Our Saviour, Thou that Wearest A Crown
A few months ago, for ward conference, the meeting was about keeping the Sabbath day holy. What does it mean, and how can we make it what it truly is, not just a day of the weekend, but a day of worship? It was mentioned that we do not often think of attending our Sunday meetings as worship — but this is what it is. We are going there to worship the Lord and renew our covenants. What is our frame of mind when we attend? Do we really appreciate the symbol of the sacrament table, and the sacrament?
D&C 19:16-18 states:
16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit-and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink.
I noticed the word shrink in a new light, and it moved me so deeply that I can’t believe that I never noticed it before. The Savior became so real and so personal to me at that moment! I realized He had been afraid that He would not be able to do what He needed to do. He had been afraid he would fail in the important task. How many of feel that we fail or can not measure up to expectations? The fact is, Heavenly Father trusts us, and knows that if we do all we can, we will not fail in our tasks. If his Son, the only perfect Being to live on the Earth, felt that He could fail, then imagine how much easier it is for us to have those emotions. I knew He had felt the way we do in so many things, but this word shrink made my soul cry for the Savior in a manner that it never had before. To think of His great love for us, that He was afraid that he would not be able to do it!
This has increased my desire to be more reverent for the sacrament. I want to maintain more reverence for Sabbath Day activities. I want to pay more attention to my scriptures, and have more fervent and humble prayers. Oh, how my soul sang that day for the love of Christ, and all that He has done! What a marvelous day the Sabbath is, to remember Him, and strive to be more like Him through the week, to be prepared once again to worship on His day!
O Savior, Thou Who Wearest a Crown
O Savior, thou who wearest
A crown of piercing thorn,
The pain thou meekly bearest,
Weighd down by grief and scorn.
The soldiers mock and flail thee;
For drink they give thee gall;
Upon the cross they nail thee to die,
O King of all.
No creature is so lowly,
No sinner so depraved,
But feels thy presence holy
And thru thy love is saved.
Tho craven friends betray thee,
They feel thy loves embrace;
The very foes who slay thee
Have access to thy grace.
Thy sacrifice transcended
The mortal laws demand;
Thy mercy is extended
To evry time and land.
No more can Satan harm us,
Tho long the fight may be,
Nor fear of death alarm us;
We live, O Lord, thru thee.
What praises can we offer
To thank thee,
Lord most high?
In our place thou didst suffer;
In our place thou didst die,
By heavens plan appointed,
To ransom us, our King.
O Jesus, the anointed,
To thee our love we bring!
Text: Karen Lynn Davidson, b. 1943. © 1985 IRI
Music: Hans Leo Hassler, adapted by J. S. Bach
Scripture references:
2 Nephi 2:6-9
Matthew 27:26, 31, 34-35
July 5th, 2006 10:55
I substitute the pronoun “I” as I say my sacrament prayer, in my head. Sometimes that helps.
July 5th, 2006 15:29
I appreciate any insights to help me make the sacrament more meaningful and worshipful. Thanks for this post, Tanya!
July 8th, 2006 20:32
Anne, I agree making things more personal really helps. I know I often read the sacrament hymns to help me at that moment.
Michele, I love things that add insights to things that I need learn.
July 8th, 2006 23:57
Hey, Tanya, you got me in the mode of thinking more about the sacrament. I read 1 Cor. 10:16-17 the other night. It made me think about how the sacrament ties us together as the body of Christ. Hard to capture my thoughts, but it gave me another aspect of the sacrament to think about — this concept of unity as a body of saints.
July 9th, 2006 07:01
I truly appreciate your thoughts on the sabbath and the sacrament. I know all of you who read and comment here know how easy it is to be distracted by our children, our callings, even the announcements. I think church is too often something that I just do. Though I know I don’t go just for social,(I’ve moved and had to start over enough times to learn that) but I need reminders that I am there to worship. And that sunday can be something other than a really long day!(read, non napping small children)
Thanks for the reminder, that I can once again put a little more into my sabbath and sacrament.
July 10th, 2006 15:24
Michele, I just read your scripture there, it really is something to think about!
Paul seems to pull that line of thought many times.
Karen, I think we all need that reminder. I’m so glad that our stake finally switched to having sacrament meeting first, the reverence factor increased dramatically by doing that.