“Christ, Whose Glory
Fills the Skies”
Charles Wesley, 1740
Fills the Skies”
Charles Wesley, 1740
Christ, whose glory fills the
skies
Christ, the true, the only Light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise,
Triumph o’er the shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near,
Daystar, in my heart appear.
Christ, the true, the only Light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise,
Triumph o’er the shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near,
Daystar, in my heart appear.
Dark and cheerless is the
morn
Unaccompanied by Thee;
Joyless is the day’s return,
Till Thy mercy’s beams I see,
Till Thou inward light impart,
Glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
Unaccompanied by Thee;
Joyless is the day’s return,
Till Thy mercy’s beams I see,
Till Thou inward light impart,
Glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
Visit then this soul of mine,
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, Radiancy divine,
Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more Thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day.
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, Radiancy divine,
Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more Thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day.
"You know what I always do when I walk into your house at sunset," I reminded my friend Judy as I set down my plate of egg rolls yet to be warmed for the Ladies' Night In. "I'll be back in a few minutes." 
I slipped out the back door. I can't help it. There is just something about sunset and clouds over Lake Bell. Something about clusters of exotic flowers.
There is also something about being with women who love Jesus. We gathered in the living room, plates and cups in hand, a feast for body and soul. Eleven us, not all knowing each other yet, sharing stories.
These women have seen the world. Many of them have been long-time missionaries in Third World nations, two of them are professional counselors, and one interviews families with very ill children. About half are married, the others single. Some are sad at their now empty nests or ones that never filled in the first place. Some, like me, are still trying to juggle a hot mess of kids at home while working part-time. There is no sugar coating life for these women. They could easily be overwhelmed with "the gloom of sin and grief." Yet they spoke of their abiding love for Jesus and how he has changed their lives, of Christ-filled mentors who helped launch their faith journeys. They prayed for those among them who are struggling. "Scatter all my unbelief" is what he did on a balmy September evening in Judy's living room.
At sunset over Lake Bell, his glory filled the skies. By the time we left, long after darkness fell deep outside, the light of his glory had filled our hearts.
Triumph
o’er the shades of night;
Dayspring
from on high, be near,
Daystar,
in my heart appear.
I looked at several videos of this hymn with various tunes and settings. Here is one newer arrangement I particularly liked, with music by Matt Foreman...
Virginia Knowles
www.WatchTheShepherd.blogspot.com
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