More of London

“Free will carried many a soul to hell, but never a soul to heaven.” ~Charles Haddon Spurgeon (Prince of Preachers)

Saturday to Warwick and Stratford was followed by arising early on Sunday morning and heading off to London. We worshipped at Spurgeon’s church, the Metropolitan Tabernacle on the south side of the city. Peter Masters is the pastor there now and from what I understand, is often too sick to preach. Fortunately for us, he was able to preach in the morning and brought the Word of God from John 10. The hymns in England are often a little bit different than how they are sung in the States, but over here I have come across a new hymn which I don’t remember having heard back home. It struck me as very beautiful this past Lord’s Day:

Thy life was given for me;
thy blood, O Lord, was shed,
that I might ransomed be,
and quickened from the dead.
Thy life was given for me;
what have I given for thee?

Long years were spent for me,
in weariness and woe,
that through eternity
thy glory I might know.
Long years were spent for me;
have I spent one for thee?

Thy Father's home of light,
thy rainbow-circled throne,
were left for earthly night,
for wanderings sad and lone.
Yea, all was left for me;
have I left aught for thee?

Thou, Lord, hast borne for me
more than my tongue can tell
of bitterest agony,
to rescue me from hell.
Thou sufferedst all for me;
what have I borne for thee?

And thou hast brought to me,
down from thy home above,
salvation full and free,
thy pardon and thy love.
Great gifts thou broughtest me;
what have I brought to thee?

O let my life be given,
my years for thee be spent,
world fetters all be riven,
and joy with suffering blent!
Thou gavest thyself for me;
I give myself to thee.




After church, we visited Souplantati…just kidding. We grabbed a quick lunch and then my brother and I went off to visit the Tower of London.

After two entire days in London, I was still amazed that there were things such as the Tower which I hadn’t seen yet. London is probably my favorite city thus far because it seems to be full of endless possibilities.

While visiting the Tower, you have the option to join up with a Yeoman Warder, also known as “Beefeater,” who gives visitors the Tower a very informative, comedic tour of some of the Tower’s history. It was very interesting learning all the history of one of the world’s most famous prisons. I also saw the Crown Jewels, what my Beefeater called the “Queen’s bling.” We spent about three hours in the Tower and I imagine that I could have spent at least another two, but my mother was waiting on us and I was ready to get home.






While at the Tower I also saw the location where Lady Jane Grey was executed. She is becoming an area of interest for me and it was profound to once again stand in the spot of someone who picked up their cross and followed Christ to the death. It once again brought me back the hymn quoted above: “Thy life was given for me, what have I given for thee?”

As Americans, we go about our day to day activities without much consideration. Church on Sunday is a routine, a habit most of us have grown up with; granted, it is a good habit, but we don’t always consider the suffering that some accrued due to their religious convictions. I often feel that I am not being persecuted for my faith. But I wonder if that is not a blessing, to suffer for the Savior? Surely we count it as a blessing to be in a free society where religion is tolerated, accommodated, sometimes even supported, but I wonder how much more a suffering Church or Christian leans upon the Savior. I often wander if the Church in America or the West might not profit from a little bit more suffering and persecution. Our hope, as I’m sure Lady Jane realized, was that the gates of Hades will not overcome it; Christ is with us always, to the very end of the age.

Today is Good Friday. We remember the suffering and death of our glorious Savior on Calvary. His cry that “it is finished” marked the end of sin and death for those who are in the sheepfold of the Shepherd. I can’t help but consider the martyrs who have given up their lives for the sake of that gospel. And like Stephen, they died with the knowledge that Jesus was standing at the right hand of God, ready to accept them into heaven, interceding to the Father for the sake of the elect.

I often struggle with how exactly I am supposed to feel on Good Friday. Many churches advocate some kind of melancholy, don’t speak to anyone, joyless attitude. But the Christian’s hope is that it is finished. He arose. Our minds immediately look forward to Resurrection Sunday and the empty tomb. It seems that my heart can not but fill with rapture at the Savior who bled and died to take away my sin. How great Thou art!