Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
Melt me, mould me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
This personal call on the Holy Spirit was written just on one hundred years ago by Daniel Iverson. One young man’s response to an address heard at an evangelistic crusade in
Orlando Florida. Yes, he was inspired. It was printed, taught and sung by the whole crowd that very evening.
It probably came to our attention in the 1960’s and has been used at baptisms, confirmations, ordinations, at Pentecost and whenever we need a simple prayer opening ourselves to the work of God’s Spirit and surrendering ourselves to God’s power and purpose.
It is so gentle, so different to the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. No mighty rushing wind, no vivid tongues of fire, no hearing the Word in myriad languages. No stained- glass glory but the brown potter’s hands moulding the simple cup.
This simple song could be a description of the purpose and form of meditation.
In this time we offer ourselves and open up to God. We put ourselves on the potter’s wheel, just a humble lump of earth, for him to shape.
Usually we do need to allow Him melt away our resistance of our time, our concerns, our plans, our way of doing something, Then to be moulded into the right shape for today and what is ahead. The warmth of God’s hands and the flowing water allow this to happen.
Once shaped we are ready to be filled with the gifts of the Spirit of hope, love, joy and peace, then we are ready to be used in what-ever way is best for us in God’s eyes.
The phrase ‘Spirit of the Living God ‘comes from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. In the early church letters of recommendation from Paul were sent with itinerant missionaries to Paul’s friends and wider circles. It would appear that Paul may have been deficient in providing these letters. He writes
‘You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all; and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts’
So, we too are sent, to neighbours and friends, to acquaintances and strangers, to those we care deeply for and yet also in our smallest contact of a smile to a passer-by, confident that we have been prepared by the Spirit of God. Usually not with the razzamatazz of the first Pentecost but in the guise of a humble pot.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
Melt me, mould me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
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