1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 51-58
Oh death, where is the bitter sting
You boasted all those years?
And grave, where is the victory
You threatened to our fears?
The sting of death was bound in sin,
And sin drew strength from law;
By seeming inescapable
They held the world in awe.
But thanks to God through Jesus Christ
The victory is ours –
He died and rose to crush the grave
With sin and all its powers
If we receive His work of grace
Then, at the trumpet blast,
We too, made incorruptible,
Shall rise to life at last.
So let us live in hope, unmoved,
And busy for the Lord,
For soon we’ll rise victorious
To find a great reward.
Christina Joy Hommes
A Stone of Purest White
Revelation 2:17
I’ll stand before God’s holy throne
And meet my Judge someday;
I have no fear because in Christ
I know just what He’ll say.
He’ll give a stone of purest white
Which He has promised me;
It shows the verdict – innocent –
And serves as heaven’s key.
And in that stone a precious name,
For I will be His own;
The Lord will claim me on that day
I stand before His throne.
Christina Joy Hommes
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” Revelation 2:17
He Faced the Cross for Me
He took my sin and faced the cross
Then counted gain what first was loss;
He saw the joy that pain obscured,
And endless life through death secured.
Though He was rich, He came here poor,
The God that sinners would ignore;
Though He was great, He served the least
And through His death, death’s chains released.
He rose again though He had died,
Though once made low was magnified;
The Lamb once slain now lives above
And reigns supreme the Lord of love.
He offers life instead of death,
Gives purpose for each fleeting breath;
Through serving Him He sets us free
To gain a prize we cannot see.
Amazing love! Amazing grace!
That God Himself would take my place;
He died to give His life to me –
I’ll praise Him through eternity.
Christina Joy Hommes
The Things That Last
When I have passed the golden strand
And see my precious Savior’s face,
When He has led me by the hand
Into that bright and glorious place,
When all the toil of life is past
And earth recedes beyond my view,
The only things which then will last
Are those which for Christ’s sake I do.
The things I had, the wealth amassed,
Prestige, position all will fade,
And when these things of life are passed
What will be left that’s undecayed?
The words of cheer and comfort said,
The deeds of kindness gently done,
The erring one to safety led,
The battles fought, the brother won.
These will outlast the holy flame
Which will devour earth’s vanity,
Those things I did to praise His Name
Will last through all eternity.
So in this moment, through this day,
I am resolved to fix my eye
On heaven’s home where I will lay
My treasures safe beyond the sky.
Christina Joy Hommes
I Want to Say…
When I have reached my final days
Of mortal life below,
Just at the crossing of the ways
Before I finally go
I want to say, “I fought the fight,
I finished out the course,
I ran the race with grace and might,
I go with no remorse.
“I kept my eye firm on the prize
And on the King of kings,
The pain of life did I despise
In light of coming things.
“Now I await the precious call,
The summons He will send,
To bid me to His heavenly hall
Towards which I will ascend.
“Where I will hear Him say, ‘Well done!’
And see His precious smile,
Because He fought for me and won –
He stood through every trial.”
So I will run and work and fight,
I’ll toil and strive and pray,
With joy I’ll choose what God calls right
Until that glorious day.
Christina Joy Hommes
In Jesus’ Arms
I’m resting now in Jesus’ arms
Above the starry sky;
Here I’m beyond all earth’s alarms –
I’ll never learn to cry.
He came and gently took me home
To be with Him above;
He whispered sweetly, “Child, Shalom,”
And told me of His love.
I hear Him speak of wondrous things,
I sing about His grace,
I’m daily with the King of kings,
And see His smiling face.
If I could comfort you, I would
For there is comfort here,
But Jesus is so kind and good
He’ll wipe your falling tear.
Christina Joy Hommes
Written for friends who lost their infant grandchild.
