TIME TO AWAKEN, ACT 1 | At Christmas I received a prayer book that I’d put on my wish list, Tides and Seasons: Modern prayers in the Celtic tradition (David Adam). One of my first favorites is Awaken me, Lord:
“Awaken me, Lord / To your light, / Open my eyes / To your presence.
Awaken me, Lord / To your love, / Open my heart / To your indwelling.
Awaken me, Lord / To your life, / Open my mind / To your abiding.
Awaken me, Lord / To your purpose, / Open my will / To your guiding.”
TIME TO AWAKEN, ACT 2 | Our Music Director, Steve, and I get together pretty much every week. Occasionally, he brings new song ideas for us to talk about for our contemporary service. This past week was the latest such occasion as he brought a very new song, Awakening (Charlie Hall):
“In our hearts Lord, in this nation, awakening
Holy Spirit, we desire, awakening
Awake my soul and sing
For the world You love, Your will be done
Let Your will be done in me”
(NOTE: We haven’t determined yet if it’ll be a UABC song or not.)
TIME TO AWAKEN, ACT 3 | As I anticipate the next study for our small group, Revelation, I also recall one of the [harsh!] letters to the seven churches in Asia:
“I know your deeds; you have a reputations of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.” (Revelation 3:1b-2, NIV)
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And so I pray in the words of the 19th century hymn, Revive Us Again:
“Revive us again, fill each heart with Thy love;
May each soul be rekindled with fire from above.
Hallelujah! Thine the glory, Hallelujah! Amen;
Hallelujah! Thine the glory; Revive us again.”
