When the roll is called up yonder

“In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’ ” ²Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, ³and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a ^[a]loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. ⁴And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, ⁵“Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. ⁶I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.” ’ ⁷And this is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing which He has spoken: ⁸Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.” So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down.” Isaiah 38:1-8 NKJV

Lord God,

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed. He did not want to die. I knew a man of God who prayed daily facing a wall. He found it concentrated his thoughts, stopped distractions and was symbolic of God being the only way forward. Hezekiah knew no-one but You, God is the Lord of life.

The Lord does not warn all of us to put our house and the time of our death. He certainly as far as I know does not grant us knowledge of how much longer we have. And the sun going backward? We may never understand how that worked. It was a miracle and by their nature they cannot be explained.

Hezekiah could not rejoice that he was going home as he was part of the Old Testament covenant. But still how wonderful, how merciful to have extra years. He was assured that even time was in Your hand, Almighty God. You placed this historical record, maybe not for us to understand but to marvel and wonder that You were Hezekiah’s God and You are ours.

Perhaps we would prefer not to know when we will die? We would all probably like to ask for a few more years . . . Lord you are still the same as You were – but we can know You more intimately through Jesus. And one day we will see You face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). Help us to look for miracles and know that You grant life now and life everlasting.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 2nd August 2025

When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Refrain:
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of his resurrection share;
When his chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. [Refrain]

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun;
Let us talk of all his wondrous love and care.
Then when all of life is over and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. [Refrain]

Lyrics: James M Black.

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁴“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. ²⁵You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.’ ”” Leviticus 23:23-25

Lord God and Our Father,

There is very little explanation about this festival of trumpets. It is to be a day of rest and a holy convocation. A formal gathering and a memorial by the blowing of trumpets.

A memorial and trumpets. Not brass like we would picture but maybe ram’s horns? They had been very important to the children of Israel. They were used to give direction when they were in the wilderness. When to move and when leaders were to gather (Numbers 10). They were used in battle, and helped to bring the walls of Jericho down so the city could be taken (Joshua 6).

It was also just ten days before the day of Atonement. Perhaps it would wake them to the importance of the approaching Holiest of Holy times, when Aaron could enter the Holy of Holies. Once a year and to give burnt offerings. They were totally burned up representing giving themselves fully to God. And to remember one day there would be a day of judgement.

Perhaps we too need times when we are awakened to remember that now is not forever. We must not slip into comfortable Christianity. And the only way to escape judgement is in Jesus. Perhaps blowing a trumpet is not the best way to get my friends attention to the gospel but if I am awake I can hear You telling me how.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Friday 28th February 2025
A hymn to be sung with verve?
A reminder of what inspired this hymn is below under the lyrics.

When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of his resurrection share;
When his chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,
Let us talk of all his wondrous love and care;
Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Followed by verses of other well known hymns . . .

Lyrics: James Milton Black

James M. Black was a young Sunday school teacher. One day he met Bessie, 14 poorly clothed and the child of a drunkard. He invited her to attend Sunday school. One evening she failed to respond to the roll call. It brought the thought to Black’s mind how very sad if our names were called in heaven and we were absent. Although not biblically sound, he prayed, “Oh, God, when my name is called up yonder, may I be there to respond!”

He longed for something suitable to sing, but there was nothing. On the way home, he thought, “Why don’t you write such a song?” He tried to dismiss the idea, but reaching home, all of a sudden the first stanza came in full. He went to the piano and played the music just as it is today — note for note.