For all led by the Spirit, alternate tune

For all led by the Spirit of God our Lord on high

Are children of that same God and on God's grace rely.

This Spirit does not hold us in bondage or in fear,

But brings us to adoption by God who draws us near. 

 

And if we are God's children, then heirs of God are we!

Joint-heirs with Christ our brother! Let all now hear and see!

Now hear creation groaning, with labor pains it cries;

Oh, how it longs for freedom, in earth and seas and skies!

 

We, too, wait or redemption with sighs for what will be;

We wait with hope and patience, although we do not see.

For all led by the Spirit of God our Lord above

Are children of this same God through God's unending love.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, July 2023; loosely after Romans 8:12-25

MUSIC: Tune AURELIA, Samuel Sebastian Wesley, 1864.

 

 

An alternate setting of this hymn, now with three verses instead of two (and a very familiar tune).

What I would give

What I would give, all for my people, 

The Spirit knows - I do not lie.

In my great sorrow I’d be willing 

To be cut off from Christ and die. 

Oh, how I long so for my people!

Oh, how it hurts to see them stray!

I only trust the God of covenant

Will see them on the covenant way.

 

These are my people, my own kindred, 

From whom I learned of God’s true call.

They taught me prayer, worship, and scripture,

And how our God is all in all. 

Oh, how I long so for my people!

Oh, how it hurts to see them stray!

I only trust the God of covenant

Will see them on the covenant way.

 

And most of all, they showed me Jesus,

The only Way and Truth and Life.

Oh, how it grieves me now to see them 

Caught up in anger, fear, and strife.

Oh, how I long so for my people!

Oh, how it hurts to see them stray!

I only trust the God of covenant

Will see them on the covenant way.

 

 

I say this hymn is based very, very loosely after Romans 9:1-5. It is clearly not a direct rendering; at the last I could not render Paul's expression of concern for the Jewish people from whom he had been born and taught in any way useful for hymn singing. I'm not sure this is any more suitable for hymn singing but it might well be more relatable for those who find themselves cut off from the tradition in which they were raised and nurtured (let the reader understand). 

 

Sometimes the parting

Sometimes the parting leaves grieving and sorrow,

Sometimes the leaving brings anger and fear.

Sometimes the urge is to wait 'til tomorrow,

And yet the Spirit calls us to draw near.

 

Sometimes the task is to reckon our hurting,

Sometimes the work is to look deep within. 

Sometimes the loss is just too disconcerting,

And yet our call is to rise up again.

 

Sometimes we linger on those who departed,

Sometimes we fret over lost pride and power.

Sometimes the wish is to stop what we started, 

And yet we're called to reach out every hour.

 

Those who are seeking, alone, sad, and fearful,

Those who are barred from another church door;

Can we give welcome to those shunned and fearful,

Welcome God's children now and evermore?

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, July 2023.

MUSIC: Suggested tune MORNING SONG, James P. Harding, 1892.

 

 

Written while attending The Art of Transitional Ministry workshop, week 2, at Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center on Lake Tahoe in Nevada.

God works in all things

God works in all things for our good

For those who love God as we should,

As God's desire is understood.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

When in our prayers we fail and weep, 

The Holy Spirit, strong and deep, 

Pleads for our souls with sighs so deep.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

Who can oppose us when we stand

Held in our God's almighty hand?

Who can accuse us in this land?

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

Nothing can separate us now - 

Not death nor life, this is God's vow - 

From how God's love will us endow.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

Praise to our God, who reigns above; 

Praise to our Christ, the Lord of love; 

Praise to our Spirit, heav'nly dove.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, July 2023, loosely after Romans 8:26-39.

MUSIC: Tune GELOBT SEI GOTT, Melchoir Vulpius, 1609;

            possible alternate tune O FILII ET FILIAE, French melody, 15th cent.

 

 

Another large tune, so to speak, or perhaps "firm" is a better word. Again, the expansive scripture is approached representatively, one might say, seeking to make sure that at least some of the highlights of the scripture are carried forward in the hymn text, so that at least the hymn might aid in remembering some of the scriptural highlights.

For all led by the Spirit

For all led by the Spirit of God our Lord on high

Are children of that same God and on God's grace rely.

This Spirit does not hold us in bondage or in fear,

But brings us to adoption by God who draws us near. 

And if we are God's children, then heirs of God are we!

Joint-heirs with Christ our brother! Let all now hear and see!

 

Now hear creation groaning, with labor pains it cries;

Oh, how it longs for freedom, in earth and seas and skies!

We, too, wait or redemption with sighs for what will be;

We wait with hope and patience, although we do not see.

For all led by the Spirit of God our Lord above

Are children of this same God through God's unending love.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, July 2023; loosely after Romans 8:12-25

MUSIC: Tune THAXTED, Gustav Holst, 1918.

 

 

The tunes seem to be trending bigger and more majestic, for the moment anyway. These later passages are long enough to resist a full summary in a hymn text (unless one wants to write old-fashioned hymn texts with twelve or eighteen stanzas, which I don't), so some picking and choosing is going on, admittedly. 

There is no condemnation now

There is no condemnation now for those in Jesus Christ;

You were set free when Christ our Lord his own self sacrificed.

 

For God has done what law in flesh could never hope to do:

The sin that kills is now condemned and no more reigns in you.

 

To live in Holy Spirit's light, it leads to life and peace; 

The mind in Spirit's guiding care finds freedom and release.

 

If resurrecting Spirit dwells in heart and soul and mind, 

With life and hope and peace and joy your self is now designed.

 

All praise Creator's endless love; all praise Redeemer's grace;

All praise Sustainer's guiding care, the Triune God's embrace.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, June 2023, after Romans 8:1-11.

MUSIC: Tune ST. ANNE, attr. William Croft, 1708.

 

 

Where last week's text needed a yearning, keening folk tune with all sorts of human emotive quality, this week's text is about as declamatory as it gets, and this tune seems just about perfect for the task.