Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary's God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Saturday, 23 August 2014 - "My Hope is Built on Nothing Less" ELW 596

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary's God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Saturday, 23 August 2014 - "My Hope is Built on Nothing Less" ELW 596
1. My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
no merit of my own I claim,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
Refrain:
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
in ev'ry high and stormy gale
my anchor holds within the veil.
Refrain:
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.
2. His oath, his covenant, his blood
sustain me in the raging flood;
when all supports are washed away,
he then is all my hope and stay.
Refrain:
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.
3. When he shall come with trumpet sound,
oh, may I then in him be found,
clothed in his righteousness alone,
redeemed to stand before the throne!
(Refrain:
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.
Have you ever peeled and prepared a fresh pineapple? By the time I cut away the prickly outer skin and the top and bottom of the fruit and finally take out the hard center core, I feel like there is hardly any fruit left. I look at the pile of skin and core and the rest of what I am about to throw away and it seems like so much.
This hymn takes us to the meat (or the fruit) of us. It is a hymn about stripping away all of the things that keep us separated and independent from God. It sometimes seems like so much to strip away. There are so many ways we do not rely on God. This hymn reminds us to put our trust wholly on Jesus' name and completely on the solid rock of Christ, and let all the other stuff wash away.
Help us to rest wholly on your solid rock foundation, oh Christ. Peel away all that separates us from you. Strip away all that keeps us from relying on your holy name. In Christ we pray. Amen.
Sarah Raymond
Pastor, Calvary Lutheran Church, Grand Forks, N.D. 
Master of Divinity , 2013
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