RISE UP, O MEN OF GOD

Amazing Grace

William P. Merrill, 1867–1954

… that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. (Philippians 1:27, 28)

Our world is filled with much physical and social suffering. Often we prefer to close our eyes to these painful situations that are all around us. It is much more comfortable to associate only with those who live as we do. This kind of attitude within the church will turn any body of believers into nothing more than a religious club.

If we want to represent our Lord with integrity, we must not compartmentalize the church’s mission. Soul winning and social responsibility are woven intrinsically together and constitute an inherent part of the ministry. A starving person needs both his stomach as well as his soul cared for. Christ’s earthly ministry is a prime model of an ideal balance of caring for body as well as the soul of needy individuals.

The author of this call-to-action text, William Pierson Merrill, was a Presbyterian minister. He served churches in Philadelphia and Chicago, and he pastored the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York until his retirement in 1938. Merrill wrote “Rise Up, O Men of God!” especially for the brotherhood movement within the Presbyterian churches in 1911. Merrill was also a prolific writer of hymn texts and theological books.

An important secret of individual happiness is to be employed continually in doing something of value, to be “done with lesser things,” to be totally involved in serving “the King of kings.” And even the cup of water given in Christ’s name will not go unrewarded (Matthew 10:42).

Rise up, O men of God! Have done with lesser things; give heart and mind and soul and strength to serve the King of kings.

Rise up, O men of God! His kingdom tarries long. Bring in the day of brotherhood and end the night of wrong.

Rise up, O men of God! The Church for you doth wait, her strength unequal to her task; rise up, and make her great!

Lift high the cross of Christ! Tread where His feet have trod. As brothers of the Son of man, rise up, O men of God!

Determine by word and example to be a challenge to the members of your church by being more aggressively involved in an outreach ministry to your community. Reflect again on this musical truth—

For Today: Deuteronomy 11:13–32; John 12:26; Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Ephesians 6:7

Osbeck, K. W.

• If ye shall hearken therefore unto my commandments, which I command you this day, that ye love the Lord thy God and serve him with all your heart, and with all your soul, I also will give rain unto your land in due time, the first rain and the latter, that thou mayest gather in thy wheat, and thy wine, and thine oil. Also I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat, and have enough. But beware lest your heart deceive you, and lest ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them. And so the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain and that your land yield not her fruit, and ye perish quickly from the good land, which the Lord giveth you. Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bine them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as a frontlet between your eyes, And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house, and upon thy gates, That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth. For if ye keep diligently all these Commandments which I command you to do: that is, to love the Lord your God: to walk n all his ways, and to cleave unto him, Then will the Lord cast out all these nations before you, and ye shall possess great nations and mightier than yuo. All the places whereon the soles of your feet shall tread, shall be yours: your coast shall be from the wilderness and from Lebanon, and from the River even the river Perath, unto the uttermost Sea. No man shall stand against you: for the Lord your God shall cast the fear and dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upoon, as he hath said unto you. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: The blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: And the curse, if ye will not obey the Commandments of the Lord your God, but turn out of the way, which I command you this day, to go after other gods which ye have not known. When the Lord thy God therefore hath brought thee into the land, whither thou goest to possess it, then thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal. Are they not beyond Jordan on that part, where the Sun goeth down in the land of the Canaanites, whichdwell in the plain over against Gilgal, beside the grove oof Moreh? For ye shall pass over Jordan, to go in to possess that land which the Lord your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein. Take heed therefore that ye do all the commandments and the laws, which I set before you this day. Deuteronomy 11:13–32
• If any man serve me, let him follow me: for where I am, there shall my servant be: and if any man serve me, him will my father honor. John 12:26
• Take heed therefore unto yurselves, and to all the flock, whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with that his own blood. Acts 20:28
• Watch ye: stand fast in the faith: quit you like men, and be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13
• With good will, serving the Lord, and not men. Ephesians 6:7