16 August 2006

The Saints in Christ

The saints in Christ are one in ev'ry place
To serve the Gospel of His costly grace;
From those first days to this, our hope the same:
The love of Christ, one Lord, one saving name.

In chains for Christ! His prisoners love to sing,
For slaves and free rejoice to praise our King;
What though the Church on earth still suffers wrong?
The cross of Christ remains our pilgrim song.

To live is Christ, for us, to die is gain;
Where then shall be our hunger, danger, pain?
Our joy to preach good news to rich and poor,
Then be with Christ, to live forevermore.

Lord Jesus Christ! Heaven's praise let earth repeat;
The work that You began, You will complete.
By grace let ev'ry foe become Your friend;
Your day, O Christ, shall dawn and never end.

-Christopher Idle, LSB #838

2 comments:

Mimi said...

Thank you, it's lovely.

William Weedon said...

Thanks, Mimi! I thought so too. I love how it blends the reality of the church's sufferings in this life with the joy of her undefeatable life in Christ. Pax!