The news about Voyager 1 passing Ultima Thule is fascinating. It’s beyond my capacity to understand the “how” of operating such an aircraft to pass precisely that point. I recall a hymn that might be familiar to some, it has ‘earth’ in its title, first word: Earth, Rejoice, our Lord is King!.
The words in this hymn are probably rather ancient, or at least the style, e.g. “sing ye in triumphant strains” which probably means something – you people sing about the Lord’s superlative triumphant, or the sing about it superlatively…
The hymn speaks of comfort, God is comfort, and provides comfort to us. The hymn speaks about extremism, he provides comfort to us because we are in danger.
Have a look at the lyrics of this hymn. It’s also easy to find out who wrote it. It seems, though, something is missing, probably a deliberate act – what seems to be missing is our call to God for help, pleading to him, giving reasons to justify we are in danger, and He must come and rescue us. Maybe the point is that God already knows before you ask, he is already saving –
Even though those who are against us spread lies about us, God is with us, we cannot fear.
Power and authority is with Jesus over the world and the planets, everything bows down and trembles, but as the one who saves us, we don’t run away, we praise Him! He saves us!
All the mountains flamed in fire, circling us like hell, but God sends Jesus who wins over all powers. The result? He wants us to take our seats next to Jesus in heaven.
I might pass Ultima Thule on the way to heaven.
Given the feeling in the words, it’s no surprise the instruction to sing is with “tumult” which means loud, somewhat noisy, where you really want more to sing it all out than be extremely courteous to the others singing next to you.
- Meditate on meaning of “triumphant strains”.
The tune I am familiar with for this song is St George’s Windsor. However, from what I know this hymn is usually sung with the tune Ephraim. I’d rather not say which one I prefer since I will be bias. However, both tunes don’t quite go far enough of the danger, roar, and elation of being saved that is in the words.
Will earth rejoice that the Lord is King? Wait, we probably should discuss the -isms that we don’t share and cannot agree on, including extremism in the text, in our world. Yes, also discuss outside of church. Or maybe we should discuss this altogether from the start.
Viewing from Ultima Thule, we probably should change course. That Babel Tower, whether real or fiction, didn’t get much out to reach Ultima Thule, or earth’s moon. Surely we are not isming in Babeling manner. Maybe what is out there is constant, the more we find, no new knowledge we will find. Same old, maybe different sizes, shapes.
Pardon me if I am too loud or step on your toes.
Earth, Rejoice, our Lord is King!
