Pulling Spines

My daughter and I flew on the big jet down to Phoenix to spend time with my mom and step dad. It was a fun time hanging out and chowing down.

Paige and I went on a run through the desert. Midway through the run we stopped to climb a small mountain, which we named Barrel Pass Mountain in honor of the lovely little “pass” between two parts of the mountain that had four barrel cacti in a row. We saw a couple of mule deer on the mountain, quail, and some cottontails. Towards the top we did a little minor rock climbing, to be rewarded by a beautiful view of the Valley of the Sun. I only managed to acquire one cactus spine in my leg on the way down. Sort of weird to see your skin lift up when you pull on the spine.

Alas, it was a short stay, and we were back at the airport awaiting our flight back, covering several states and a forty degree temperature drop. Paige was humming a Christian tune while we were waiting. What was it? “Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord” or “Glorify Your Name?” Although Paige has had ample exposure to contemporary Christian songs, including praise songs all the way through elementary school at Concordia and a two-year stint in an LCMS CGM church, she still seems to gravitate to the more doctrinal hymns. She was humming the reformation era hymn “Salvation Unto Us Has Come” by Paul Speratus, which is one of my favorites. This is a wonderful hymn that catechizes Law and Gospel, punctuated with a Trinitarian finale.

I’m thrilled to hear her humming that tune, because the lyrics bespeak a faith in the promises of the Gospel: “Baptized into Your precious name, My faith cannot be put to shame, And I shall never perish.”

Here’s the whole hymn, page 555 in the Lutheran Service Book:

Salvation unto us has come
By God’s free grace and favor;
Good works cannot avert our doom,
They help and save us never.
Faith looks to Jesus Christ alone,
Who did for all the world atone;
He is our one Redeemer.

What God did in His Law demand
And none to Him could render
Caused wrath and woe on ev’ry hand
For man, the vile offender.
Our flesh has not those pure desires
The spirit of the Law requires,
And lost is our condition.

It was a false, misleading dream
That God His Law had given
That sinners could themselves redeem
And by their works gain heaven.
The Law is but a mirror bright
To bring the inbred sin to light
That lurks within our nature.

From sin our flesh could not abstain,
Sin held its sway unceasing;
The task was useless and in vain,
Our guilt was e’er increasing.
None can remove sin’s poisoned dart
Or purify our guileful heart—
So deep is our corruption.

Yet as the Law must be fulfilled
Or we must die despairing,
Christ came and has God’s anger stilled,
Our human nature sharing.
He has for us the Law obeyed
And thus the Father’s vengeance stayed
Which over us impended.

Since Christ has full atonement made
And brought to us salvation,
Each Christian therefore may be glad
And build on this foundation.
Your grace alone, dear Lord, I plead,
Your death is now my life indeed,
For You have paid my ransom.

Let me not doubt, but truly see
Your Word cannot be broken;
Your call rings out, “Come unto Me!”
No falsehood have You spoken.
Baptized into Your precious name,
My faith cannot be put to shame,
And I shall never perish.

The Law reveals the guilt of sin
And makes us conscience-stricken;
But then the Gospel enters in
The sinful soul to quicken.
Come to the cross, trust Christ, and live;
The Law no peace can ever give,
No comfort and no blessing.

Faith clings to Jesus’ cross alone
And rests in Him unceasing;
And by its fruits true faith is known,
With love and hope increasing.
For faith alone can justify;
Works serve our neighbor and supply
The proof that faith is living.

All blessing, honor, thanks, and praise
To Father, Son, and Spirit,
The God who saved us by His grace;
All glory to His merit.
O triune God in heav’n above,
You have revealed Your saving love;
Your blessed name we hallow.


photo credit: neepster