Devotional Thoughts Based on the Glory to God Hymnal
Matthew 3:16
“And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him”.
Well, Alan, you have done it again. You are writing about another unfamiliar hymn. I have never sung this hymn and where did that tune come from? You just think you have never sung this tune! It is the same tune for Jesus, Love of My Soul, hymn 440 and for Wild and Lone the Prophet’s Voice from two days ago. You learn the tune ABERYSTWTH and you learn how to sing 3 hymns.
The commentator for Glory to God writes: “These scriptural names and images for God express a theological view reinforced by the structure the stanzas deal in turn, with each person of the Trinity and the refrain affirms their unity. The swirling patterns of the Welsh tune add much energy to the text.” This hymn reminds me of another contemporary hymn: God of the Sparrow, hymn 22.
We thank You, God for this lengthy list of names and images of You. These enlarge our view of You so that we are filled with awe and wonder over Your greatness and the mysterious ways in which You work. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.