The Third Verse

If the hymn writers of old found out that the third verse of every hymn would never be sung, they would probably have counted them 1,2,4, and 5.  How many thousands of times have we sung hymns at church only to omit the third verse?  How we got there I do not have a clue.  But, we did.  And, so today while listening to a very familiar hymn, I was literally blown away by a powerful third verse.  It was from that song, "It is Well"  and the verse never sung has these words, "My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!  My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!  It is well...."    

It is such a powerful witnes by the writer of the hymn.  And it is such a powerful word about what God has done for us through the cross.  While the church often seems to be moving toward a theology without a cross, it will always stand as God's answer and solution to the reality of sin in our lives.  Of course, the church also seems to have a problem talking about sin as well which makes for a theology so watered down that it is mostly a feel good theology instead of one based on the sacred word that is inspired by God.  (II Timothy 3:16)   

The obscure third verse says what is true well.  God created a plan for dealing with my sin and your sin, not just part of it, but all of it.  Jesus' death on the cross is that atoning sacrifice that changes the trajectory of the human experience.  No longer are we destined for life separate from all that is holy, but we are in fact set on a path that will carry us to the Home which is even now being prepared for us in the heavenly place.  Praise the Lord, O my soul!