THE CHURCH OF CHRIST: WHAT A FELLOWSHIP!

The hymn, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, was written by Anthony J. Showalter (1858-1924) and Elisha A. Hoffman (1839-1929) in 1887. The story behind the hymn is touching. Showalter was a music teacher and had received a letter from two of his former pupils who informed him that both of their wives had died on the same day. Grieving for his students, Showalter was inspired by Deuteronomy 33:27, “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” The hymn was meant to convey the comfort and strength he found in leaning on God's everlasting arms during times of sorrow and grief. The lyrics are as follows.

What a fellowship, what a joy divine, Leaning on the everlasting arms.

What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms.

Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms. 

O how sweet to walk, In this pilgrim way, Leaning on the everlasting arms.

O how bright the path grows from day to day, Leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear, Leaning on the everlasting arms.

I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning on Jesus, leaning on Jesus, safe and secure from all alarms.

Leaning on Jesus, leaning on Jesus, leaning on the everlasting arms.

The fact of the matter is that all times are times of sorrow and grief—for some people. All times are also times of happiness and celebration—for some people. It’s a messed-up world because of sin, but our Lord has encouraged our hearts with the words, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 ESV). All the lives of the faithful are lived out in the protective and supportive embrace of God’s everlasting arms, and God has made this love of His for us known most perfectly in His son, Jesus. When we lean on God’s everlasting arms, we’re leaning on Jesus.

Despite the bad in this world, the followers of Jesus have every reason to band together in joy and celebrate because our Lord has, as Isaiah 53 clearly teaches, come from heaven to earth to bear our griefs and carry our sorrows. He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. And His chastisement has brought us peace. “What a joy divine!” What blessedness! What peace! Leaning on God’s everlasting arms is the greatest of all fellowships and is the basis of our beautiful fellowship together in the church as brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 1:7). The hymn hits the nail right on the head with its opening proclamation expressing joy in the face of sorrow and grief: “WHAT A FELLOWSHIP!”

A few words of advice to Christian parents:

(1) How you participate in church teaches your kids how valuable you think it is. If you value it the way you should, you’ll be more than a “pew warmer.”

(2) What you say about the church is the very best your kids will talk about it. If you run down the church, your children will likely speak even worse of it someday. Take this seriously and watch what you say. 

(3) The church is Christ’s body, so where the church is in your life is never far from where Jesus is in your life! No parents are doing right by God if their children do not know that church attendance and participation in church ministries and activities is a given. No child of good Christian parents has to ask on any Sunday, “Are we going to church today?” If you or your kids aren’t sick, they should just know. 

---JLP

Image via godtube.

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