Rise Up O Men of God !

Rise Up O Men of God

Words originally written by William P. Merrill, 1911.  (* see comments at the end)

Music by Phil Keaggy

Rise up O men of God, 
Have done with lesser things. 
Give heart and soul and mind and strength, 
To serve the King of Kings, 
To serve the King of Kings. 

Rise up O men of God, 
His Kingdom tarries long, 
Bring in the day of brotherhood, 
And end the night of wrong, 
And end the night of wrong. 

Rise up O men of God, 
The Church for you doth wait. 
Send forth to serve the needs of men 
In Christ our strength is great, 
In Christ our strength is great. 

Lift high the Cross of Christ, 
Tread where His feet have trod, 
As brothers of the Son of Man, 
Rise up O men of God, 
Rise up O men of God. 

Rise up O men of God, 
Have done with lesser things. 
Give heart and soul and mind and strength, 
To serve the King of Kings, 
To serve the King of Kings.

Comments:
I honestly don't know the background of this hymn, but it appears to have written at a time (right before World War 1) when Liberal Christianity was making headways and a liberal post-millennialism and "bringing in the kingdom" was an influential force in western culture.  Hence, the phrases about "His Kingdom tarries long" and "bring in the day of brotherhood" and "the church . . . sent forth to serve the needs of men".  If the author's intended meaning of those phrases were some kind of liberal "bring in the kingdom" through good works, social gospel, and political action, then I disagree with that of course; and repudiate that message.  I did a minimum amount of searching on the internet, and it does seem like the author was a liberal theologian and pastor and was part of a pacifist peace movement.  Beyond that, I don't know how liberal or orthodox he was.  

But I think that the phrases and words by themselves can also have a more Evangelical Biblical meaning, by seeking to glorify God by abiding in the true vine, Jesus Christ (John 15:1-16); walking with the Lord; by the preaching of the Biblical gospel and for men to stand up and be committed and love their wives and children and be committed in a local, Biblical church; reach out to neighbor; be men of prayer and engage our culture and support or go in missions; then that is the meaning and spirit with which I post this. 

And it is really good music also!  

Prayer:  (Adapted from Matthew 6:9-13)
"Father in heaven, Your name is already Holy; You are already Holy!
May Your name be treated as holy in my heart and life and in Your people's hearts and lives in the Biblical churches;  May Your kingdom come and be spread on this earth through the gospel being preached and lived out; and may Your moral will be done, as it is done in heaven . . . May Your Word spread and run rapidly and be honored (see 2 Thess. 3:1-3) We need Your grace and power and a fresh filling of Your Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:13-25)  Help us guard our hearts against sin, pride, lust, jealousy, anger, selfishness; Let us not into temptation; deliver us from evil; for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever, in the name and authority of Jesus Christ, Your only Son, Amen! "