ORSBORNAGAIN (36)
A devotional series by Major Rob Birks
ORSBORNAGAIN is meant to introduce the poetry of the first Poet General, Albert Orsborn (1886-1967) to a new audience and to reintroduce his works to dyed-in-the-(tropical)-wool Salvationists.
These are not new songs.
However, the lyrics are jam-packed with new life, which may be missed during corporate worship. Re-examined through scripture and experience, Rob Birks intends through an examination of these scared songs to renew the spiritual fervor of believers, and point seekers to their Savior.
Once, on a day, was Christ led forth to die,
And with the crowd that pressed on him joined I.
Slowly they led him, led him to the tree,
And I beheld his hands no more were free.
Bound fast with cords, and this was his distress,
That men denied those hands outstretched to bless.
Sacred hands of Jesus, they were bound for me;
Wounded hands of Jesus, stretched upon a tree,
Ever interceding, mercy is their plea.
Their effectual pleading brings grace to me,
Redeeming grace to me.
Hands that were scarred by daily fret and tear;
Hands quick to sooth the troubled brow of care;
Hands strong to smite the sins that men enthrone,
Yet never raised to seek or claim their own:
Dear hands of Christ! and yet men feared them so
That they must bind them as to death they go.
Hands that still break to men the living bread;
Hands full of power to raise again the dead,
Potent and healing, eager to reclaim,
Laid in forgiveness on one bowed in shame;
Say, wouldst thou bind, by pride and unbelief,
Those hands that compass all thy soul’s relief?
Albert Orsborn
195 The Eternal God – God the Son, the Suffering and Death of Jesus
By now, if you’ve read through ORSBORNAGAIN, it will not come as a shock to you that we once again find the General contemplating Jesus, and the day and the way he died. Christ-centric and cross-centric, Orsborn is true to form. In this piece it isn’t the charm of the cross or the shadow of the cross that draws Orsborn’s attention. Rather, through three verses and a chorus, he focuses in on the “sacred hands of Jesus.” Orsborn contemplated the cross of Christ so often and so intently that he was able to poetically place himself at the scene of the crime (first verse, second line), and zoom in on the hands which were pierced for our pardon, scarred to heal us and bound to make us free. The “sacred hands of Jesus” made quite an impression on Orsborn, and why not? These were the hands that blessed children, restored sight to a blind man, healed multitudes, and broke bread with his disciples in the upper room.
And speaking of the disciples, they saw the hands of Jesus most every day for three years. They were there on the day of crucifixion, and saw the “wounded hands of Jesus, stretched upon a tree.” And after it was finished (John 19:30), and Jesus had committed his spirit into the hands of his father (Luke 23:46), the disciples huddled together, wringing their own hands behind locked doors. Jesus appeared to them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he showed them his hands and side, and the disciples were overjoyed (John 20:19-20). The disciples could have written and sung a hymn that night focusing on the sacred hands of Jesus. Maybe they did. Or maybe they sang one that was popular at the time. A week later, Thomas joined in, most likely out-singing the others (John 20:24-29).
My favorite hands in this world are Stacy’s. They are elegant and comforting, and I have been fortunate to hold them since the late 1980s. The ring finger on her left hand is where the symbol of our life-long commitment gets to live. One of the happiest days of my life was the day I asked Stacy for her hand in marriage, and she said “Yes.” A wedding picture in our room focuses in on our hands and our rings. It reminds me of our mutual mission to let our marriage point to the groom who gave his life for his bride (Eph. 5:25).
By dying on the cross and paying the penalty for the sins of the world, Jesus was, in a very real sense, asking for our hand. He committed himself to us, and asks for our commitment to him in return. Jesus takes the hand of those who say, “Yes,” and leads them into a mutual mission of sacrificial service.
In this light, it’s not hard to see that much of what Orsborn describes the “sacred hands of Jesus” doing are the behaviors his bride should be about as well. Our hands should be blessing OTHERS, interceding and pleading mercy on behalf of OTHERS, soothing the “troubled brow” of OTHERS, breaking the living bread for OTHERS, and healing OTHERS. This world needs a whole lot more Christians willing to lay hands of forgiveness on OTHERS who are “bowed in shame.” As Mother Teresa said, “Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.”
I’m so thankful that General Albert William Thomas Orsborn used his hand to pen these 36 songs, most of which speak of the Savior whose hands “compass all thy soul’s relief.” I pray this new look at old songs of new life has been beneficial to you in some small way. If not, toss it out (i.e., recycle). Life is too short and eternity is too long for us to waste our time here on bad books.
Here’s praying that you and I will follow Orsborn’s lead in living Christ-centric and cross-centric lives, and using our gifts, talents, passions and position to edify OTHERS and see greater things!