Tag: desolation

Jesus casts out an unclean spirit from a man in a synagogue – Mark 1: 21 -28 – a new hymn


A man convulsed and crying 

was turning to and fro’, 

but Jesus reached to meet him 

to bid the spirit go.

The language of this story 

sounds foreign, to our speech

yet still our health can test us, 

when faith seems out of reach.



Great God, in Christ you show us 

that love can cast out fear, 

the fear that can assail us,

or those that we hold dear.

In times of desolation, 

or  times of deep  distress. 

mid loneliness bring friendship 

bring love to lift and bless.



If hearts and thoughts are twisted,

when nothing is secure

may ones like Christ stay near us, 

to show that love is sure,

to hold us through disturbance, 

as we will hold them too

when shadows cloud your presence

we’ll see each other through.



Andrew Pratt 20/1/2024

Words © 2024 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.

Metre: 7.6.7.6.D

Tune: CRUGER; PENLAN

A Hymn for the Beginning of Lent – Jesus’ temptation

A Hymn for the beginning of Lent – Jesus’ temptation

Wild wilderness, pathetic desolation, 
as Jesus walked, then rested for the night, 
for forty days his strength was tried and tested, 
for forty days he sifted wrong and right.
	
He woke to hunger tangled in his being, 
what miracle might turn these stones to bread? 
But God within the centre of his spirit
was food enough to keep his body fed. 
	
His faith was such that it could move a mountain 
and God could save him from the greatest fall. 
But faith like this need not be tried or tested;
the love of God will never slip or stall.
	
He climbed the mountain, saw the world in splendour, 
then thought of ruling all his eyes could see; 	
yet power like this was not the thing he needed -
devoid of wealth he'd set the people free. 
	
Beyond temptation love would live incarnate, 
his human flesh would laugh and cry and weep, 
in Christ God's love and grace would not diminish, 
dynamic love would never die nor sleep.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2015 © Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Metre: SM
Metre: 11 10 11 10
Tune: INTERCESSOR