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Every writer needs and editor. 

And every writer thinks Luke 5:30 could easily be changed to read: “And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors, editors and sinners?’” 

I made my living as a writer and mostly as an editor for the better part of 40 years. 

And every Christmas, when I hear people call out their favourite hymns, I wince when people shout Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and slur over the exclamation mark running it together into one phrase. “Hark the herald angels sing.” 

No brother it’s Hark! Hark! Listen! Do you hear that! The herald angels are singing. 

Charles Wesley, the writer of that wonderful hymn, also suffered at the hands of an editor and he wasn’t too happy about it. 

Wesley’s stated goal as a hymn writer was to teach the poor and the illiterate sound biblical doctrine. And truly Hark! The Herald Angels Sing wonderfully captures the essence of the Gospel. 

Hark! the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled: 

Throughout the carol we learn of The Trinity, the reason for the Incarnation, of mercy, forgiveness, reconciliation and salvation. 

But every writer needs an editor. 

In 1739, a year after his conversion to Christ, Wesley was so inspired one wintry morning by the peal of church bells that he penned the poem Hymn for a Christmas Day, which was to eventually become Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. But not until his editor got a hold of it. 

Wesley managed to deliver the incomprehensible opening line: “Hark! how all the welkin rings / Glory to the King of Kings.” 

“Welkin?” It means sky or heaven, but even in 1739, it had largely fallen out of use. But writers are always tempted to show off their broad vocabulary. 

I looked at Laurie, my loving wife, the other day and said, “I appreciate your pulchritude.” She offered me the side-eye until I explained that pulchritude means “grace and beauty.” Another word that is still in the dictionary but has long fallen out of use. 

Wesley’s friend George Whitefield, one of the 18th century’s most famous preachers and evangelists, also wrote a few hymns. It was Whitefield who took Wesley’s poem, immediately red-pencilled “how all the welkin rings” and changed it to “the herald angels sing.” He kept the “Hark!” Whitefield also included the phrase “newborn King.” 

It was originally paired with the tune: Christ the Lord is Risen Today. 

But about a century or so later (and here’s the writer’s angel) a tenor and organist by the name of William Cummings thought he might try singing Hark! The Herald Angels Sing to the second part of Felix Mendelssohn’s cantata Festgesang, which Mendelssohn wrote to celebrate the invention of the printing press. Truly. It was an inspired choice and remains the tune we use today. 

As to the editing of poetry and hymns, John Wesley, Charles’s brother, wrote in the preface of the 1780 collection of Hymns for the Use of People Called Methodists: 

“Many gentlemen have done my brother and me (though without naming us) the honour to reprint many of our hymns. Now they are perfectly welcome to do so, provided they print them just as they are… that we may no longer be accountable either for the nonsense or the doggerel of other men.” 

Yeah, men like tax collectors, editors and sinners. 

But then that’s the point of the song, isn’t it? 

Mild He lays His glory by

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth

Born to give them second birth

Hark! The herald angels sing

“Glory to the newborn King!”

Psalm 73:26 is a verse that I often recite to remind myself what is true. It says, “My heart and my flesh may fail, BUT GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (emphasis mine). 

Until Jesus returns, we are faced with two realities. The first is the presence of sin in our lives and the world around us. Those who put their faith in Jesus, who have repented of their sin and called on His name in faith, are redeemed and justified by the blood of Christ (Eph 1:7-8; Eph 2:8). However, as long as we are in this broken, sin-cursed world, we still sin and are affected by the sin of others.  

Our sin and brokenness point us to the other reality – God! The Bible is God’s Redemption Story. It is the story of God’s continued faithfulness and humanity’s forgetfulness. Throughout the pages of Scripture, we see God continually extending grace and people constantly devising their own plans and chasing after their own “gods.” (aka dreams, goals, or desires). The Bible is the story of God’s redeeming, rescuing and restoring love for sinners like you and me. God doesn’t portray Biblical heroes as perfect but as those who have failed, been forgiven and chosen to surrender to His sovereignty. I feel at home among these broken, bruised and bumbling people who’ve been rescued and redeemed by our loving Saviour!  

When my nephew was a toddler, he underwent chemotherapy treatments. As a result, his little bones were fragile. At one point in that journey, he had a broken leg and a broken arm. During his stay in the hospital with two casts, my sister captured a video of him singing Jesus Loves Me. In his precious little voice, he sang with gusto his rendition. He didn’t get all the words right, but what he sang was spot on! Where the song says, “They are weak, and He is strong,” referring to the little ones who belong to Jesus, my nephew sang, “We are weak guys – He is strong!”  To this day, this is my favourite rendition of Jesus Loves Me. It is what my heart needed then and what my heart needs every day – to be reminded that, yes, I am weak, and that is not bad or disparaging news! No matter how weak I am or how hopeless my situation feels, my God is always strong and fighting for me! His grace is always enough, and His power is clearly, perfectly seen in my weaknesses (2 Cor 12:9). His power and might are never altered. He is The Most High God! He is the Sovereign God who reigns over all people, nations and circumstances!  

Throughout Scripture, we are continually reminded of the reality of living in a broken, sin-cursed world and the reality that our God is with us and for us. As Psalm 73 reminds us, He is the strength of our hearts when our hearts feel emotionally squeezed dry. He is our portion forever. He knows what we need and when we need it.  

David echoes this truth in Psalm 23. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Ps 23:4)! No matter how deep or dark the valley is, we know we are never alone. “He’s a fixed reference point in a world of shifting circumstances.” We rest in the truth that nothing happens to us that is not first filtered through the hands of our loving Saviour. He holds us and guides us through all of life’s ups and downs. Verses 23-25 of Psalm 73 speak to this truth.  

²³ Nevertheless, I am continually with You; 

    You hold my right hand. 

²⁴ You guide me with your counsel, 

    and afterward, You will receive me to glory. 

²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but You? 

    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. 

Two realities – sin and God. We live in hopeful anticipation of the day Jesus, our Sovereign King, returns and makes all things new (Rev 21:5)!  

Growing up in and around Glasgow during my teens, I had to rely on the trains or the buses to get around. British Rail was notorious for being late! In fact, sometimes trains were so late that they were early for the next arrival. Many times, I saw a train arrive at my platform while another train appeared not far behind it waiting at the last signal before the station. And the buses weren’t much better. At the bus stop the Scots knew how to queue and while waiting for a tardy bus, one could learn the life story of a fellow passenger! Then out of nowhere three buses would arrive at the stop. Waiting was often a part of getting anywhere. Nobody likes to have to wait; time is precious. 

In the spiritual realm, we are often called upon to wait. As a pastor I spent many long hours with church members in hospital rooms and chapels while loved ones were going through difficult times. I will not forget one of our senior saints asking me to be with her as her husband passed away, waiting as he took his last breath. There are many reasons why we need to wait, most of which we can’t see at the time but often how thankful we are when we realize that waiting, although difficult, was the best thing for us. 

Waiting, especially on the Lord, is a popular picture throughout the Bible. Especially in the Psalms, the Psalmists use waiting as a spiritual principle. I have picked out three benefits one can find from waiting. 

First, we recognize God’s sovereignty in our lives. 

There is a tendency among God’s people to want to be in control of their own lives, but it is God who has given us life and breath and it is God who provides for our needs. David said “none who wait for you shall be put to shame (Ps. 25:3.)” Throughout the Psalms God will care for His own but at His time. Therefore, we must learn to wait upon Him. 

Secondly, waiting is a rich spiritual discipline. 

Do you take time daily to be quiet before God? Do you take time to read God’s Word and allow it to refresh your soul? There is so much noise in our world today and your smart phone can be contributing to it. Have you watched how so many people of all ages seem to have a cell phone permanently attached to their hand? Noise! “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently (Ps. 37:7). “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him (Ps. 62:5).” 

Thirdly, waiting renews your strength. 

In every athletic pursuit an athlete learns that rest is almost as important as physical exercise because without rest the muscles will not grow properly. Waiting is spiritual rest that helps strengthen you in this spiritual race. Isaiah said, “they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint (Isa. 40:31).” 

Throughout the Scripture waiting upon God is an important spiritual discipline. Even Jesus while in the garden that final time implored his disciples to watch and pray. While we can laugh at having to wait for a bus, waiting on God is a vital spiritual discipline that will strengthen us and bring us joy. 

The church building smelled of drywall compound and new flooring. I had come to meet with a few other pastors in a pastoral development group. When one of us asked for a tour of the new facility, the church’s pastor led us around and told us about the different spaces in the building. 

Arriving in the auditorium, I commented that it seemed a little small, especially when compared to the rest of the large, renovated building. Years later, I still haven’t forgotten this pastor’s response: 

“When it fills up with people, some of us will go out and plant another church.” 

My gut response was, “That’s stupid, why wouldn’t you plan this out better?” Thankfully, I didn’t say this out loud. But a couple heartbeats later, I began to understand. 

It’s not stupid. It’s wise. It’s Kingdom-minded construction. 

I’ve told this story several times over the years to illustrate how we as a church family should grow to think of our church in continuity and relationship with the all-Christians-from-all-times Church. We are part of God’s Kingdom, we aren’t our own little kingdom. 

Recently, I saw the pastor who showed us around his church building and I told him that I’ve been telling this story about him. I even included my unspoken gut response when I re-told him the story. I noticed what I took to be an unsettled look on his face as we parted company and I thought, “Uh oh, I think I hurt my friend’s feelings.” 

Being part of a church family is a wonderful and often difficult thing. We need wise Kingdom-thinking at every level — in the physical construction as well as in our relationships and our conversations. Such conversation requires openness without political maneuvering in which we pursue God’s Kingdom, not our own. But even among Christians who get us at the deepest level, we will notice hurts. Sometimes we notice them in the faces of our friends: in a brief look of concern, a furrowed brow, or avoidance of eye contact. When we notice this, we must apply gospel love. This is who we are in Christ! Because of Jesus, you and I are free to realize together that “my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus — the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” (Acts 20:24, NLT) This looks like Kingdom-minded construction; like Kingdom-minded conversation. 

The highest call of your pastors is to be good shepherds who care for the Good Shepherd’s flock. The highest call of each and every one of us is to breathe, eat, drink, sleep, and live the gospel love of Jesus without being diverted. This kind of full-body and full-soul gospel-contact is how we grow! This often looks like Kingdom-minded conversation. 

I had noticed an unsettled look on my friend’s face when we last parted company. So when I saw him again a few weeks later, I broached the subject. I asked specifically about the unsettled look I’d noticed and apologized if I had hurt him. 

He smiled and assured me that the look was because he was trying to remember the conversation for himself. He was not hurt at all. We shared a warm handshake, open smiles, and comfortable eye contact. 

This is Kingdom-minded conversation. Not every story ends so simply, but we are all called to live such gospel moments together. 

Central, we are part of God’s Church, “which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28) Will a troubled look, a furrowed brow, or hesitant eye contact keep us apart? If you notice something, will you ask about it? Someone did this for me on Sunday and the blessing of that conversation is still reverberating in me. 

Noticing hurt is a moment of grace. Pursuing restoration is Kingdom-minded work. Let’s engage in Kingdom-minded conversation that changes the Church forever.