Why ‘Beyond the brook’?

The quote is taken from one of the greatest holiness songs of all time (penned by (Albert Osborn) The song in it entirety is show below:

My life must be Christ's broken bread,
My love his outpoured wine,
A cup o'erfilled, a table spread
Beneath his name and sign.
That other souls, refreshed and fed,
May share his life through mine.

My all is in the Master's hands
For him to bless and break;
Beyond the brook his winepress stands
And thence my way I take,
Resolved the whole of love's demands
To give, for his dear sake.

Lord, let me share that grace of thine
Wherewith thou didst sustain
The burden of the fruitful vine,
The gift of buried grain.
Who dies with thee, O Word divine,
Shall rise and live again.

The theology expressed within this song is hardcore holiness. It expresses in beautiful poetry the various stages of holiness. These steps need not be taken over years they can be made in a few brief moments. The commitment that leads to holiness can be (in an ideal world always would be) an instantaneous experience

"My life must be…" holiness is an essential and without it (none shall see the Lord – Hebrews 12:14)

"My love…" the poet sees holiness in Wesley’s terms as ‘perfect love’ God’s perfect love for me giving me a perfect love for him

“That other souls…” The purpose of holiness always finds its ultimate expression in loving others (especially the unloved). The first verse brings the two most important commandments together as a recognised need within the heart of the writer.

"My all …" Palmer’s altar theology, Herbert Booth’s “I bring my all to Jesus” – the suggestion made at the start of the verse is that holiness depends upon ‘entire sanctification’.

“For him to…” My all is handed over not in a one off dedication but as a ‘living sacrifice’ for him to use as he pleases on a daily basis. The importance of ceaseless yielding is clearly indicated.

“Beyond the brook” probably the most potent and mysterious line in the song. The brook is the brook of Kidron (John 18.1) This brook stood between Gethsemane (‘Thy will be done”) and Calvary (The ‘wine press’). This is very deep theology delivered in one line. Osborn is saying, you have my will, you have my life but you will only get my love (‘My outpoured wine”) once the fulfilment of my calling crushes me!

The final verse reminds us that ‘my grace is sufficient for thee’. The poet concludes with the truth that God alone is the creator, director and sustainer of holiness.

My passion, my calling is to do all that I can to encourage and inspire every Soldier within The Salvation Army go ‘beyond the brook’ thus making that short but intensely painful journey between the surrender of the will to God and the delivery of their love to a fallen world.