been dedicated, and disciples (young and old) have made public professions of their love for Jesus and OTHERS. It’s the place where God’s Word has been proclaimed, God’s name has been praised, and God’s Spirit has come in power. It’s where fights have broken out over stupid things that don’t matter in light of eternity. You know what I’m talkin’ about. It’s the same place where sins, when brought into the light of eternity, have been forgiven and forgotten. You don’t have to love the paint job, the pews, or the praise band* to appreciate the fact that God’s desire is to join the “whole building” together in order that it may rise “to become a holy temple in the Lord.” May the words of this dedication song cause us to rededi- cate ourselves to Christ, his church, and the community in which he has placed us. Amen.

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands” (Acts 17:24).

*Actually, you do have to love the praise bands—stringed or brass (even if you don’t love their music).

61 Holiness & “MythBusters”

Believe him! Believe him! the holy one is waiting To perfect within you what grace has begun; God wills for his people an uttermost salvation; To sanctify you wholly the Spirit will come.

Surrender! Surrender! Reject the gift no longer, But say: Blessed Master, thy will shall be done. I cease from my striving, thy love shall be the conqueror; To sanctify me wholly, make haste, Lord, and come.

Salvation! Salvation! O tell to all the story, The thraldom of evil is broken and gone! My sun and my shield, the Lord gives grace and glory; He sanctifies me wholly; the Spirit has come.

Albert Orsborn 410 The Life of Holiness – Challenge

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16).

You know that show “MythBusters”? It’s pretty cool, right? The idea of taking something many people believe to be true, and putting it through a series of tests to either verify or debunk it is appealing to me. In fact, I think I’ll give it a go here.

62 “We don’t preach holiness anymore in the Army.” Have you ever heard someone say that? Maybe I should ask how often you have heard someone say that? Let’s see if it’s the truth, or a myth that needs some bustin’. The Salvation Army has a set of 11 beliefs/statements of faith/doctrines. The 10th states: “We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” That’s a whole lot to unpack, but I know you’re up for it. Simply put, The Salvation Army believes in holiness. That explains it, right? No? Maybe some of these terms, which have been used over the years as synonyms for holiness, will help—sanctification, entire sanctification, full salvation, -in filling of the Holy Spirit, baptism of the Holy Spirit, second blessing, blessing of a clean heart, perfect love, pure love. That’s still not a clear picture? Maybe we don’t preach holiness anymore in the Army. Or, maybe, we don’t give or hear explanations of what the term holiness means to those of us in this movement of holiness. Here are some words The Salvation Army’s Handbook of Doctrine (chapter 10, surprisingly) uses to describe holiness: “set apart,” “victory over sin,” “mature Christian living,” “becoming like Christ,” “discipleship,” “fellowship with God,” “trust,” “obedience,” “dying to the old self,” “transforming commitment to love for God,” “reflecting Jesus,” “fulfilled human life,” “wholeness in Christ,” “Spirit-led journey,” “freedom from the power of sin.” Have you ever heard any of those topics mentioned in sermons? Of course you have (or you haven’t been listening). So, maybe we don’t hear a lot of sermons on the doctrine of holiness. But I submit that if the preacher is preaching total love for God and total love for OTHERS, if the preacher is preaching victory over sin and Satan, if the preacher is preaching radical

63 obedience to the words of Jesus, if the preacher is preaching Christlikeness (my favorite term for holiness), then she or he is preaching holiness. If none of that is happening in any sermon you hear, run away! Better yet, start studying your Bible and preaching holiness sermons. MythBusted, thanks to all the officers and soldiers who are preaching biblically. I’ve gone a long way to say that this song is about holiness. We know that, of course, because the section of the song book where it can be found is called “The Life of Ho- liness.” We can also tell from Orsborn’s awesome description of a holy God, who desires (and expects) his people to be holy, and has graced us with his Spirit, since he knows we can’t make it there on our own striving. What’s required from us? A belief that God can make us holy, and a full surrender to the Holy Spirit. To borrow more lines from the second Poet General, John Gowans:

To be like Jesus! This hope possesses me, In every thought and deed, This is my aim, my creed; To be like Jesus! This hope possesses me, His Spirit helping me, Like him I’ll be (SASB CS107).

Two more quick thoughts on holiness:

1. Holiness is not a list of rules; it’s not reserved for an elite group, or an excuse to be a boring believer. 2. Holiness, like all of God’s good gifts, is to benefit OTHERS, not just ourselves. 64 “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).

For a more comprehensive explanation of holiness, I suggest Chapter 10 of The Salvation Army’s Handbook of Doctrine and Colonel Richard Munn’s article, “Time To Be Holy” (Journal of Aggressive Christianity, Is- sue 69, armybarmy.com/JAC/jac69.html).

BTW—thraldom = bondage, slavery

65 Promises of Grace

O, God, if still the holy place Is found of those in prayer, By all the promises of grace I claim an entrance there.

Give me a self-denying soul, Enlarged and unconfined; Abide within me, and control The wanderings of the mind.

Give me the strength of faith that dares To die to self each day, That bravely takes the cross, nor cares To find an easier way.

Help me to make more sacrifice, To walk where Christ would lead, That in my life he may arise To hallow every deed.

Albert Orsborn 619 Means of Grace – Prayer

There are so many lyrics that are hardwired into my brain. I know them so well, and have sung them so often: “Jesus loves me! This I know,” “What’s so funny ’bout peace, love and understanding?,” “Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my

66 heart,” “All you need is love.” The list is endless. Every once in a while, though, I come across a lyric that I’m sure I’ve seen (if not sung) before, but it hits me in a new way. I’m usually drawn to a lyric initially for its poetic value. Then there’s the piercing value. If it’s really good, it nails me. The third line of the first verse of this song did just that: “all the promises of grace.” Orsborn is gloriously aware that he needs grace in order to say grace (or any other kind of prayer). Don’t you and I as well? Of course there are at least two ways of understanding this lyric. Is the writer referring to all of the Scripture passages that promise us God’s grace? Or is he referring to all that we are promised because of the promises of God’s grace being fulfilled? I was struck by the possibilities of the latter. Grace is a gift that keeps on giving. Take some time (don’t rush) to contemplate just a few of the promises of grace found in Scripture:

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).

So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders (Acts 14:3).

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! (Rom. 5:15).

For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace (Rom 6:14).

67 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9).

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me (2 Cor. 12:9).

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7).

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8).

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encour- agement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word (2 Thess. 2:16-17).

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time (2 Tim. 1:9).

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people (Titus 2:11).

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor

68 because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone (Heb. 2:9).

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confi- dence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Heb. 4:16).

Now “claim an entrance” in “the holy place,” and make this prayer of Orsborn’s your own.

69 Water of Life

Life is a journey; long is the road, And when the noontide is high Souls that are weary faint ‘neath their load, Long for the waters, and cry:

The well is deep and I require A draught of the water of life, But none can quench my soul’s desire For a draught of the water of life; Till one draws near who the cry will heed, Helper of men in their time of need, And I, believing, find indeed That Christ is the water of life.

Life is a seeking, life is a quest, Eager and longing desire; Unto the true things, unto the best, Godward our spirits aspire.

Life is a finding; vain wand’rings cease When from the Saviour we claim All we have longed for, solace and peace, And we have life in his name.

Albert Orsborn 351 The Gospel – Witness

70 Back in the day, when I worked at camp most summers, I used to look forward to the nightly campfires. I worked with some of the funniest, most creative people. We did our duty during the day, but even then we were planning what we would do at night, by the glow of the fire created by the maintenance staff, to make each other (and maybe even the campers) laugh. I am so thankful the summer camp ministry is focused on more important things these days. (Having said that, my son does currently hold the title of “Pop-n- Sock World Champion” at Camp Arnold in Washington.) Anyway, several of the old camp skits incorporated the use of water. It was rarely ever used for drinking. It was usually thrown on an “unsuspecting” staff or guest staff member who “volunteered.” At the opening campfire of the 2012 music and worship arts camp at Camp Redwood Glen, I was happy to see that this tradition is still being observed (in this case, a “fire” was put out). Water was sometimes used in a crude fashion, as was the case in the “Herman the Caterpillar” skit. But it was also used creatively and classically, like when the Grecian water dance was performed to the strings of Pachelbel’s Canon, (OK, the participants wore togas, drank water from dining hall pitchers and performed a sort of synchronized spitting routine—not so classy, but still creative). Then there was the skit that everyone has seen in one form or another. Before the skit begins, a glass of water is placed on one end of the stage. An actor crawls onto the other end of the stage crying out in a weak voice: “Water!” This one line is repeated more dramatically, as the excruciating crawl continues toward the glass. “Water!” The audience is meant to get the impression the actor is dying of thirst, and must make it to the water in time. Finally, just before (almost) everyone loses interest, the water is reached. The actor cries out something like: “Water! At last! I’m saved!” He then pro-

71 duces a comb from his pocket, dips it in the water, and exits the stage combing his hair to the giggles and groans of the camp crowd. Nothing life changing, just some good, clean, harmless fun. The picture Orsborn paints with the words we’re considering here is a bit different. Water is definitely the answer in this scene, but this is no camp skit. This is real life. It’s a journey down a long road, with the blistering heat of the day beating down on humanity. Weary souls fall, crawl, nearly die and cry: “Water! Water!” This song is definitely inspired by Jesus’ encounter with a woman in the fourth chapter of John (clues: noon, well, water). Jesus was sitting by Jacob’s well when a Samaritan woman came to draw water from it. Jesus asked for a drink, which shocked the woman, since there were all kinds of earthly reasons he shouldn’t be talking to her. Jesus, who had all kinds of heavenly reasons to talk to her, said, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water” (John 4:10). Then, to answer a few more questions she posed, Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14). This woman was “weary.” Her “load” was heavy. We aren’t told a whole lot about her, but what we do know is that hers was a life of “longing desire” and “vain wand’rings.” She most certainly needed to find “solace and peace,” but none could “quench” her “soul’s desire.” Then one drew near who heard her cry. The “helper of men” and women “in their time of need”—Christ, the water of life. Her journey from thirsty to satisfied is my journey. Orsborn recognized it as his journey. I pray you have found “life in his name.” Jesus,

72 who knew thirst on his own journey (John 19:28), said,“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink” (John 7:37). Because of the testimony of the woman in John 4, many thirsty people in her town were satisfied that day. This fact should remind us that we can’t bottle up this life-water and keep it all to ourselves. Neither should we throw this water on unsuspecting passersby, or just cleverly spit it out to musical accompaniment to entertain ourselves. Humanity is not dying to comb its hair. It is dying of thirst. Those of us who have been to the well, and have met with and received life-giving water from Jesus, should be all about bringing OTHERS back to the well—carefully, compassionately, and creatively.

BTW—draught = drink, gulp, swallow

73 Long May We Wave

Army flag! Thy threefold glory Greets the rising of the sun; Radiant is the way before thee, Rich the trophies to be won; Onward in the cause of Jesus! Witness where the dawning glows, Flying on the wings of morning, Follow where the Saviour goes.

Slowly sinks the reign of darkness, Yielding to the Saviour’s day, When the slaves of sinful bondage Cast their evil chains away. Upward, Christward, homeward, Godward! Millions who are now afar Shall be brought into the Kingdom, Where the Father’s children are.

Army flag! We too will follow, Follow as with willing heart, Honored in the cause we fight for, Glad to take a soldier’s part, Until men confess Christ’s Kingdom Vaster than the world has seen, Crown with glory and dominion Christ, the lowly Nazarene.

Albert Orsborn 776 The Salvation Soldier – The Flag

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I have a confession to make. It’s not something I’m proud of. Then again, it’s not something I’m ashamed of either. It will make some of you think less of me, and I’m OK with that. This thing I will confess is not something I tell everyone (confessions tend to be like that, don’t they?). Not because I am embarrassed, but because, like you, I don’t want to be judged. Upon hearing my confession, some will ask, “Is it his mother’s fault?” Others will suggest, “His father should have done a better job raising him.” Let me say here and now that my mother is nearly faultless, and my father did a fine job raising me. If my parents are let off the hook, some will place the blame directly at the doorsteps of the training college where, as a lad of just 22, I went to be taught the essentials of Salva- tion Army officership. That would be tragic, since the 1990- 1992 College for Officer Training staff was exemplary. Some of them may even read this and feel as though they somehow failed me or the Army. You didn’t do either. I’m OK, and rest assured that our movement suffered nothing due to this thing. So, what is this thing? What could be so potentially devastating to some that I would feel the need for so many qualifiers and disclaimers before revealing it? Are you ready? Brace yourself. Here goes … I’m not much of a flag waver. There, I said it. What a relief. So far, I haven’t received any letters from reprimanding readers, or any phone calls from my leaders asking for my commission and epaulettes. In case you’re thinking you read my confession incorrectly the first time, or you’re hoping it was a misprint, here it goes again ... I’m not much of a flag waver. It’s not that I haven’t tried it. I have tried it. I’ve been up

75 there in the balcony during the commissioning weekend, and have reached for the flag I was offered. I gave it a few flicks (it’s all in the wrist I’m told), but it just didn’t take. I think, maybe it’s not all in the wrist. I think a good flag waver (and some of my best friends are flag wavers) feels it deep inside. Waving their flag is one more way of expressing their thankfulness for the fact that God’s unmerited favor has saved them and keeps saving them. I get it. I even admire it. It’s just not me. Before some of you go judging, I do raise my hands often in worship, which doesn’t work with how some of you are wired. I’ve also been known to shout “Amen!” or “Hallelujah!” during a worship service, without even being prompted by someone imploring me to “Fire-a-something!” I mention this just in case you were beginning to think I was anti-demonstrative in my expressions of worship. I don’t know whether Orsborn was a flag waver or not. I would imagine that at some point all Generals have to partake in the practice, whether or not they lean that way (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Regardless, even while seeming a flag fanatic, Orsborn’s art remains Christ- centric: “onward in the cause of Jesus,” “follow where the Saviour goes,” “upward, Christward,” “until men confess Christ’s Kingdom,” “crown with glory and dominion Christ, the lowly Nazarene.” Orsborn makes it clear that flag waving is all about worshiping and witnessing. Not movement-worship and motto- witnessing. It’s all about Jesus! Throughout his work, while writing about a variety of topics, Orsborn is not distracted from his view of the Christ, and is not dissuaded from getting to the heart of the matter. So good! And don’t miss the poetic value of “greets the rising of the sun” in the verse one, contrasted with “slowly sinks the reign of darkness” in verse two. Sweeeeeet!

76 Lord, save us from waving flags vigorously without living victoriously. Lord, save us from ever lifting our banners higher than the Son of Man is to be lifted (John 12:32). Lord, save us from praising you with the waving of our arms (flags or no flags, branches or no branches) and proclaiming you as King, only to disclaim you a short time later (John 12, 19). Thank you that your banner over us is love (Song 2:4). In the name of “Christ, the lowly Nazarene,” amen and hallelujah!

May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God (Ps. 20:5a).

77 Clueless in Seattle

On every hill our Saviour dies, And not on Calvary’s height alone; His sorrows darken all our skies, His griefs for all our wrongs atone.

Present he is in all our woes, Upon a world-wide cross is hung; And with exceeding bitter throes His world-embracing heart is wrung.

Go! Cry the news from every hill; Go! Ring the earth with sacred flame; To pardon is the Father’s will, And Jesus is the Saviour’s name.

In us his love invested is, God cannot pass a suppliant by; For heard in God’s eternities Our prayers repeat the Saviour’s cry.

And for the sake of that dear name With which all hope of good is given, Our heavy load of sin and shame The Father clears, and cries: Forgiven!

Albert Orsborn 127 The Lord Jesus Christ – Atoning Work

78 As I write this, the race for the presidency of the United States is on. By the bitterness and brutality of the political ads, it seems to me they should change the terminology from race to cage match. I’m also currently reading a book called The Presidents Club by Nancy Gibbs, which chronicles the relationships between many of the men who formerly held the position. It’s a strange juxtaposition: following the current battle and reading about late night amicable phone calls of the past between guys on totally different ends of the political spectrum. It actually gives me hope for the two men currently in the cage. Maybe someday one will call the other from the Oval Office to reminisce about the good old days of the campaign. Speaking of hope, when these guys aren’t slinging all kinds of stuff at each other to see what might stick, they can both be heard using the word hope in stump speeches and interviews. If we believe the polls and pundits, no matter who gets elected, half the country will feel hopeful about our country’s future—the other half, not so much. Hope can be elusive. If you don’t (or didn’t) know the good news of the gospel, the first two verses of this Orsborn song can read a bit gloomy, and give the impression that hope is lost and it’s all our fault. Listen to the language: “his sorrows darken all our skies,” “his griefs for all our wrongs,” “he is in all our woes.” Yikes! It’s about time for a political ad hawking hope, right? Wrong! It’s about time for the work of a Christ-centric, cross- centric artist to remind us that just when all seems hopeless, our hope is in Jesus—our hope:

And for the sake of that dear name With which all hope of good is given Our heavy load of sin and shame The Father clears, and cries: Forgiven!

79 Once, while some friends and I were spending just a brief amount of time with, and hoping to offer hope to, some of Seattle’s homeless, I got hope-schooled. It was one of those moments that slap you in the face, and the only appropriate response is; “Thanks, I needed that,” like the old after shave commercial that I’m almost too young to remember (almost). It was raining, like it sometimes does in that city, and we had brought food and some toiletries to share with those with whom we came in contact. I had a talk with one guy in a doorway. I was really new at that kind of ministry, and I didn’t quite know how to engage him in conversation. I stumbled over myself and said something like, “How do you stay warm out here?” He told me he had a place. “Are you safe?” I asked. “Yeah,” he mumbled, looking away from me. Clearly I was getting really good at this very quickly. Anyway, determined to offer him hope, I pressed on. “What gets you through?” He didn’t miss a beat. “I think of better times,” he said. OK! Here I go. This is where I can tell him that even though he messed up his life to this point, there’s hope for him in Jesus. In my sincere ignorance I said, “Oh, like when things were going well for you?” I have forgotten many things in life and will forget many more things (in some instances, thankfully). But I can’t imagine ever forgetting his response that night. He looked at me as if I had a lot to learn (spot on) and said, “No! Better times in the future!” Thanks, I needed that! Mercifully, my foolishness didn’t dissuade him from talking with me further. In fact, I think it lightened and loosened things up a bit. Ignorance may not be bliss, but it can be freeing, and it sure beats the heck out of being a know-it-all. Turns out he had a strong faith in the same God I worship, and he genuinely placed his present and future hope in Jesus Christ. Like I said, I got hope-schooled. That man didn’t need

80 political ads, pious platitudes or poems. He needed some food and a friend. I think I went one for two that night. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t get his name. He didn’t ask for mine either, but he knew “that dear name” Orsborn mentions. People need hope. No matter who the president, queen, chief or prime minister is, hope will always and only be found in Jesus, our King. Even though we often go about it awkwardly, it’s up to those of us who have hope in Jesus to share hope in Jesus. “In us his love invested is.” And God is looking for a return on that investment. You can do it. You’ve got to be better at it than I was in that Seattle doorway.

Go! Cry the news from every hill; Go! Ring the earth with sacred flame; To pardon is the Father’s will, And Jesus is the Saviour’s name.

81 In Range or Roaming?

When wondrous words my Lord would say, That I unto his mind may reach, He chooses out a lowly way, And robes his thoughts in childlike speech.

He came right down to me, He came right down to me, To condescend to be my friend, He came right down to me.

The voice divine, those accents dear I languished for, yet had not heard Till Jesus came with message clear, And brought to me the living word.

Nor could I see my maker’s face, Veiled from my sight his far abode, Till Christ made known the Father’s grace, And shared with men their heavy load.

O Vision clear! O Voice divine! Dear Son of God and Son of man! Let all thy gifts of grace be mine; Complete in me thy perfect plan.

Albert Orsborn 398 The Gospel – Witness

82 Cell phones are so much a part of our lives these days. If you’re like me (hope not), you feel like something is missing should you happen to leave the house without it. Of course, like any other form of technical gadgetry designed to make our lives easier, cell phones have the potential to do us harm as well. We must subdue them! Still, here we are. There’s no going back to two cans and a string, no matter how cool those are. Depending on the type of phone you have, you have either limited communication ability (phone, texting, ringtone choices and maybe pictures and email), or nearly unlimited ability (phone, texting, pictures, email, internet, document viewing/editing, music storage, coffee making, teleportation, and one ring to rule them all). These devices are not essential for living (after all, they can’t really make coffee—yet). However, used responsibly (insert Angry Birds, Words With Friends or Fruit Ninja joke here), cell phones can help us in a few important areas of our lives: communicating with OTHERS, keeping ourselves organized and on track, and staying up on what’s going on in the world. These are all important aspects of life, and cell phones can help us to do them well. I’m not a techie (or a Trekkie, but I do want that transporter phone), but when I get a text, call or a picture from Stacy, one of my kids, or my close friends, it makes me happy. I’m sure you feel the same way when you get a text, or a call, or an email, or see that little red number at the top of your Facebook feed. There’s something right and reassuring about getting word from someone who knows and loves us, isn’t there? Now, multiply that feeling by a million and we get close to what I think Orsborn is getting at in the song we’re considering here. “When wondrous words my Lord would say.” God wants to text message us in the most biblical sense. “The voice divine, those accents dear.” God is trying to get through, so we can hear his voice. “Nor could I see my maker’s face.” God sent us a liv-

83 ing picture, revealing his nature to us in Jesus Christ. Orsborn’s chorus is poetically simplistic, even while he’s simultaneously describing the incarnation of Jesus and the revelations of his Spirit. To get a word from the one true living God, to hear his voice clearly, to see his Son’s face, it doesn’t get any better than that! Can you hear me now? So, what’s your vision and voice plan? Many people spend a lot of time and money and effort making sure they have the best voice and data plans. How much thought do we give to our vision and voice plan? Do we expect to hear from and see God as we go through our day? Are we looking? Are we listening? In the Old Testament, when God wanted to get through to a people who had either put him on hold, wouldn’t pick up, or whose lines were busy (often chatting with other gods), he sent prophets to speak for him. One of those prophets was Jeremiah. He had a particularly tough word to give: I remember the good times we had when you were young, but because you refuse to listen to me or even acknowledge me, we’re through (RWP*). As my friend and Bible scholar Bruce Power said about this prophecy: “Nice little note from the Lord.” If someone posted that on our Facebook page, we would most likely de-friend them. Here’s the thing though—that’s what God’s people had done to him already. They dropped him and chose another carrier, several in fact. At one point, God calls them “foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear” (Jer. 5:21). In essence, they had become the lifeless idols they worshipped. The good news is that even though the messages God sends through the “weeping prophet” (they were most likely God’s tears, though the recipients should have joined in) were tough, they were not without hope (Jer. 29:11). He

84 “came right down” to them over and over again with return messages: “Return! Return!” “Complete in me thy perfect plan.” What’s your vision and voice plan? What are you doing to see and hear from God regularly? With our cell phones, we are either in range or we’re roaming. And you know for a fact roaming can be costly! Can you hear me now?

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jer. 33:3).

* Rob’s Weak Paraphrase

85 Shepherd, Hear My Prayer!

Unto thee will I cry, Shepherd, hear my prayer! Poor and needy am I, Shepherd, hear my prayer! Deep is calling unto deep. Rugged are the heights, and steep; Guide my steps and keep; Hear, O hear my prayer! Hear, O hear my prayer!

Where the tempest is loud, Shepherd, hear my prayer! ’Mid the darkness and cloud, Shepherd, hear my prayer Let me hear thy voice afar, Coming with the morning star; True thy mercies are! Hear, O hear my prayer! Hear, O hear my prayer!

Let the foe not prevail, Shepherd, hear my prayer! My resources would fail, Shepherd, hear my prayer! Order all my steps aright, Carry me from height to height; Yonder shines the light! Shepherd, lead me there! Lead me safely there!

Albert Orsborn 641 Means of Grace – Prayer

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Considering the prayerful poetry Orsborn has offered here, it seems wrong to do anything but consider and pray through this psalm of David. (For musical accompaniment, check out Jon Foreman’s “House of God, Forever.”)

Psalm 23 A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 23 (MSG) A David Psalm

GOD, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows,

87 you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.

Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure.

You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.

Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of GOD for the rest of my life.

No Lion or Bear can ever surprise our ever-watchful guardian or overcome our Almighty Deliverer. —D.L. Moody

88 The Beauty of Holiness

In their appointed days All things their maker praise, For all are lovely in their time And in their varied ways; Yet true it is to say, All beauty fades away Save that which in the heart resides And cannot know decay.

As gently falling dew Bids nature smile anew, So does the beauty of the Lord True comeliness renew; It glorifies our Lord, Shows forth the living word, So men beholding must confess The saving grace of God.

Come, Saviour, and refine This sinful heart of mine, Removing everything that mars The loveliness divine; O make and keep me clean, Spare not one lurking sin, So shall my life each day proclaim The Christ who dwells within.

Albert Orsborn 494 The Life of Holiness – Consecration and Service

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I have a gift (some family members might argue it’s more of a curse) for noticing song similarities. If a song comes on, I will often recognize a musical or lyrical portion of it that reminds me of another song. This gift impresses me to no end, but it produces very different reactions from those who are trying to listen to and enjoy the song that’s playing. Some song similarities are more obvious than others. Some, I’m sure, are accidental. Others, I assume, are inten- tional nods to the work of other songwriters. Some songs are similar because they have the same muse, or source of inspiration. There are similar songs about romance, friendships, cars, even days of the week. Take Mondays for example. For that one day alone, I just thought of six songs (with the help of my daughter, Lauren): “Rainy Days And Mondays” by the Carpenters; “Monday, Monday” by The Mamas & The Pa- pas; “Manic Monday” by The Bangles; “Monday” by Wilco; “Monday Morning” by Death Cab For Cutie; and “I Don’t Like Mondays” by the Boomtown Rats. All six are very different songs, written and recorded by very different artists. Each one, however, is based on the same premise—Mondays are very different from the other six days of the week. Reading this beauty on beauty from Orsborn reminds me of the lyrics of a modern day worship classic from composer James Curnow:

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, Worship the Lord in the spirit of praise, Bow down before him, Love and adore him, Come let us worship in spirit and truth.

These two songs have obvious similarities. Both works fo-

90 cus on praising God, and both works make it clear that the praise that pleases God is that which flows from a pure heart, a lovely life. There is no chance that these two pieces are ac- cidentally similar. Since Curnow was raised in The Salvation Army, I suppose his piece could be a bit of a nod to Ors- born’s earlier work. However, the strongest evidence points to the fact that both of these songwriters were well versed in Scripture, and found their inspiration in 1 Chronicles 16:29: Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness (KJV). What does holiness beauty look like? One thing’s for sure, it’s not only skin deep. After all, we tend to look at outward appearances, while God looks for and sees a beauty that runs much deeper (1 Sam. 16:7). Wait, here’s another thing that’s for sure about holiness beauty—it’s not only in the eye of the beholder. Our holiness is not beautiful because someone else sees something in us they like. It’s beautiful because our Savior refines our sinful hearts, “removing everything that mars the loveliness divine.” Also, the worship expressed by a holiness beauty may not look or sound like what we or OTHERS are expecting. Several years ago, I was in a gathering where the speaker played a video in which of a lot of beautiful, apparently well- off, seemingly happy white people were worshipping together. However, the video’s sound was muted. Instead, Stevie Won- der’s “Village Ghetto Land” played through the chapel speakers. That song described scenes that were anything but beautiful. The contrast of the images we saw and the lyrics we heard was convicting. Holiness beauties worship, like Curnow wrote and the Bible teaches (John 4:24), “in Spirit and in truth.” And the truth is, worshipping the Lord in the beauty of holiness begins with clean hands and a pure heart (Ps. 24:4) and continues in our chapels and sanctuaries.

91 But holiness beauty must also make its way into the schools we attend, our places of business, the streets and parts of town we’ve tried to avoid, the “Village Ghetto Land.” God’s not as interested in 60-minute worship services as he is in 24/7 services of worship. To borrow from another modern day songwriter, Sara Groves, our beautified lives should “add to the beauty” around us. Lauren Scruggs knows about both superficial and sanctified beauty. She is the model and fashion blogger whose life was changed dramatically the night she walked into the spinning propeller of a plane she had just exited. She lost an eye and an arm, and her face will never be what it once was. After a long and difficult rehabilitation, however, her holiness beauty still shines for all to see. She cites her faith in Jesus as her salvation and strength. It seems to me this is exactly what Orsborn is getting at in these three verses—a formerly marred life, purified by the Spirit, praising God, and proclaiming the beautiful Christ within.

This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful. —Sara Groves

92 Balloon Brigade

Not unto us, O Lord, But unto thy great name; Our trumpets are awake, Our banners are aflame, We boast no battle ever won; The victory is thine alone.

We were that foolish thing Unversed in worldly ways, Which thou didst choose and use Unto thy greater praise, Called and commissioned from afar To bring to naught the things that are.

A hundred anthems rise For every fighting year Since thou, as Lord of hosts, Our captain did appear To sanctify, to take command And bring us to the promised land.

Not yet we hail the day When all to thee shall yield, But we behold thee stand Upon our battlefield. And this alone shall ever be Our sign and seal of victory.

Albert Orsborn 163 The Lord Jesus Christ – Kingdom

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“Trumpets,” “banners,” “anthems”—I love a parade! Most people do, I think, to some degree. The imagery in this song leads me to believe that Orsborn envisioned The Salvation Army as a parade of formerly foolish types, “called and commissioned,” cleaned and commanded by the “captain,” whose presence is “our sign and seal of victory.” Great stuff! But what if the parade marches off course? What if the parade becomes the thing? God, help us! (That was a prayer, by the way.) Many parades, most notably the Macy’s Thanks- giving Day Parade in New York, involve balloons. Here’s a cautionary tale of balloons gone bad: In a village far from wherever you are as you read this, there lived a people who were very poor, but very happy; poor because money was scarce, happy because they knew their place and purpose in the world. Their village had been built on the southern side of a tremendously large sinkhole. For centuries, people traveling north would fall helplessly into the sinkhole, never to be seen or heard from again. When this came to the attention of the ruler of the land, he commissioned a village to be erected on the southern side of the hole for the sole purpose of warning travelers away from danger and death. And so, the town was raised (not pretty, but functional) and the community developed (not pretty, but friendly and faithful). They knew what to do; their mission was clear: warn people and steer them away from falling into the pit. The ruler’s plan worked. Countless lives were saved. For several years, the lifesaving village developed new ways of helping travelers avoid the sinkhole on their journey north. One of the most creative ideas was the “balloon brigade.” Members of the village would blow up bright balloons and place them around the edges of the pit. This served at least two purposes: creating beauty in a place which desperately

94 needed beauty, and (most importantly) catching the attention of weary travelers, and saving their lives. After a century or so, however, something went terribly wrong. The balloon plan didn’t seem to be working any longer. Or at least the plan wasn’t working as well as it had in the early days. Most travelers either didn’t see the balloons, or saw them and weren’t curious enough to inquire as to their purpose. This trend led to innumerable deaths. One might think this would’ve caused the village some concern. One would be wrong. While it’s true that some in the village attempted to sound the alarm and questioned the effective- ness of the balloon brigade, they were not taken seriously. In fact, these warnings and wonderings were seen by the village elders as rebellion against the ruler’s original plan for the village. “We were built to blow up balloons” was the party line of the day. So those who thought differently (i.e., “the village was built to save lives”) were stuck with one of three choices:

1. Try something new on their own, though it would be unsanctioned and unsupported by the village. 2. Leave for another village that welcomed new life saving ideas and techniques. 3. Shut up, pull up a chair, and blow all of their hot air into balloons.

It should be noted that at some point the blown up balloons were no longer even placed on the edges of the sinkhole. Instead, balloons decorated the inside walls of the village homes and gathering places. The balloons became the thing. Much time, energy and money was invested into the production and celebration of balloons. And the travelers kept walking, falling and dying. Here is where the account comes to an end. I have no idea

95 what happened to the village, the sinkhole, the travelers, or the balloon brigade. Do you?

When an Army settles down to the acceptance of a code and is content to stitch its trophies on its banners and admire its own history, that army is lost. —Albert Orsborn (as quoted on the wall at the William Booth Birthplace Museum in Nottingham, England)

Not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy great name …

96 Free At Last!

Son of God! Thy cross beholding, Hearing thy expiring cry, All our guilt and shame unfolding, Melt the heart and dim the eye. King of Glory, Camest thou to earth to die?

Is it thus, O Christ eternal, Right shall reign and sin shall cease? Come we to the joy supernal By thy dying, Prince of Peace? Matchless Jesus, Break our bonds and give release.

Past the reach of all despising, Past man’s puny judgment bar, Now we see thy light arising, Hope is singing from afar. Hail Immanuel, Brighter than the morning star!

Lo, we yield thee adoration; Glory crowns thy sacred brow, And the saints of every nation At thy feet in reverence bow. Hallelujah! In thy cross we triumph now.

Albert Orsborn 185 The Lord Jesus Christ – Praise and Worship

97 YZ

We’ve already seen that Orsborn’s work is Christ-centric and cross-centric. This song is a classic example. It begins with the poet wondering as he contemplates Christ on the cross. It ends with the poet, along with “saints of every nation,” worshiping and finding victory in the cross of Christ. As I write this, Stacy and I are preparing to visit a Salva- tion Army corps (church) in the division where we currently serve. Truth be told, Stacy is preparing; I’m praying through and commenting on ORSBORNAGAIN (again)—this song in particular. This coming Sunday is the first Sunday of the Advent season. The theme for the advent material the corps is using is “Why the Nativity?” and this Sunday asks the question, “Why did Jesus become a man?” This Orsborn song asks the same question in a few different ways: “King of Glory, camest thou to earth to die?” and “Come we to the joy supernal / By thy dying, Prince of Peace?” Christian theologians have asked and attempted to answer this question for over 2,000 years. The general consensus is that, while there are many reasons Jesus became a man—to fulfill prophecy, to identify with the human experience, to rule in the line of David, and to reveal the Father—there is no getting around the fact that his main mission was to save the world. These Christian authors concur: Oswald Cham- bers writes, “The Incarnation was not for the Self-realization of God, but for the purpose of removing sin and reinstat- ing humanity into communion with God,” and C. S. Lewis states, “The Son of God became man to enable men to become sons of God.” While there is no getting around the fact that Jesus came to save us, it is crucial to get our heads and our hearts around it, by faith. After all, we all need saving.

98 In 2006, Pulitzer Prize winning historian and biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, was published. It took me a while, but I read it, and was amazed at all that I never knew about the 16th President of the United States. As a kid in school, I was fascinated by how Abraham Lincoln died. Team of Rivals made me much more interested in how Lincoln lived. For instance, after he won the presidency, Lincoln placed men in his cabinet who had previously shown nothing but disdain for him. Why? He believed they were the best men for the job, and for the country. The Steven Spielberg film, Lincoln, is based on the sections of Team of Rivals that deal with the last four months of Lincoln’s life, and his pursuit of the passage of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution. After reading the book, or viewing the film, one is left with the impression that abolishing slavery in the U.S. was the main mission of Lincoln’s life. In an 1862 letter, Lincoln wrote, “Adhere to your purpose and you will soon feel as well as you ever did. On the con- trary, if you falter, and give up, you will lose the power of keeping any resolution, and will regret it all your life.” Abraham Lincoln adhered to his purpose. He kept his resolution. He proclaimed all slaves to be free, and then set out to make it happen. Many lives were lost in the process, and he paid the ultimate price in dying for his life’s purpose. The “Son of God,” the “King of Glory,” the “Prince of Peace,” “Christ eternal,” our “Immanuel” also paid the ultimate price for his life’s purpose. From the cradle to the cross, the salvation of the world was first and foremost on his mind. Why did Jesus become a man? It was to free you, to free me, to free the world. Only the “matchless Jesus” can “break our bonds and give release.” Hallelujah! So, what will you do with your freedom? We, all of us, would do well to take a cue from Orsborn, and live Christ-

99 centric and cross-centric lives. If the cross of Christ doesn’t cause us to wonder and to worship, if contemplating the cross doesn’t bring us to tears and to triumph, we’ve missed the point and purpose of Christ’s life and our own.

He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing (1 Peter 2:24 MSG).

1oo Playing Dead and Faking Resurrection In the shadow of the cross Side by side with bitter loss, Bloomed a garden, passing fair, And they laid the Saviour there. Sad, they thought his day was done, But, afar, his rising sun Flung a quenchless ray across To the garden near the cross. Not for long the grave prevailed; When the dreary night had paled Into God’s appointed day, Angels rolled the stone away. Christ, the Lord of truth and might, Faring forth in robes of light, Drove the fearful shades of loss From the garden near the cross. Jesus, give to us to know: Though in loneliness we sow, We shall pluck the fairest flower In the sacrificial hour. Sorrow hides beneath her wings Recompense for sufferings, And the blessing waits for us In the garden near the cross.

Albert Orsborn 145 The Lord Jesus Christ – Resurrection and Ascension

101 YZ

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead (Phil. 3:10-11).

When I was a kid, my friends and I loved to play “war” and “cops and robbers” (and sometimes “Starsky and Hutch”). After running around, jumping over (low) hedges, and hiding behind trees, somebody had to “die.” Since we used toy guns or fingers, general consensus decided who had to play dead and who lived to rob another bank, fight another battle, or catch another bad guy. Obviously, nobody wanted to be the first to go, but invisible force shields only work for so long. With daylight fleeting, homework to do, and dinner to eat, no one had to play dead for more than a few minutes. Speaking of playing dead, every once in a while I am reminded of a Jon Lovitz “Saturday Night Live”character from the late 80s. The sketch was called “Master Thespian.” Lovitz dressed in a silky robe and an ascot, spoke loudly with an over-the-top Shakespearean accent, and displayed his dramatic prowess for all to see (and hear). Inevitably during the sketch, the master thespian would “die” a dramatic death, only to “resurrect” with a victorious shout of “Acting!’ Even as I typed that description, hilarious memories flooded my mind. “Brilliant!” A similar, more recent, example of a faked fatality and an unreal resurrection can be seen in the latest 007 movie, Skyfall. Early on in the film Daniel Craig, as James Bond, is shot by friendly fire (my least favorite oxymoron), which came at the order of M, Bond’s boss and mentor. Bond is presumed dead, but (SPOILER ALERT) he isn’t. When he hears that MI6 has been hit, he returns to offer his (secret) services to M and to his country. Not long after that, he meets his nemesis, former

102 MI6 agent Raoul Silva, played by the awesomely creepy Javier Bardem. This great dialogue takes place in that scene:

Bond: Everybody needs a hobby. Silva: So what’s your hobby? Bond: Resurrection.

Faking death and resurrection is all fun and games for kids playing outside or for a comedian on a comedy show. It can add to the tension and excitement of an action movie. Spiritually speaking, however, death can’t be faked. Well, actually it can, but there is no real resurrection without an actual death. In these words from Orsborn we see that same truth. The resurrection of Jesus would not be that big of a deal if he hadn’t actually died. I know that statement sounds elementary, but it’s crucial for us to believe. If we’re to be Christlike, the same is true for us; there is no real resurrection without an actual death. Too many Christians are lacking the resurrection power purchased for and promised to every Jesus follower, by Je- sus himself. Why are we lacking it? To paraphrase James 4:2, we have not because we die not. Playing dead and faking resurrection is simple. Attend church regularly. Tithe. Dress up. Say the right things, know the right people, and sing the right songs. Like the kid and the comedian, playing dead can be fun and funny. Like the secret agent, resurrection can be like any other hobby. Thankfully, there is another way, a better way, the Jesus way. The apostle Paul makes it clear that we have a share in resurrection if we have a share in crucifixion:For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his (Rom. 6:5). And the blessing waits for us In the garden near the cross

103 The Jail Visit That Freed Me Up

O love upon a cross impaled, My contrite heart is drawn to thee; Are thine the hands my pride has nailed, And thine the sorrows borne for me? Are such the wounds my sin decrees? I fall in shame upon my knees.

’Twere not for sinners such as I To gaze upon thy sore distress, Or comprehend thy bitter cry Of God-forsaken loneliness. I shelter from such agonies Beneath thy cross, upon my knees.

Forgive! Forgive! I hear thee plead; And me forgive! I instant cry. For me thy wounds shall intercede, For me thy prayer shall make reply; I take the grace that flows from these, In saving faith, upon my knees.

Now take thy throne, O Crucified, And be my love-anointed King! The weapons of my sinful pride Are broken by thy suffering. A captive to love’s victories, I yield, I yield upon my knees.

Albert Orsborn 122 The Lord Jesus Christ – Atoning Work

104 YZ

On May 13, 1981, a little over five months after John Len- non was shot and killed and less than seven weeks after an assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II was shot four times by Mehmet Ali Agca. The crime took place in Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Square. The pope had been greeting and blessing the crowds when the sound of shots pierced through the sound of shouts. The pontiff slumped into his seat, and the vehicle sped away. I was 13 in May of 1981, living with my parents in Shore- line, Washington. Far from interested in world news or current events, my life centered on street football and mom’s cooking. As long as the rain held off, and I made it in by dinnertime, life was good. So it’s no surprise that I don’t remember this assassination attempt. What I do remember is a photo that was published two years after the shooting, which showed the pope visiting with Agca in the would-be assassin’s prison cell. That picture made a huge impact on me as a teenager. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but that particular picture illustrat- ed one word for me ... FORGIVENESS. The kind of forgiveness that Pope John Paul II demonstrat- ed in that cell in 1983 was foreign to me, but compelling. I couldn’t imagine myself even visiting, much less forgiving, some guy who tried to shoot me, but I knew it was right. It wasn’t until adulthood that I discovered the true quality of the forgiveness which the pope offered the man who tried to kill him. While it’s true that the pope visited Agca two years after the shooting in St. Peter’s Square, forgiveness was offered much earlier. The pope forgave Agca publically on May 17, 1981, just four days after the assassination attempt. Reports indicate, however, that the pope privately forgave Agca in the ambulance on his way to the hospital, immedi-

105 ately following the shooting. Wow! He attributes the power to pronounce forgiveness so early on to “the fruit of a particular grace” given to him by Jesus. In a kind of open letter on the power of forgiveness written five months after the attack, the pope wrote, “The act of forgiveness is the first and fundamental condition so that we aren’t divided and placed one against another like enemies.” In the Orsborn song we’re considering here, the first Poet General is once again contemplating the cross of Christ. The first line of the third verse recalls one of the seven statements Jesus made while dying in our place: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Orsborn’s very next line takes this cross-contemplation to another level. It’s one thing to look at the cross of Christ and acknowledge that Jesus forgave those who killed him. That’s history. That’s fact. It’s a very different and much deeper thing to look at the cross of Christ and acknowledge our own need for Jesus to forgive. That’s our story. That’s faith. “And me forgive! I instant cry.” Once we see our own face in the crucifying crowd, and let the words of Jesus as recorded in Luke 23:34 wash over us, cleansing us, it is crucial to extend forgiveness to OTHERS. In forgiving the man who shot him four times, and then following up with a visit, Pope John Paul II was exemplifying Christlikeness. No less is required of us. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matt. 6:15). That’s pretty clear-cut, and it cuts right through any lame excuses we may try to make for not forgiving someone. Whether wounded by actual bullets, or as a result of someone just shooting their mouth off in our direction, our right response, the only Christlike response, is forgiveness. One final observation on this particular Orsborn song: I like how the last line of each of the four verses makes one thing very clear: Knees Know No Season!

106 O Lord … Thank You for Saving OTHERS

Others he saved, himself he cannot save, Railed they against him on the cross above; They were the bondsmen by their pride enslaved: He was the freeman, bound alone by love.

Others he saved, himself he cannot save; He was the shepherd, dying for his sheep. No man can take it, but his life he gave, From death returning, all his own to keep.

Others he saved, himself he would not save, Though hosts of angels waited his command; He marched to victory through an open grave, Flung wide life’s portals with his mighty hand.

Others he saved, himself he did not save; Lonely, forsaken, our sinbearer he, Love to the utmost for my soul he gave; Lord, by that love I bind myself to thee.

Albert Orsborn 130 The Lord Jesus Christ – Atoning Work

In the introduction of this book, and in a few of the en- tries, I have referred to General Albert Orsborn as the first

107 Poet General. That’s because The Salvation Army has had (at least) two international leaders who were well versed in the art of poetry. The second Poet General was John Gowans, who led our worldwide movement from 1999-2002. Gowans was prolific, writing three O Lord books of prayer poems, an autobiography entitled There’s A Boy Here, and co-writing 10 musicals in 23 years (1967-1990) with his friend General John Larsson. The songwriting team of Gowans and Larsson is legend- ary in the Army (think Rodgers and Hammerstein, or Len- non and McCartney, or Elton John and Bernie Taupin, or Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, depending on your age or musical taste). Nineteen Gowans and Larsson songs are in the current version of The Salvation Army Song Book. I am writing this one week after the second Poet General was promoted to glory, which is how Salvationists describe the blessing of going to be with Jesus. Yesterday, in London, a funeral and thanksgiving service for the life of General John Gowans was held. Appropriately (on more than one level), one of Albert Orsborn’s songs, “My Life Must Be Christ’s Broken Bread,” was sung at Gowans’ committal service. In the Orsborn song we have before us, the broken Bread of Life is sacrificially offering himself for humankind, making life possible for humankind. When we took a look at “Son of God! Thy Cross Beholding” (SASB 185), we considered the advent question: Why did Jesus become a man? Ac- cording to this song the answer to that question seems clear: to save OTHERS! I’m sure the first and second Poet Generals would’ve agreed on many things (cricket over baseball, for instance). But I am certain they agree that Jesus came to save the world! Here’s proof (as if you’re requiring it) of Gowans’ stance on why Jesus came, in the form of the song lyrics for “He Came To Give Us Life” (from 1972 Gowans and Larsson musical, Jesus Folk):

108 He came to give us life in all its fullness, He came to make the blind to see, He came to banish death and doubt and darkness, He came to set his people free. He liberating love imparted, He taught men once again to smile; He came to bind the broken hearted, And God and man to reconcile. He came to give us life in all its fullness, He came to make the blind to see, He came to banish death and doubt and darkness, He came to set his people free. He came to set us free!

Gowans was a childhood hero of mine. His look, his style, his voice—he was some kind of Salvation Army rock star in my eyes. Once, at an event I attended where he was the visiting leader, I approached him with my copy of his second O Lord book in my hands. I asked him to sign his name by his favorite piece. The poem he chose is called Bridge:

I want to be a bridge, Though I’m not strong. I want to be a bridge So wide, so long That over me from doubt To faith may pass The lad in search of God, The seeking lass. Put steel into my faith And concrete too, That men may travel Over me To You!

109 Underneath the poem he wrote, “O Lord … bless Robert! Amen,” and signed his name. Incidentally (but not coincidentally), a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge (taken by Ma- jor Ron Toy) shares the page with the poem. I am blessed, currently, to be serving Jesus and OTHERS in the city by the bay. Often (when the Father and the fog allow it) I see that bridge and am reminded of this poem and the prayer that God would build the author and his admirer into strong structures, connecting people (over troubled water) to his Son. May it be so in my ransomed life and yours. Note the first line of each verse. We are saved to save, not saved to survive!

110 What’s in a Name?

I know thee who thou art, And what thy healing name; For when my fainting heart The burden nigh o’ercame, I saw thy footprints on my road Where lately passed the Son of God.

Thy name is joined with mine By every human tie, And my new name is thine, A child of God am I; And never more alone, since thou Art on the road beside me now.

Beside thee as I walk, I will delight in thee In sweet communion talk Of all thou art to me; The beauty of thy face behold And know thy mercies manifold.

Let nothing draw me back Or turn my heart from thee, But by the Calvary track Bring me at last to see The courts of God, that city fair, And find my name is written there.

Albert Orsborn 59 The Lord Jesus Christ – Name

111 YZ

My name is Robert H. Birks, but I go by Rob. A few of my six siblings call me Bob, due to an inexplicable phase I went through in my last few years of elementary school. Some of my nephews and nieces call me Uncle Bob (presumably because they learned to talk during my last few years of elementary school). My mom calls me Robert, as does my dad, although sometimes he calls me Son. Stacy usually calls me Rob, but as is the case with most people in love, she has a few choice terms of endearment for me as well. My daughter, Emily, calls me Daddy. My son, Graham, calls me Dad. My daughter, Lauren, calls me Pops. I have friends that call me Rob-Bob, (inspired by a late 80s episode of “Family Ties”). I have a friend who calls me Bobby (and I call her Schmancy). Another friend calls me Mr. Birks (and I call him Jean Valjean or 1st John). I have another friend who calls me Hiram (because he thinks that’s what the “H” stands for). When I served as the christian education director at Camp Arnold in the summer of 1989, my nickname was Reverend Birks. And there are other names that people call me. Some of those names I can’t currently recall. Some I can recall, but wish I couldn’t. Some names have literal meanings. For instance, the name Fulton (to pull one out of the air) either means “from the people’s estate,” or “bird catcher,” depending on which website you check. Other names may only have a sentimen- tal meaning, or they are important for family reasons. How- ever, you will most likely still be able to find a bookmark in a Christian bookstore that will tell you those names mean “gift of God” or “blessed one.” My favorite name is Jesus. Again, depending on who you ask, or what source you reference, it either means “God saves” or “God is salvation.” Either one works for me, liter- ally. My works couldn’t and can’t save me. Only the sacrifi-

112 cial work of Jesus on the cross could make salvation possible for me, and for you, too! Like me, Jesus had a few nicknames. They were way better than Bob or Schmancy, and much more meaningful than Hiram. Here are just a few to look up, write down, and meditate on: Living Stone (1 Peter 2:4), Advocate (1 John 2:1), Alpha and the Omega (Rev. 1:8), Author of Salvation (Heb. 5:9), Bread of Life (John 6:35), Bright Morning Star (Rev. 22:16), Wonderful Counselor (Is. 9:6), Deliverer (Rom. 11:26), Gate of the Sheep (John 10:7), Everlasting God (Is. 40:28), Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20), High Priest (Heb. 5:10), King of Kings (Rev. 19:16), Lamb of God (John 1:29), Light of the World (John 8:12, 9:5), Lord of All (Acts 10:36), Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8), Lord of Lords (Rev. 17:14), Mes- siah (John 1:41, 4:25), Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6), Redeemer (Is. 59:20), Son of David (Luke 18:39), Son of God (Matt. 27:54), Son of Man (John 8:28), The Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), The Vine (John 15:5), The Way (John 14:6), The Truth (John 14:6), and The Life (John 14:6; Col. 3:4). As I considered this piece from Orsborn, these two cho- ruses kept coming to mind. They go back a few years, but truth is timeless, right?

Jesus, name above all names. Beautiful Savior, Glorious Lord. Emmanuel, God is with us. Blessed Redeemer, Living Word.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest name I know. Fills my every longing, Keeps me singing as I go. (SASB 390)

113 It’s important to note that in the final verse of this Ors- born song, he shifts from focusing on the name of Jesus to his desire to stay true (“by the Calvary track”) and one day see the place where his own name is written. This is a reference to Revelation 20:11-15, where we read that those whose names are written in the book of life are saved, while those whose names are not found there are thrown into the lake of fire. In the end, I don’t really care what name people call me by, good or bad. I only want to be assured that my name is known by Jesus and recorded in his book. Thankfully, mercifully, Jesus means “God saves!”

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

114 Grace Beyond All Need

Who the child of God shall sever From the faith in which he stands? Who shall wound or who shall pluck him From the careful shepherd’s hands? Not distress or persecution, Neither peril nor the sword; For in days of tribulation Shines the glory of the Lord.

His abundant grace is given To the heart resigned and meek, Mercy moves the King of Heaven To the penitent and weak; Lowly paths our Lord has taken, And he proved by word and deed, For the lonely and forsaken There is grace beyond all need.

Faith is not afraid of darkness, Hope will triumph over loss, Love is not afraid of hardness, Patience helps to bear the cross; These are all the gifts of Heaven, Beautiful are they and free, Graces that the Lord has given; O that they may shine in me!

Works or wealth can never buy them, Nor a single grace impart;

115 God himself has sanctified them In the meek and lowly heart; All besides is vain endeavor. Failure every work of mine; Saviour, let thy grace for ever Cleanse and blend my will with thine.

Albert Orsborn 555 The Life of Holiness – Praise and Thanksgiving

It happened again. Another well known, formerly well-re- spected individual has been found out. We’ve been through this a thousand times, so everyone knows their role. The sor- did details of the scandal are being sorted into two catego- ries by the news media: “What juicy dish will we serve up today?” and “How can we spice it up tomorrow?” Friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors are either standing with or against the doer of the dirty deed. Speeches are made, tears are cried, and resignations are ten- dered and accepted. Pictures and prose none of us needs to see or read are posted everywhere, so seeing and reading them are all but inescapable. Rights are sold for book and TV movie adaptations. In a day or two, the over-exposed individual will be on the “Today” show. Next week, it’s the People Magazine cover story, and the late night talk show circuit. “Celebrity Apprentice” can’t be too far down the road. No- body is too sure if he or she will get hired or elected or married again. This person has fallen from grace. Or have they? It sounds right at first, because we’ve heard the term so often. Referring to someone who used to have it all together, before it all came crumbling down, one might say: “That was before his fall from grace.” The phrase is used to describe the

116 politician, the child star, the athlete, the man of the cloth, or the military leader who used to be someone people looked up to. Then something happened—an affair, an arrest, a ti- rade—and that’s it. All they had worked so hard to achieve (in most cases)—fame, respect, public trust—comes down hard, often taking a few others out as well. The problem is, the term comes straight from Scripture, and doesn’t describe someone who had it all together and lost it. It also doesn’t describe a person who used to be considered a good Chris- tian, and now is considered a bad Christian (or worse). In the fifth chapter of Galatians, the Apostle Paul is ad- dressing a serious situation in which Jewish believers were demanding that Gentile believers be subject to the demands of the Jewish law. To the Gentiles who were trying to live a new life by observing old laws, Paul wrote: You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace (v. 4). So, to fall from grace really describes someone who is attempting to be justified by what they do and don’t do. A person who has fallen from grace, according to the Bible, is someone who has left Jesus out of their personal plan for holy living. Instead, they have replaced him with rules, ritu- als, regulations and rites. To this person, Paul says: You’ve missed the point. It’s all about Jesus! It’s all about grace! It’s not about how good we can be without Jesus. It’s about how good Jesus was and is to us, by saving us, cleaning us up, and keeping us saved. This understanding turns the phrase on its end. Two men: One a religious leader who looks perfect, smiles pretty, and preaches powerfully, but has little time for Jesus. The other, a man with a drug addiction, who lives on the streets, attends church when there’s a meal served, but clings to Jesus for dear life. Which man has fallen from grace? Ex- actly! I believe Orsborn would agree with Paul and me on

117 this. In this song he writes about “abundant grace,” “grace beyond all need,” “graces that the Lord has given,” a grace which “works” or “wealth” could never buy, a grace that God has sanctified in the hearts of his followers, a Jesus-grace, forever cleansing us, and blending our will with his. Amaz- ing grace! For myself, for yourself, for our little part of the universal Christian church, I pray that we never fall from grace, and always fall into it!

All besides is vain endeavor. Failure every work of mine.

118 Frail Am I

Though thy waves and billows are gone o’er me, Night and day my meat has been my tears, Fain I would pour out my soul before thee, At whose hand my advocate appears. Only thou art still my soul’s defender, Hand of strength, and all-prevenient grace; Frail am I, but thou art my befriender, And I trust the shining of thy face.

As the hart that panteth for the fountain, So I long for thee, the living God; To the spring that flows from out the mountain, Lead me forth with thine unerring rod. From the depths my soul has called upon thee, From the hill shall make thy praises known, For my foes shall not prevail upon me, By thy strength shall they be overthrown.

By thy loving-kindness so unfailing, Never once hast thou forsaken me; O for grace that I, by prayer prevailing, May in faithful love remember thee! Lo! my soul before thine altar kneeling, Renders up the sacrifice of praise; Place thy hand upon me for my sealing, Thine alone, throughout my length of days.

Albert Orsborn 762 The Salvation Soldier – Faith and Trust

119 YZ

Compared to many of my friends and family members, my life has been pain-free. A bad day for me is when the morning commute takes 30 minutes instead of the 20 it should take. I complain if the wireless isn’t working at home, or if the climate in my office isn’t just right (it never is). One of the four-way stops in the small town where I live is another source of frustration for me. It’s not that difficult, people! The other day, I ordered a few things online and realized I had two Amazon accounts. I have no idea why that is. The same email address is connected to both accounts. In fact, I used the same password for each. The only difference is a capital letter is used at the beginning of one password, while a lower case letter is used in the other password. So, the $55 gift card (thanks, Commissioners Knaggs) I had placed on one account was not used to cover the order I placed while on my other account. Instead, the total cost was taken out of our checking account. That fact bummed me out for a couple of hours, and I was on vacation at the time! I could go on with a long, pathetic list of what my friend calls “first world problems,” but I believe the point has been made. My life, compared to many of my friends and family members, has been pain-free. Unlike Orsborn (or you, maybe?), I have never felt like the “waves and billows” were going “o’er me.” I haven’t experienced too many meals consisting of “my tears.” Most of my waves and billows and tear times have been experienced vicariously through those I know and love. A friend of mine lost a husband in a tragic, senseless, car accident. I have a sister who lost a son to a similar circumstance. I have a friend whose mother died while he was still young. One of my nieces has done battle with cancer. The wife of another longtime friend has cancer, and is only expected to live four or five more years.

120 Again, I could go on and on. There is a shortage of a lot of things in this world, but pain can be found in abundance. Besides, you have your own list. “Waves and billows” similar to the ones I’ve listed may have come crashing down on you as well. Or, like me, you may have escaped the full force of the pain (so far). As friends and family members of those on a steady diet of tears, we have only a shadow understanding of suffering. We, all of us, regardless of the intensity of our pain and suffering, have need of an “advocate,” a “defender” of our souls, a “hand of strength,” “all-prevenient grace,” a “befriender.” And the good news of the gospel (and of this Ors- born song) is that all of these are found in “the living God.” My loved ones who have gone through and are currently going through difficult times are all intimately involved with this living God. “From the depths” their souls have called upon him, and “from the hill” they make his praises known. These people amaze me. I want to be like them when I grow up in my faith. “O for grace that I, by prayer prevailing,” may act as they have when my “waves and billows” are more potentially devastating than my current hardships (i.e., the Seattle Mariners’ losing record). One aspect of this song that I find comforting is the emphasis on all that belongs to “the living God.” It’s his shining face. It’s his unerring rod. It’s his strength. It’s his unfailing loving-kindness. It’s his altar. It’s his hand. Even the “waves and billows” are his. And, in the end (and forever) we can be his alone, throughout our length of days.

As the deer* pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God (Ps. 42:1).

* Hart (verse 2) is an old word for a deer. It is used by Shakespeare, Tolkien and, apparently, Orsborn.

121 You Too?

We worship thee, O Crucified! What glories didst thou lay aside; What depth of human grief and sin Didst thou consent to languish in, That through atoning blood outpoured Our broken peace might be restored!

We mourn that e’er our hearts should be One with a world that loves not thee; That with the crowd we passed thee by And saw, but did not feel, thee die. Not till we knew our guilt and shame Did we esteem the Saviour’s name.

Though with our shame we shunned the light, Thou didst not leave us in the night; We were not left in sin to stray Unsought, unloved, from thee away; For from thy cross irradiates A power that saves and recreates.

O loved above all earthly love, To thee our hearts adoring move; Thy boundless mercies yearn to save And in thy blood sin’s wounds to lave. O speed the day when men shall see That human hopes are all in thee.

Albert Orsborn 135 The Lord Jesus Christ – Atoning Work

122 YZ

I have been a fan of the rock band U2 since my early teen- age years (which is a bit more than 10 years ago). At first, it was all about their energy and passion. The opening guitar riff of “I Will Follow” was like nothing I had ever heard before. As I grew up with the band, I became a fan of their faith journey in addition to the art they were making. Some Chris- tians dismissed the fact that Bono, The Edge and Larry Mul- len Jr. professed a belief in Jesus. Granted, none of them will be signing the articles of war or putting on a Salvation Army uniform anytime soon, but neither will the majority of Jesus followers. For many, U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” was all the proof they needed that these four Irish lads were on shaky spiritual ground. For me, that song struck a chord that still reverberates. Especially the last verse:

You broke the bonds And you loosed the chains Carried the cross of my shame Oh my shame You know I believe it

In the Orsborn song we consider here, the author, like Bono, is contemplating the cross, and all that it means to him, to every believer and to the world. Both Orsborn and Bono are well aware of their own shame and the sacrifice of their Savior. This song is found in the section of The Salva- tion Army Song Book dedicated to the atoning work of Jesus Christ. The theological jargon of what exactly happened on the cross can get pretty thick. That’s why for many (myself included), poets are relied upon to help us understand the magnificence and majesty of it all.

123 Orsborn does a masterful job describing what happened on the cross to make salvation available to all of humankind. The “depth of human grief and sin,” our “broken peace,” our oneness with a world that doesn’t love Jesus, our propensity for light-shunning, all of this spelled out a well- deserved death. But there is one who would “not leave us in the night,” but laid aside his glories to become obedient to death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:6-8). And the “atoning blood outpoured” by the “Crucified” restores us. “For from thy cross irradiates / A power that saves and recreates.” He “carried the cross” of our shame, in Bono-speak. And by doing so, he “broke the bonds” and “loosed the chains” of all who believe it. You know I believe it! Watchman Nee said, “What ground is left for accusation since sin’s penalty has been fully paid? The blood of the Lord has atoned for all the sins of a believer; hence there is no more condemnation in the conscience.” I’m sure it seems odd to go directly from a Watchman Nee quote to New York’s Waldorff-Astoria Hotel, but that’s where, on March 14, 2005, U2 was inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. During Bono’s acceptance speech, he told this story:

We’d been campaigning for Dr. King, for his birthday to be a national holiday. And in Arizona, they’re saying no. We’ve been campaigning very, very hard for Dr. King. Some people don’t like it. Some people get very annoyed. Some people want to kill the singer. Some people are taken very seriously by the FBI, and they tell the singer he shouldn’t play the gig, because tonight, his life is at risk, and he must not go onstage. The singer laughs. You know, of course we’re playing the gig, of course we go onstage. And I’m standing there, singing ‘Pride in the Name of Love,’ and I’ve got to the third verse, and I close my

124 eyes, and I know I’m excited about meeting my maker, but maybe not tonight. I don’t really want to meet my maker tonight. I close my eyes, and when I look up, I see Adam Clayton standing in front of me, holding his bass like only Adam Clayton can hold his bass. And you know, there’s people in this room who tell you they’d take a bullet for you, but Adam Clayton would’ve taken a bullet for me, and I guess that’s what it’s like to be in a truly great rock and roll band.

I’m so grateful (and U should be 2) that when our eyes were closed, just at the right time, in the name of love, Jesus stood in between us and the death that awaited us. I will follow!

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13).

125 Sacred Hands of Jesus

Once, on a day, was Christ led forth to die, And with the crowd that pressed on him joined I. Slowly they led him, led him to the tree, And I beheld his hands no more were free. Bound fast with cords, and this was his distress, That men denied those hands outstretched to bless.

Sacred hands of Jesus, they were bound for me; Wounded hands of Jesus, stretched upon a tree, Ever interceding, mercy is their plea. Their effectual pleading brings grace to me, Redeeming grace to me.

Hands that were scarred by daily fret and tear; Hands quick to sooth the troubled brow of care; Hands strong to smite the sins that men enthrone, Yet never raised to seek or claim their own: Dear hands of Christ! and yet men feared them so That they must bind them as to death they go.

Hands that still break to men the living bread; Hands full of power to raise again the dead, Potent and healing, eager to reclaim, Laid in forgiveness on one bowed in shame; Say, wouldst thou bind, by pride and unbelief, Those hands that compass all thy soul’s relief?

Albert Orsborn 129 The Lord Jesus Christ – Atoning Work

126 YZ

By now, if you’ve read through ORSBORNAGAIN, it will not come as a shock to you that we once again find the Gen- eral contemplating Jesus, and the day and the way he died. Christ-centric and cross-centric, Orsborn is true to form. In this piece it isn’t the charm of the cross or the shadow of the cross that draws Orsborn’s attention. Rather, through three verses and a chorus, he focuses in on the “sacred hands of Jesus.” Orsborn contemplated the cross of Christ so often and so intently that he was able to poetically place himself at the scene of the crime (first verse, second line), and zoom in on the hands which were pierced for our pardon, scarred to heal us and bound to make us free. The “sacred hands of Jesus” made quite an impression on Orsborn, and why not? These were the hands that blessed children, restored sight to a blind man, healed multitudes, and broke bread with his disciples in the upper room. And speaking of the disciples, they saw the hands of Jesus most every day for three years. They were there on the day of crucifixion, and saw the “wounded hands of Jesus, stretched upon a tree.” And after it was finished (John 19:30), and Jesus had committed his spirit into the hands of his father (Luke 23:46), the disciples huddled together, wringing their own hands behind locked doors. Jesus appeared to them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he showed them his hands and side, and the disciples were overjoyed (John 20:19-20). The disciples could have written and sung a hymn that night focusing on the sacred hands of Jesus. Maybe they did. Or maybe they sang one that was popular at the time. A week later, Thomas joined in, most likely out-singing the others (John 20:24-29). My favorite hands in this world are Stacy’s. They are elegant and comforting, and I have been fortunate to hold

127 them since the late 1980s. The ring finger on her left hand is where the symbol of our life-long commitment gets to live. One of the happiest days of my life was the day I asked Stacy for her hand in marriage, and she said “Yes.” A wedding picture in our room focuses in on our hands and our rings. It reminds me of our mutual mission to let our marriage point to the groom who gave his life for his bride (Eph. 5:25). By dying on the cross and paying the penalty for the sins of the world, Jesus was, in a very real sense, asking for our hand. He committed himself to us, and asks for our commitment to him in return. Jesus takes the hand of those who say, “Yes,” and leads them into a mutual mission of sacrificial service. In this light, it’s not hard to see that much of what Ors- born describes the “sacred hands of Jesus” doing are the be- haviors his bride should be about as well. Our hands should be blessing OTHERS, interceding and pleading mercy on be- half of OTHERS, soothing the “troubled brow” of OTHERS, breaking the living bread for OTHERS, and healing OTH- ERS. This world needs a whole lot more Christians willing to lay hands of forgiveness on OTHERS who are “bowed in shame.” As Mother Teresa said, “Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.” I’m so thankful that General Albert William Thomas Ors- born used his hand to pen these 36 songs, most of which speak of the Savior whose hands “compass all thy soul’s relief.” I pray this new look at old songs of new life has been beneficial to you in some small way. If not, toss it out (i.e., recycle). Life is too short and eternity is too long for us to waste our time here on bad books. Here’s praying that you and I will follow Orsborn’s lead in living Christ-centric and cross-centric lives, and using our gifts, talents, passions and position to edify OTHERS and see greater things!

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