Sometimes the melody is all it takes to move my heart into the heart of God (or God’s heart into mine). Though I love to sing the words of this hymn and make them real by my actions, it is the melody which both embraces me and sends me heavenward.
Continuing the conversation begun on Sunday (9/25) “Be thou my vision” is the song I share today:
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
all else be nought to me, save that thou art;
thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
thou my great Father; thine own may I be;
thou in me dwelling, and I one with thee.
High King of heaven, when victory is won,
may I reach heaven’s joys, bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Hymn 488 in the Episcopal Hymnal 1982
Words: Irish, ca. 700; versified Mary Elizabeth Byrne (1880–1931); tr. Eleanor H. Hull (1860–1935), alt.
Music: Slane, Irish ballad melody; adapt. The Church Hymnary, 1927; harm. David Evans (1874–1948)
Hear what the Spirit is saying 
Here is a hymn not many people know. “The Gift Goes On” by Sandi Patti. Best sung at Christmas.
The father gave the Son, the Son gave the Spirit, The Spirit gives us life so we can give the gift of love.
And the gift goes on, and the gift goes on, and the gift goes on.
Don’t you love to get a present, wrapped up in a Christmas bow? God gave us a present on that night so long ago. It a gift that keeps on giving if our spirits can receive.
It’s the secret joy of living if our hearts can just believe.
And the gift goes on, and the gift goes on, and the gift goes on.
Now when your life is full of Christmas, then your life is full of love. You can give away a present that began with God above. Just like ripples in the water the circles of our love extend,
What was started with the Father is a gift that has no end!
And the gift goes on, and the gift goes on, and the gift goes on and on and on.
The Father gave the Son, the Son gave the Spirit. The Spirit gives us life so we can give the gift of love.
Thanks Joan. I especially like the lyric “just like ripples in the water the circles of our love extend.’ That’s what the world needs and what the Apostle was talking about.