HYMN 336  " All My Hope In God Is Founded"

John Betjeman once wrote that Hymns are the poems of the people. From " Abide with me" to Onward Christian Soldiers" they provide us with memories of other days, perhaps happier ones, of school assemblies, weddings and funerals.  

hey have given phrases to our language  " change & decay" " bright and beautiful"  "soft refreshing rain"  "  "all is safely gathered in "   Even to-day in what is often described as a secular age, people enjoy hymns on radio and television. 
Yattendon Hymnal  In Berkshire.  Bridges Poet Laureate from 1913-30.  Almost alone among Poets Laureate wrote hymns. In an attempt to raise the literary standards.  Translation from German. 
Edward Bridges Cabinet Secretary; Tom Bridges worked with me and was Ambassador in Italy.  
Behind the words of this hymn lies a message for us all to keep in mind summed up by C S Lewis in Mere Christianity I think, "God loves us and has a plan for our lives. "   
But we have  free will and can choose whether or not to seek God and through him realise His plan  
 We are constrained by very few laws: gravity and biological reproduction being two.  Otherwise we can do what we like but ( and this is a big but of course) there are earthly consequences for our actions.  I can try to make off with our collections this morning, but if caught I will face unpleasant consequences.  
There are Rules about  living in Society. 
Many based on the tenets of  Judeo-Christian philosophy  -  the word of God From the Ten Commandments to the Beatitudes.   
 To help us follow them amid the temptations of life and its dangers ,we need God's guidance. .
 So " All my hope on God is founded".  What  are our hopes? Each of us will have different ones.  But we all hope as Christians that our lives on earth will lead to us a heavenly life hereafter.  
So the hymn sets before us a vision of God guiding us through life to higher things.
Christ doth call one and all/ Ye who follow shall not fall. 
