As I go through my daily routine, I have one or two songs that play over and over in my head, usually songs that I have been playing on the piano or that we have sung in church. Last week I was playing through my hymnal, and this song has been in my head ever since:
May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling
All I do and say.
May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power.
May the peace of God my Father
Rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing.
May the love of Jesus fill me
As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing,
This is victory.
May I run the race before me,
Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus
As I onward go.
May His beauty rest upon me,
As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only Him.
Published in 1925 by Kate B. Wilkinson, this hymn was inspired by two of my favorite Scripture passages. The first is Philippians 2:5 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus..." The passage goes on to explain just what that mind of Christ entails. This is perhaps my favorite passage in all of Scripture--verses 5-11 in Philippians 2. The other verses that Wilkinson clearly alludes to are Hebrews 12:1-2 "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." I'm pretty sure there are other verses referenced, also, but those are the two main ones.
I love the lyrics to this hymn, as the author asks for the mind of Christ, the word of God, the peace of God, the love of Jesus, and His beauty, to live in, dwell in, rule, fill, and rest upon her. I have been singing these words over and over (in my head) for the past few days. I'm not sure if we are supposed to meditate on things other than Scripture, but I think this song falls within the guidelines of Philippians 4:8 as something that should be thought upon. So I'll continue to keep playing it over and over in my head as "background music."
Are there any songs on your mind these days?
2 comments:
This happened to me not too long ago with the hymn, "Living for Jesus". It gave a renewed purpose to my daily "to dos".
Living for Jesus a life that is true, Striving to please Him in all that I do, Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free--This is the pathway of blessing for me. O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee, For Thou in Thine atonement didst give Thyself for me. I own no other Master--my heart shall be Thy throne: My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.
The other verses are great, too!
I love the hymn, "May the mind..." as well, Alice. So many good ones!!
Love, Mary
Mary:
Now there's one I haven't sung in a long time. I love that one, too! Eric just preached about that idea last night, challenging us with this: can we really say that for us to live is Christ? Or as Paul put it (translated woodenly from Greek) "for me living Christ, dying gain." Are we "living Christ" every day? I know how miserably I fail at that!
Love you! Alice
Post a Comment