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October 2007, Page 6.
Index of articles:
by subject,
by date.
In this issue:
(October 2007)
Mr. Rich,
Zechariah,
Question,
Song,
Ministry Review.
A holy God ... who forgives
O great and awesome God,
you keep your covenant of love with your people.
We have sinned, we've rebelled, we have turned away;
we've ignored those who speak of your word today.
Lord, you're righteous, but we are covered in shame;
we're transgressors, we have dishonoured your name.
Lord, forgive! Lord, forgive!
O great and awesome God,
please turn your wrath and righteous rage from your people:
Lord, please hear, Lord, please act, cleanse our hearts from sin;
you are mercy incarnate so enter in
to our chaos: Lord please restore us again,
not because we are righteous, but for your holy name.
Lord, forgive! Lord, forgive!
The Lord, the Lord,
the compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,
the Lord, the Lord,
maintaining love to thousands,
forgiving sin, rebellion and wickedness.
Turn your anger from your people O Lord:
take pity on your land, your holy hill.
O Jesus, Son of God,
you bring the mercy of your Father among us.
You have died on the cross, stopped the power of sin,
took its guilt and its loss, broke its grip within,
bought us freedom and brought us back to your home,
to your kingdom, where we will know as we're known:
Lord, we praise, Lord, we praise you now.
Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2007.
Based on Daniel 9:4-7, 16-19, and Exodus 34:6-7.
The tune can be found on our web site.
The glory of the God of the bible is that he is both perfectly pure, yet willing and able to forgive us when we need a new start. This song begins with the prayer of Daniel and the revelation of God’s nature to Moses. But how can it be right for a God of justice simply to turn a blind eye to what we’ve done wrong? Any theory that God can do this just because he’s God won’t wash with the requirements of justice. That’s why the bible has a New Testament as well as an Old: there needs to be a way that the penalty of sin can be dealt with. The cross means our pardon can be real. Praise God!
John Hartley