Spending An Hour With a Good Hymn!

October 2006

My objective is to teach you one way of spending an hour reflecting on a hymn. The purpose of reflection is to know God and yourself better. Some hymns (a style of song) have staying power, which means they usually address the human condition in a deep way. A while back I reacquainted myself with the following hymn. It has refused to leave me. I keep it close to me by caressing its words with the eyes of my faith, by lingering over the feelings it conjures up in me, and by musing on the thoughts that flood my mind, heart and soul almost daily. It is written by Charles Wesley and it boasts the honor of at least two melodies (that I know of). This hymn has become my spiritual home in song. Its glorious words are:

Jesus, Lover of My Soul

1. Jesus, Lover of my soul
Let me to Thy bosom fly
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high:
Hide me, O my Savior hide,
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last!

2. Other refuge have I none
Hange my helpless state on Thee
Leave, Ah! Leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed,
All my help from Thee I bring;
cover my defenseless head
With the shadow of Thy wing.

3. Thou, O Christ, art all I want;
More than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy name,
I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am,
Thou art full of truth and grace

4. Plenteous grace in Thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams aboud
Make and keep me pure within
Thou of life the Fountain art,
Freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart,
Rise to all eternity.

This song tells the story of a lover and his beloved. It is my story and it is yours if you would but take a few lingering moments to reread it. Every once in a while I find myself brought into the presence of Jesus with this song. Let me remind you that there is nothing more important in life than the knowledge of God and the knowledge of yourself. The surest way to this knowledge is through prayer. This is an exercise of prayer, of paying attention to God and to your soul; no more, no less. Jot down what by faith you hear God saying to you. It sticks better when you write down what you hear.

First Stanza: Reread and pray in this manner:

  • Jesus, lover of my soul, am I loving you well, in word and deed?
  • Is loving you more than words to me?
  • Do I pretend that all is well when truly tempests rage on in me and around me?
  • Are you the first harbor I pull into in the eye of the storms of life?
  • Show me, Spirit of the living God, how I may live in constant flight to the bosom of Jesus, my lover.
  • Lord, I affirm with my whole self that “you are my hiding place.”


Second Stanza: Reread and pray in this manner:

  • Lord, you say that you desire to gather your people under your wings (protective care). In faith I come under the shadow of your loving, powerful wings. Picture your self being sheltered in God; no one is able to snatch you away. NOTHING can separate you from the love of God. Stay here a while.
  • Lord, the hot sun of unloving insults and rejection (by me and toward me) burn my spirit, sear my heart. Restore my soul. As I rest my restless soul in Thee, may I know your awesome power to heal? Remain in this attitude of surrender to God as long as you are able to.

 

Third Stanza: Reread and pray in this manner:

  • Lord Christ, I desire to have you more, much more, than I desire the benefits you freely give me. Even as I affirm this, help me desire the truth of my affirmation. Do I truly desire you more than I desire your blessings? Examine yourself.
  • Still, in desiring you, let your blessings help me to know you more: I seek to know you, O Christ, in raising the fallen in our midst (name the fallen) I seek to know you, O Christ, in cheering the faint in our midst (name the faint) I seek to know you, O Christ, in healing the sick in our midst (name sick) I seek to know you, O Christ, in leading the blind in our midst (name blind)
  • Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy! Repeat prayerfully.

Fourth Stanza:

  • O Lover of my soul, I have not known any shortage of grace in my life. All I have needed, you have provided. I remember your plenteous grace when …. (As memory comes, name each time grace was shown to you. Close each memory treasure with the affirmation: Your love endures forever.

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