Friday, March 7, 2008

christ, from whom all blessings flow

Each day of Lent I am publishing one of Charles Wesley's hymns or poems. In my experience, the selection of Charles Wesley's hymns that we actually use in worship is very small. This is sad, because his hymns are filled with deep theological truths and great beauty.

Use these as a part of your Lenten disciplines, and share any thoughts or reactions in the comments.


Lent Day 26 27

Christ, from Whom All Blessings Flow
(United Methodist Hymnal #550)

1.
Christ, from whom all blessings flow,
perfecting the saints below,
hear us, who thy nature share,
who thy mystic body are.

2.
Join us, in one spirit join,
let us still receive of thine;
still for more on thee we call,
thou who fillest all in all.

3.
Move and actuate and guide,
diverse gifts to each divide;
placed according to thy will,
let us all our work fulfill;

4.
Never from thy service move,
needful to each other prove;
use the grace on each bestowed,
tempered by the art of God.

5.
Many are we now, and one,
we who Jesus have put on;
there is neither bond nor free,
male nor female, Lord, in thee.

6.
Love, like death, hath all destroyed,
rendered all distinctions void;
names and sects and parties fall;
thou, O Christ, art all in all!

1 comment:

Geoffrey Kruse-Safford said...

These two lines from verse 6 are awesome:
"Love, like death, hath all destroyed,
rendered all distinctions void;"

To imagine that love, more powerful than death (according to the Song of Songs, chapter 8, which was read at our wedding service) has transcended death's destructive power by destroying the destruction to life and connection that is broken in death - wow. Just, you know, wow.