Will the Circle be Unbroken...the Wayfarer

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Will the Circle be Unbroken

Luke 14:25-27 King James Version (KJV)

²⁵ And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

²⁶ If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

²⁷ And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

One of the most popular songs in the lexicon of gospel, bluegrass, country, and other styles of music, truly a “crossover” that defies classification, sung in churches, performed in concerts throughout the years of my life, and continues In popularity with many despite the changes to all those musical venues is the song used as a title for today’s dissertation.

It is both sad, and comforting; wistful, and wish fulfilling; to the minds of those who have experienced loss of loved ones, those expecting the coming loss of those loved ones, and those acute enough to recognize the limits of humanity that insist that those losses occur.

“Glory, glory, hallelujah, when I lay my burden down;

Glory, glory, hallelujah, when I lay my burden down.

I was standing by my window on a cold and cloudy day;

When I saw that hearse come rolling, for to carry my mother away.

Well I told that undertaker, undertaker please drive slow;

For that body that you carry, Lord I hate to see her go;

Then I followed close behind her, tried to hold up and be brave;

But I could not hide my sorrow, when the laid her in the grave.

I went back home then, it was lonesome, since mamma, she was gone;

All my brother’s, sister’s crying, what a home so sad and lone.

Will the circle be unbroken, by and by Lord by and by;

There’s a better home a waiting, in the sky Lord in the sky.”

Another rendition from the 1970’s incorporated the chorus into a song called Daddy sang bass, expressing the same sentiment and expectation of reunification with the circle of loved ones built on family, and friends here and now in the temporary and temporal confines of time that is only that, temporary and temporal.

We are reminded time and again throughout the scriptures of the temporary, fleeting nature that is life allotted to mankind in this dimension, and the permanence of that next dimension to which it leads, wherein there is no longer any temporary nor temporal wealth, poverty, joy, pain, nor importance or lack thereof, but where all face with equality the same Merciful God of Grace, and wrath filled God that has been faithfully served, and honored, or denied, where Grace is completed, or final judgment passed, and final punishment administered.

The completeness of an unbroken circle is assured, but is assured only for those who have chosen to be a part of that greater circle of family, family of God himself.

Both of those old songs mentioned reminisce about family, the second one more so than the first, lauding the unity of that family, and the expectation of that unity to last beyond the temporary and temporal.

That expected unity is possible only if and when all members have made the choice to be members of that far larger circle comprising the children of God, having been born into that family through the blood of Christ Jesus, even if many are only “adopted” having been of Gentile descent as am I and most other Christians.

The scripture I opted to open with is a reminder that there is a greater requirement than familial lineage, to become a part of that unbroken circle.

Family relationship, clan, nationality, color, creed, affiliation within organization or any other measuring stick that is used by mankind to measure either importance or righteousness as seen by those divisions becomes mute and inadequate as that circle is either enjoined, or refused by individual making the choice to do so.

This choice may be, and is in fact in influenced by that smaller circle lauded by these two songs.

The choice made is only directed by that influence, assured only if that influence is proper and Godly influence, that includes instruction in God’s word, and accepted by the individual being guided instead of discarded as a relic of a bygone era in favor of the politically correct influence of a world bent on enlarging another circle… one found in a lake of fire, presided over by the father of lies that pulled them from the circle wished for and lauded in both these old lyrics.

 Proverbs 22:6 King James Version (KJV)

⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

That training must include the entirety of the word of God, and particularly the message delivered by Christ Jesus that is capable of allocating the Grace required to join that circle spoken of in song.

Ephesians 6 King James Version (KJV)

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

² Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

³ That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

⁴ And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

⁵ Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

⁶ Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

⁷ With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

⁸ Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

⁹ And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

²⁰ For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

²¹ But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:

²² Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

²³ Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁴ Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

The first four verses of this scripture from Ephesians is a reference to that familial circle that, though temporary, can be changed to eternal if the strictures given are followed.

The fourth verse in particular is reminder of the importance of the guidance given that must be followed in order to attain that greater circle.

The further guidance given in the remainder of the scripture is a reminder of the necessity to hold fast to what has been given, relinquishing no portion of that guidance in the face of the adversity and temptation that must and will be faced on the journey to that circle yet to be joined.

There is only one WAY to join that precious circle… That Way is through the blood sacrifice of Christ Jesus having been accepted and the TRUTH of the redemption offered that leads to eternal LIFE within that circle.

Will your circle be unbroken?

Yes!

Choose which one to join!

Circles are formed here, and now, one of two may be chosen. The one unbroken now will be the one unbroken for eternity.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer