Did you know I almost forgot to post a hymn this Sunday! Shocking isn’t it? 🙂 Anyways, I found this hymn May the mind of Christ my Savior in my hymnal Lift up Your Hearts. I know this hymn well enough to sing along with it easily, but not so well that I know all the words.
Lyrics
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.
Author and History
Katie Barclay Wilkinson wrote this lovely hymn, and Arthur C. Barham-Gould wrote the music to go with it. Wilkinson was born in London, England in 1859. She married Frederick Barclay Wilkinson and was a member of the Church of England.
She worked with young girls and women, and died nine years before her husband. Little more in known about her, she is primarily remembered for this one hymn that she wrote.
Ponderings
Do you mean when you sing the words “may the mind of Christ, my Savior,
Live in me from day to day”? Do you really want him to control all you do and say?
Honestly, I read those words and I think… do I really want that? Do I want Christ controlling all I do and say? How much of ME do I want to give up?
I suppose it’s a silly question because I WANT God to be my all in all, but when I really stop and think about it…. I really like the illusion of making all my own choices in way. To decide how I want to raise my bunnies, or talk to my lad, or decide to attend church in person, or just online.
But as I consider this I think hmm… I like doing church online because it’s easy, cost-effective, I can sing as loud as I want, and I don’t have to wear a silly mask. Hubby and I were talking tonight and he said “I don’t care one way or the other”, and I found myself saying “I’d rather go to church”. Funny that eh? How God has taken this “I don’t need to go in person” person to someone who wants to go despite the restrictions it brings. That’s the power of his love at work. That gradual assertion of his will in my life.
Don’t you find that true in your own life? Jesus’ love gradually helps us overcomes our own obstacles influencing us in ways we don’t always know until we stop to think about it.
Lori says
I have never heard this. I really like the words and can agree with the thoughts you wrote out. I say I want God to take control but then I wrest it back from Him. I guess I like tug-of-wars when it comes to decision making and that is not a good thing. Great song!
Annette1 says
I know what you are saying friend…that tug of war. One of the good things about growing maturity is I recognize it more quickly now. 🙂