Hello OCBC family. You are very familiar with this passage, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3 – ESV). The reality of this passage is that the Godhead is the creator of everything; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit were very active in the creation. Everything that we see came from God’s mouth. The Creed of the Apostles declares this truth, “We believe in God the Father, creator of heaven and earth.”

Cecil Frances Alexander was married to a minister in Londonderry, Ireland, and her desire was to teach children the Creed of the Apostles and its meaning. She wrote several children songs so these little ones could learn biblical doctrine. She visited areas where poor families lived and gathered the kids and taught them bible stories. She wrote so many songs that she was able to create a whole collection of children hymns.

The Bible and the Creed of the Apostles said that God created everything, then Cecil Frances Alexander wrote, “All Things Bright and Beautiful.” In this hymn, she paints with her lyrics colorful pictures of what creation is. Her poem is so full of details that anybody can see the creation through Alexander’s eyes.

Robert Brown said about this hymn, “Often when we think of God the Creator, we consider the vast galaxies of space and the mighty billowing oceans, but this hymn, written for boys and girls, talks of little flowers with glowing colors, little birds with tiny wings, purple-headed mountains, ripe fruits in the garden, and meadows where we play. God created these things, not only so we would marvel at His greatness, but also for us to enjoy.”

Perhaps you are not familiar with this hymn, but I encourage you to read it and use it as a devotional or prayer, after all He did create everything bright and beautiful.
 
Refrain:
All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.

1 Each little flower that opens,
each little bird that sings,
God made their glowing colors,
God made their tiny wings.

2 The purple-headed mountain,
the river running by,
the sunset, and the morning
that brightens up the sky:

3 The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden,
God made them every one.

4 God gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well.

In His service,
​
Israel

Hello OCBC family. 1 Peter 3:18 said, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (ESV). The cross of Jesus is offensive for many people. Why do we, as Christians, have a symbol that represents punishment? The message is that we do not celebrate the cross, but we celebrate the name of the One who died on that cross. This is the message of Christianity that Jesus suffered for our sins, and makes us anew. He is the one we celebrate and someday in heaven we will cast out our crowns to the feet of our Savior. This is the message that George Bennard (1873-1958) preached during his evangelistic meetings.

During one of these meetings, he was inspired by the words of John 3:16 and started to pen the lyrics of the hymn “The Old Rugged Cross”, which took one year to complete. For some people, this hymn is more about the cross than Jesus, but this is not true. It took more than forty years for this hymn to appear in a hymnbook because of this controversy. Nevertheless the message is about Jesus dying on this cross for our sins.

Enjoy the lyrics once again:

1 On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.

2 O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary.

3 In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me.

4 To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he'll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I'll share.

In His service,

Israel