"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30 NIV)
This Sunday, May 27, is Pentecost Sunday in which we celebrate the Holy Spirit coming into our lives. One of the hymns we will sing is called “Spirit of Gentleness”. Listen to the tune of this hymn and it sounds very gentle, but read the words. Are they gentle? “Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind on the sea.” Have you ever experienced wind on the sea? It’s not always so gentle. God sends us the gift of the Spirit to come among us and remove the burdens we carry of sin and guilt. We are called to share in the Spirit’s work, by helping to lift the heavy yokes that other’s carry. This work may not always be easy, but we will find renewal and refreshment in the winds of the Spirit.
Spirit, spirit of gentleness,
blow through the wilderness, calling and free,
Spirit, spirit of restlessness,
stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea.
You moved on the waters, you called to the deep,
then you coaxed up the mountains from the valleys of sleep;
and over the eons you called to each thing;
“Awake from your slumbers and rise on your wings.”
You swept through the desert, you stung with the sand
and you goaded your people with a law and a land;
and when they were blinded with idols and lies,
then you spoke through your prophets to open their eyes.
You sang in a stable, you cried from a hill,
then you whispered in silence when the whole world was still;
and down in the city you called once again,
when you blew through your people on the rush of the wind.
You call from tomorrow, you break ancient schemes.
From the bondage of sorrow all the captives dream dreams;
our women see visions, our men clear their eyes.
With bold new decisions your people arise.
(James K. Manley (20th century), hymn-writer. Published in Everflowing Streams (1981). "Spirit," l. 1-4 (1978).)
Recent Comments