Spirit of the Living God (UMH 393)
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me;
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. (Adapt. Acts 11:15)
Spirit of the living God, move among us all;
Make us one in heart and mind, make us one in love:
Humble, caring, selfless, sharing.
Spirit of the living God, fill our lives with love.
IN 1926, ORLANDO, FLORIDA, Daniel Iverson (1890-1977) – an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church – attended an evangelism crusade by the George Stephans Evangelistic team. Iverson was moved by the preacher’s message about the Holy Spirit. The message inspired him to write the text and music of the song “Spirit of the Living God”.
Miss Birdie Loes, the pianist of the Stephans’ group, copied the song on manuscript paper. The team song leader was impressed and quickly taught the song to the people that evening. The song was sung throughout the campaign.
In 1980, a second stanza was added by Michael Baughen. Baughen was a priest in the Church of England and became Bishop of Chester from 1982 till he retired in 1996.
The United Methodist Hymnal has the first stanza only. The two stanzas were published together in 1982 in the hymnal Hymns for Today’s Church. The first stanza is a personal prayer calling the Holy Spirit to renew the individual’s heart. e second stanza moves from a personal to a corporate prayer that calls the Holy Spirit to unite us and transform our hearts that we may be renewed.
As we ponder upon this hymn, let us refer to what the apostle Paul teaches about the Holy Spirit. Acts 19:1-7 is an account of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus where the power of the Holy Spirit had been working through him in the midst of the power of darkness.
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he explains whose power it was that worked abundantly amongst them. Paul speaks to believers also in Ephesians chapter 4. He encourages believers to “make every effort to be united in the Spirit”.
In chapter 5, Paul exhorts us to “let our lives be filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs … always giving thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. It is by God’s grace that we are blessed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Judith Mosomos is Lecturer in Church Music at the Methodist School of Music.
