Romans 7:14-24

Nancy Cowchok, who sings in The Bloom Consort, and the Calvin 500 Ensemble, the University of Delaware's Schola Cantorum, here at a relaxed moment. Nancy sang Karen Green's alternatingly lilting and terrifying and limping waltz "A Lovely Day." You have to hear it to get the sliding and twisting effect of the soul's struggle with remaining sin, but here is Karen's (copyright) text:

A lovely day, sun was bright. I smiled to myself, things were all right.

Life was at peace, but soon there would be war, for sin was crouching at my door.

And its desire was for me. I turned quickly, horrible to see.

As I took a startled breath, his goal for me was death.

But one more look, makes good sense, just a touch experience.

Know I should run away, but only one time, will I really have to pay?

And then he held out his hands. He crouched no more, wanted just one dance.

"Let's do a waltz." Should have known, so tall, so strong . . . How could it be so wrong?

As long as I'm in control nothing from him can infect my soul.

I'll take the lead. He's so calm, so tame, so staid. Why should I be afraid?

"Thank you sir, I've had enough. We'll rest awhile, your waltz is tough."

Catch my breath, then we can try to dance again. Until that time I'll say, "Good-bye," so . . . Please, please let me go. Your arms seem to grow.

Imprisoned by my sin, torn by war within, who will rescue me? How will I be saved?

Sometimes I try to fight. I have the wish to do what is right.

But I give up. It is just a losing war; he's got me all the more.

Body fights with my mind, there's no peace that I can find.

In my weak and dying heart the law of sin is slowly tearing me apart so . . .

Please, please let me go.
Your arms seems to grow.

Imprisoned by my sin, torn by war within, who will rescue me?

How will I be saved?

Of course, Karen follows this with the brass declaring the freedom we have in our justification and our process of being sanctified with "Thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. There is no condemnation no for those who are in Jesus Christ! Because through Him the law of the spirit of life has set me free. Jesus Christ our Lord has set me free from the law of sin and death. Jesus Christ, our Lord!" (Romans 7:25; 8:1-2)

As someone has written (not Karen, this time), "Sin always takes us further than we want to go, it keeps us longer than we want to stay, and it always costs much more than we want to pay."

Another shot of the Emmanuel Presbyterian rehearsal. I am, as in all of the photos, a blur.

Rom'n in Pennsylvania

What a week. Deb and I left Tuesday to come down to Horsham, Pennsylvania, that I might conduct two performances of Karen Green's Romans oratorio, one in Wilmington, Delaware, and tonight's in Hatboro at the Trinity Orthodox Presbyterian Church. The Keystone Youth Choir was the bulk of the choral group with members of the choirs of Trinity and Emmanuel OPC. So many things that I will have to post about this in several days worth. From professional and godly soloists (yes, that is not only possible but wonderfully true) to all of us amateurs both performances were filled with remarkable stories and examples of God's grace. Wonderful, amazing singing and, as well, playing from the gifted instrumentalists, many new to Karen's piece. Here's a picture of much of the group from the Sunday night performance. Karen is to the far right side of the picture at the piano. Next left in the photo are Branch Fields (http://www.robert-gilder.com/ArtistDetail.aspx?artist_id=2069&category_id=1002&location_id=3001) and Michelle Jennings (http://www.michelle-jennings.com/). Nancy Cowchok, the other soloist is next to the left. In yellow is Esther Jane Kulp, extraodinary director of the Keystone Youth Choir.


The whole group in pre-performance rehearsal in Wilmington.


A candid shot of Branch and Michelle singing "Enemies."

Standing on the Promises

I am continually struck that those who so despair of Pastor Calvin have simply never read his commentaries. One of my favorite devotionals is one from DayOne that is a collection of the writings, mostly from his commentaries (the following one from his commentary on Matthew, Mark, and Luke) pulled together by Joel Beeke, who is speaking at the Bolton Conference this year. I find Calvin's thoughtful and careful study of the text an important reminder that we stand on the shoulders of other believers, like Mary, when we by faith take hold of God's promises and see how they do not depend on people but on Him. I am also continually struck with how immediately something written in the 1500's about something written in the first century AD is relevant to my day by day walk. The following bears, I think, much reflection.

And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. Luke 1:45

The truth of God does not depend on the will of men. God always remains true to his promises even if the whole world of unbelievers and liars attempts to ruin his veracity. Yet, as unbelievers are unworthy to obtain the fruit of the promises, so Scripture teaches us that by faith alone these promises are powerful for our salvation.

God offers his benefits indiscriminately to all, and faith opens its bosom to receive them, while unbelief allows them to pass out of reach. If there was any unbelief in Mary, that could not have prevented God from accomplishing his work in another way that he chose. But Mary is called “blessed” because she received by faith the blessing offered to her. Faith opened up the way to God for its accomplishment. Unbelief, on the other hand, shuts the gate and restrains God’s hand from working that they who refuse the praise due to [faith’s] power may not feel [faith’s] saving effect.

We must observe also the relationship between the Word and faith. For we learn that, in the act of believing, we give assent to God, who speaks to us and holds for certain what he has promised that he will do for us. From the Lord has the same meaning as the common expression “on the part of God,” for the promise brought by the angel proceeded from God alone. Hence we see that whether God uses the efforts of angels or of men, he wishes equal honor to be paid to his Word as if he were visibly descended from heaven.

Commentary on Matthew, Mark, and Luke by John Calvin