SEND THE LIGHT, A Hymn Devotion for 8 June 2021 Anno Domini, the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 2 Cor 4:6-7 (KJV)
This precious and stirring old hymn was written in a day when the collective sense of our nation was centered on God’s plan for man and a persevering spirit to spread the Gospel of Christ to every corner of the world. The author of this hymn wrote more than 7,000 other hymns in addition. SEND THE LIGHT was published in 1888. The tune is also by the author entitled, McCabe.
SEND THE LIGHT
There’s a call comes ringing o’er the restless wave,
“Send the light! Send the light!”
There are souls to rescue, there are souls to save,
Send the light! Send the light!
Refrain:
Send the light, the blessed Gospel light;
Let it shine from shore to shore!
Send the light, and let its radiant beams
Light the world forevermore!
We have heard the Macedonian call today,
“Send the light! Send the light!”
And a golden off’ring at the cross we lay,
Send the light! Send the light!
Let us pray that grace may everywhere abound,
“Send the light! Send the light!”
And a Christlike spirit everywhere be found,
Send the light! Send the light!
Let us not grow weary in the work of love,
“Send the light! Send the light!”
Let us gather jewels for a crown above,
Send the light! Send the light!
There’s a call comes ringing o’er the restless wave, “Send the light! Send the light!” There are souls to rescue, there are souls to save, Send the light! Send the light! One pictures nations, tongues and people calling for the light in this line, but that is not the meaning. It is the Holy Spirit that issues the call and imbues the missionary with the fervent desire to go. Those who have sat in darkness forever do not realize that there is any alternative – they know not what the Light of Christ is until someone has carried the torch to their forlorn lands. So many hymns rightfully reference Light, and Light is the Person of Christ – “I am the Light of the World!” The restless waves are the huddled masses of the world who have known not the Light. Those waves portray nations and peoples in turmoil who can know no peace until converted to the teachings of the very Prince of Peace.
We have heard the Macedonian call today, “Send the light! Send the light!” And a golden off’ring at the cross we lay, Send the light! Send the light! Paul traveled to Macedonia in the beginning of the Gospel Age, however, the nation has let down its guard and allowed the land to become infested with the Muslim hordes who have swept in uninvited from neighboring lands. These provide new opportunities for evangelization or else the Light in Macedonia will be extinguished by infidel religions. The Light requires constant provision of fuel to keep it burning. The Christian missionary can never rest on his or her laurels. There is a great preacher about in the world who never rest nor takes vacation – his name is Satan.
Let us pray that grace may everywhere abound, “Send the light! Send the light!” And a Christlike spirit everywhere be found, Send the light! Send the light! It follows as the night the day that wherever grace abounds, it will be the result of a prevailing Christ-like spirit. But the Light must be sent from those who have received it to those who need it so intensely. We must not only have the determination to go, but go in the strength of the Lord. It is this latter element that requires our efforts to be fertilized by prayer.
Let us not grow weary in the work of love, “Send the light! Send the light!” Let us gather jewels for a crown above, Send the light! Send the light! Love has never been a burden. Our burdens of love propel rather than retard our drive to spread the Gospel news and its banner afar. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Gal 6:9 (KJV) The only jewels we have in heaven are those we have freely given in the service of the Lord and His people.
Refrain:
Send the light, the blessed Gospel light; Let it shine from shore to shore! Send the light, and let its
radiat beams Light the world forevermore! In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray that the Lord’s will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. How can that be accomplished without a Gospel presence in all the world. We also pray, “Thy Kingdom come!” We are the emissaries of Christ to bring God’s Kingdom down to the least of all peoples who become the greatest when their hearts are filled with that Light of Christ. Bear in mind, there are also false lights abroad in the earth that, like the Will-O-the-Wisp, simply deceive the follower to go deeper into the swamp until all is lost. These are not true lights and are exposed by the Light of Christ as counterfeit. When one has an intimate knowledge of the true Light and His Word, the false lights cannot deceive.
