Skip to main content

Hornets, Fish and the Will of God

The Hornet Song

When the Canaanites hardened their hearts against God,
And grieved Him because of their sin,
God sent along hornets to bring them to terms,
And to help His own people to win.

Now the hornets persuaded them that it was best
To go quickly and not to go slow,
They didn't compel them to go 'gainst their will.
But they just made them willing to go.

If a nest of live hornets were brought to this room,
And the creatures allowed to go free,
You would not need urging to make yourself scarce,
You'd want to get out, don't you see!


When Jonah was sent to the work of the Lord,
The outlook was not very bright,
Why he never had done such a hard thing before,
So he backed out and ran off from the fight.

Now, the Lord sent a big fish to swallow him up,
The story I am sure you all know,
God didn't compel him to go 'gainst his will,
But He just made him willing to go.

Chorus:
God doesn't compel us to go, oh, no!
He never compels us to go,
God does not compel us to go 'gainst our will,
But He just makes us willing to go.

Many years ago, I remember hearing this song and being struck by the neat way it approached the question of man's free-agency and God's sovereign will. 

 I look back on my life with the good and bad decisions I've made and see the Finger of God in evidence: sometimes prodding, sometimes tapping me on the shoulder and other times being shaken before me in warning. 

 And now, I thank the Lord for each one of these times and that I was 'made willing to' do God's will.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reigning With Christ by F J Huegel

Reigning With Christ by F J Huegel (1963) is a book of only 88 pages yet it is filled with crucial truths of the Christian faith organised around the theme of the enthroned believer . It's fair to say that the theme he concisely addresses in this small book is much neglected today. For the press of technological life with its bustle and speed is such that we can forget that present life, so ' real' to us, is temporary (2 Cor 4.18) and as in the first century, 'the form [Greek, "schema"] of the world is passing away' (1Cor 7.31). It's easy to read this work and though it has 20 chapters, they are short and pithy. However, reading it requires a meditative attitude so as to allow the Spirit to work on our hearts.
Post a Comment
Read more

Jesus Anointed For His Death!

In John's gospel account, chapter 12 and verses 1-8 we read, 12  Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2  There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3  Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4  Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 5  Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6  This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 7  Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8  For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

[3] The Prayers of the People

This third section of Holy Communion is introduced with the words said by the lay reader/minister: Let us pray for the world and for the Church. In most Anglican churches I've been in the prayers are prayed by a congregational member because these prayers are 'the prayers of the people '. Sometimes the pray-er will even stand at the back of the church or in the aisle a little towards the front to emphasise the fact that these prayers come from the congregation. The prayers are supplicatory in nature. Various formats can be used and numbers of formats are given in the Prayer Book and other appropriate sources can also be used. Usually after each area of prayer is finished, the pray-er will say some like,  Father, hear our prayer [with the congregation responding with something like] through Jesus Christ our Lord. Prayer may then begin with   Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ has promised that you will hear us when we ask in faith: receive the prayers we offer. Four typical...
Post a Comment
Read more