These texts are to be found in Shrewsbury, above the porch of 9, St. Alkmond's Square. I learned, asking permission to photograph the porch, that this was added to the Tudor house in 1866 by a temperence worker. The longer ones are on the three sides of the porch, while the short is immediately above the door. It was this which caught my attention first.
RTF file version TOP 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
1.
Luke 24:28-31
28 And they drew nigh unto the
village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone
further.
29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for
it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry
with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and
blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of
their sight.
This is the prayer of the man of God (or woman). This is the prayer of the one seeking to know God better, or seeking Him for the first time. This is the prayer of the one who knows that only in the presence of God is there any true blessing in this world.
I have included the four verses of Luke 24 to give the context. It is, of course, the Emmaus road on that first Easter Sunday evening. The disciples did not yet recognise the Risen Lord Jesus. They were offering hospitality to this stranger according to the custom, almost a sacred duty of the devout Jew.
The Lord, having explained the scriptures to them, was revealed in the breaking of the bread, and the blessing before He gave it to them. Was it the Old Covenant, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord of heaven and earth, ... . Or was it the New, "This is my body, broken for you." We do not know.
O that our Lord would both come to us and abide with us. The word for "abide" is the Greek menw , meno, whose shades of meaning include to dwell, to remain, to stay.
In the last supper discourse (John 13 to 16), our Lord talked about the branches abiding in the vine, so that they might be fruitful. He also talked about the many dwelling places (mansions, A.V.) in the Father’s house. The word is a noun form of this same root, dwell, remain, abide.
There is also the promise of the Holy Spirit, the other Comforter of the same nature as Jesus. He was to be given to the disciples, of all ages, to dwell with them for ever. John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
This is also an Old Testament idea. For example, Moses prayed, "If Thy presence does not go with us, do not carry us onward from here."
Ps 15:1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
Ps 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
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2.
This text is a direct quote from Psalm 4 v.6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
I first thought of the blessing in Numbers 6:22-27
22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall
bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give
thee peace.
27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will
bless them.
It is profitable also to look at some of the other refernces to the word countenance, especially in the Psalms.
Ps 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
Ps 11:7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.
Ps 21:6 For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.
Ps 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
Ps 42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Ps 43:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Ps 44:3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
Ps 80:16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
Ps 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
Ps 90:8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
Song 2:14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
Song 5:15 His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
Matt 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Matt 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
Luke 9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
Acts 2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
2 Cor 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
This is by no means all the references to countenance, but it is a selection which I find a blessing to read as we see what God’s countenance is to us. It illuminates the phrase, "the light of thy countenance."
The countenance, the face of God turned towards us as a sign of His favour, is indeed a channel of blessing. It is also the face of the God who responds to our prayer, "Abide with us."
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3.
Ps 17:4-5 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Ps 17:5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
Ps 25:4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
Ps 25:10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Ps 65:11 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.
Isa 3:12 As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
The prayer of the verse from which the inscription is taken is a prayer that the whole of life be lived in the way of God. We may consider in this context the picture of the Way of Holiness portrayed in Isaiah 35:8-10
8 And an highway shall be there,
and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall
not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though
fools, shall not err therein.
9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it
shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs
and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
There is also, however, the reminder in Isaiah 3 of the opposition to the ways of God. There have been and will continue to be those who adamantly oppose anything to do with God. That is, standards of righteousness which reflect the character of God and expose sin; reminders of the very existence of God; warnings of our accountability to God; anything which disturbs the comfortable accommodation which the soul makes with the demands of the Gospel of salvation through faith in Christ Crucified alone. While the words of Isaiah 3:12 imply political anarchy, the message encompasses many things which oppose the will of God.
There is still the need, in the words that our Lord taught us, to pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
Psalms 17 and 25 also speak of the depedence of the believer on God. Without His help, we can not know the paths of God. With His help, our experience is of Psalm 23:3, "He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."
There is also Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
There is also a reference in Proverbs 3:6, not to God’s paths, but the path of the believer.
Prov 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
As with the word countenance, it is profitable to study the references to path and paths. We see something of the way of life; there are parallels in the phrase "The Way" for Christianity in the book of Acts, and "walk" for how a life is lived. Space does not allow me to list them all here.
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4.
We have seen in these verses themes of abiding, us with and in God and God with and in us.
We have seen the blessing of the presence of God, his face towards us as a sign of favour.
We have seen something of the desire to walk in the ways of God.
We now come, fourthly, to the sovereignty of God.
Matt 6:9-13
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For
thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
I have quoted here the whole of the prayer, so that the text may be put in context.
But to continue our theme, a life which knows God abiding with the believer; a life which is blessed by the light of God’s countenance; a life lived walking in the ways of God; and a life acknowledging the sovereignty and power (authority) of God, is also a life which declares the glory of God.
This is a life which will honour God and seek to praise God in everything.
The conclusion of this section has to be, "Humbly at Thy feet I bow". In all things we recognise the sovereign right of God to rule and direct our lives to His glory, not ours. "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."
It is the same sentiment as in the Methodist Covenant
Service, the prayer of the Covenant,
"I am no longer my own, but Thine. Put me to what Thou wilt, rank me
with whom Thou wilt; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be
employed for Thee or laid aside for Thee, exalted for Thee or brought low
for Thee; let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me
have nothing; I freely and heartily yield all things to Thy pleasure and
disposal.
And now, O glorious and blesed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Thou art
mine, and I am Thine. So be it. And the Covenant which I have made on
earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen."
R J Higginson, copyright July 2000
Additional Bible references for further study
6. Paths
(Note that way or ways is often linked with path or paths, especially through the poetry.)
Isa 3:12 As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
Isa 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
Isa 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
Isa 59:7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
Isa 59:8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
Jer 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
Jer 18:15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
Lam 3:9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
Hosea 2:6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.
Micah 4:2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Matt 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Mark 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Luke 3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
7. Path
Gen 49:17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
Num 22:24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
Job 28:7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:
Job 30:13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.
Job 41:32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
Ps 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Ps 27:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
Ps 77:19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.
Ps 119:35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Ps 139:3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
Ps 142:3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
Prov 1:15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
Prov 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
Prov 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Prov 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Prov 4:26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Prov 5:6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.
Isa 26:7 The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.
Isa 30:11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
Isa 40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
Isa 43:16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;
Joel 2:8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.
Possible hymns (for the help of preachers; some hymns from the Methodist Hymn Book, Mission Praise, and from Songs and Hymns of Fellowship)
MHB 424 O bless the Lord, my soul (Mt Ephraim)
MHB 91 or MP13 All hail the power of Jesu's name
SF9 or MHB 85 or MP93 Come, let us join our cheerful songs
SF 70 MHB 34 or MP327 Immortal, invisible, God only wise
SF 234 or MHB 36 or MP237 Holy, Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty
Other
SF 183 The King of Love is my delight
SF 1025 Here is love vast as the ocean
SF 168 My Jesus, my saviour
SF 935 or MP45 At your feet we fall
MP 583 or SF 34 Safe in the shadow of the Lord (By Bishop T. Dudley-Smith; a hymn well suited to our theme.)