Revive Thy work, dear Lord

Albert Midlane was born January 23, 1825, on the Isle of Wight in the town of Newport near Carisbrooke Castle. He was not brought up in a Christian home. He did get some help from his mother and a devoted sister but not from his father. He took up printing as a trade, but later switched to that of a helper to an ironmonger - someone who manufactures as well as sells iron-for over 50 years.

He started to write poetry and hymns at an early age. Like Solomon who wrote over 1, 000 songs Albert Midlane came close to that number.

On February 7, 1856 he composed the hymn “A Little Lamb Went Straying” after a hard days work at business. He finished it at 2 a. m. but was so exhausted by his efforts that he ended up needing medical attention.

Albert lived to see the celebration of the jubilee of his best known hymn, and had the experience of listening to 3, 000 children in St. Paul’s Cathedral sing together “There’s a Friend for Little Children”.

On February 7, 1909, his voice was heard publicly for the last time as he spoke to crowds of young and old as to the eternal things in his home town. On Thursday morning on the 11th of February, 1909 at the age of 84 he was seized by a fit of apoplexy and never recovered, but passed away quietly in his sleep as Lord’s day morning was approaching on February 28, 1909.

Our being broken and living before the Lord, His being built within us, and the church being the expression of Christ’s Body cannot be faked. People can sense this immediately when they meet with us. Similarly, the condition of our locality cannot be faked. It is cold or hot, poor or rich, in the flesh or in Christ. As soon as people touch us, they will touch the inward reality. Nothing is as real as spiritual matters; they cannot be faked at all.

Some people are in Christ, allowing Him to rule in them and to overflow out of them. They are persons who are broken, restricted, and ruled by the Holy Spirit. When we come into their midst, we are released and freed, regardless of how heavy a burden or how difficult a situation may be pressing upon us. As soon as we enter into a meeting with them, our entire being is released and freed. This is because there is freedom in the fullness of Christ. If the Son of God sets us free, we are free indeed. Of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. If we live in Him and allow His fullness to be expressed, there will be something in us that sets others free.

Church as the Body of Christ, The, Chapter 11, Section 3

May the Lord have mercy on us, revive us, and make us persons who live not by ourselves but by another life which is the processed and consummated Triune God as the seven-fold intensified life-giving Spirit.