Spirit of God, Descend upon my Heart , ELW 800 & LBW 486
1 Spirit of God, descend upon my heart; wean it from earth, through all its pulses move; stoop to my weakness, strength to me impart, and make me love you as I ought to love.
2 I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies, no sudden reading of the veil of clay, no angel visitant, no op'ning skies; but take the dimness of my soul away.
3 Have you not bid me love you, God the King; all, all your own, soul, heart, and strength, and mind?
I see your cross; there teach my heart to cling.
Oh, let me seek you and, oh, let me find!
4 Teach me to love you as your angels love, one holy passion filling all my frame: the baptism of the heav'n-descended dove, my heart an alter, and your love the flame.
Devotion
This is one of those hymns in our Christian tradition whose melody seems ripe for the Spirit to enter in. Spirit of God, descend upon my heart, we sing and pray. Enter into each of those places where we most need you; those places where we are weak, for there is where we need God’s strength the very most.
This Sunday in worship, and this week in your life, keep your eyes open for the places where you feel most inadequate, most in need, most scared, or most empty. Then hum (or sing out loud if your co-workers and family can handle it!) the tune and words of this hymn. Remember it as a prayer of opening yourself up, so that God’s Spirit can rest in you. There the Spirit can enter into the places you need God’s love, mercy and forgiveness the most.
Prayer
Spirit of God, work your way into our lives, into the places where we know we need you. And also into the places where we think we are doing just fine on our own. Amen.