FAMILY WORSHIP SUPPLEMENT
MARCH 2021
Hymn of the Month
Trinity Hymnal #75 – O Father, You Are Sovereign
The hymn O Father, You Are Sovereign, is a relatively modern hymn, written in the 20th century by an elementary school teacher who wrote hymns as an overflow of her ongoing study of the Word. Her name was Margaret Clarkson. Some hymns have dramatic stories behind them that make the lyrics poignant. This hymn, however, instead testifies to the kindness and power of God as he has worked through His ordinary means of grace in the midst of rather ordinary circumstances.
However ordinary the life of Margaret Clarkson may have been, the entire reason she wrote this hymn, and the very reason we bother to sing it, is because we know the extraordinary person and work of God. It’s stunning, when we are barely able to keep track of our car keys, that the Father is governing every subatomic particle in the cosmos to secure full redemption for his children. So as you sing, make sure you slow down and consider the precious realities encapsulated in the lyrics of this hymn, and we pray that the sovereign power of God is a great encouragement to you this month (and every month!)
Prayer for Unreached Peoples
The Bania of India (Evening Service, 3/7/2021)
The Bania of India are a Hindi-speaking ethnic group of nearly 30 million people. They live throughout India, and are predominately Hindus or Jainists. Statistics indicate that 0% of the population is Christian. Pray that the Lord would raise up foreign and Indian Christians to minister to this ethnic group.
The (Northern) Uzbek of Uzbekistan (Evening Service, 3/14/2021)
The Uzbek of Uzbekistan are an ethnic group of more than 27 million people who are predominately Muslim. 0.02% of the population identifies with some form of Christianity. In recent years, a vocal minority in Uzbekistan has been calling for a national return to an Islamic-Fundamentalist form of government. Pray that the door remains open for Christian ministry in cities, and that faithful witnesses are raised up to proclaim Christ in the rural areas as well.
The Koreans of North Korea (Evening Service (3/21/2021)
Many of us are aware of the tyrannical extremes of the North Korean communist government and their oppression of the 25 million Koreans, many of whom are likely not fully aware of the realities outside North Korea. Attempts to bring the gospel into North Korea are dangerous since the government is decidedly opposed to Christianity. Despite this, nearly 1.6% of the population identifies as evangelical Christian. Pray for strength for the persecuted church in North Korea, and ask the Lord to continue raising up witnesses to the truth.