Friday, September 15, 2023

Saturday prior to Proper 19

 


The hymn of the day, I Lay My Sins on Jesus (LSB #606), is a hymn of great comfort, as we sing of our confession of all our sins—laying them on Jesus—and also as we sing of our absolution, our forgiveness—He bears them all and frees us from the accursed load. What a relief our forgiveness in Christ is! What Good News that God forgives us for Jesus’ sake and receives us into His kingdom.

This hymn was originally written by Horatius Bonar, who has been called the prince of the Scottish hymn writers. In it we are reminded of how God invites us to bring our sins to Jesus not just initially when we come to Christ for justification, but repeatedly as we continue to become trapped in the guilt and shame of our remaining sin. This hymn explores why we can bring our sins to Jesus, giving us peaceful trust that He is willing, able, and ready to forgive and restore sweet communion with Himself to us when we ask.

Horatius Bonar was born at Edinburgh, in 1808. His education was obtained at the High School, and the University of his native city. He was ordained to the ministry, in 1837, and since then was pastor at Kelso. In 1843, he joined the Free Church of Scotland. His reputation as a religious writer was first gained on the publication of the "Kelso Tracts," of which he was the author. He has also written many other prose works, some of which have had a very large circulation. Nor is he less favorably known as a religious poet and hymn-writer. The three series of "Hymns of Faith and Hope," have passed through several editions. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872[1]



[1] https://hymnary.org/text/i_lay_my_sins_on_jesus

[2] Luther's Seal (c) copyright Ed Riojas, Higher Things 

 


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