A Hymn Devotion for 14 October 2019 Anno Domini, the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3:19-21 (KJV)
For untold centuries the people of God sat in darkness only comprehending points of light emitted from stars on a canopy of purple. But in the fulness of years, the bright beams of the Morning Star would burst forth on the barren landscape and guide the way to a greater joy in Christ and an eternally effulgent Light!
This Gospel song was composed by Charles H. Gabriel in 1890 to the tune, also of his composition, entitled, MCCABE. It reminds us that there are millions today who still walk in darkness whose skies are clouded by superstition and false religion.
SEND THE LIGHT
1 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!
Chorus:
Send the light the blessed gospel light;
Let it shine from shore to shore!
Send the light the blessed gospel light;
Let it shine forevermore!
2 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! [Chorus]
3 Let us pray that grace may ev’rywhere abound,
“Send the light! Send the light!”
And a Christ-like spirit ev’rywhere be found,
Send the light!
Send the light! [Chorus]
4 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!
[Chorus]
1 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! I have written many times of the benefit of light – its quality to reveal truth otherwise unseen, its benefit in lighting the right path in life, and its dispersion of ignorance caused by the darkness of doubt and unbelief. We have churches in the islands of the sea which, only decades ago, had none of the Light of Christ to brighten their way but who now are stronger beacons of truth than many of our churches at home. The Iron Bishop of the Pacific, the Most Rev. Zephaniah Legumana, has labored under austere resources to build a beautiful church and building in the Solomon Islands which is an example to all in those islands. It was built by the hands of the people. He has even reached out to far away Santa Cruz Island, some 700 miles distant across the sea, to establish a church in the center of the village there. Bishop Zephaniah is a Light Bearer for Christ as we all should be.
2 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! As the Macedonian beckoned for Paul to bring the Light of Christ thither, so do countless peoples of varied tribes and tongues make the same call to us today. “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.” Acts 16:9-10 (KJV) If we have no light, neither do we have vision to see and know our Lord. “Where there is no vision, the people perish:” Proverbs 29:18a (KJV) “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12 (KJV)
3 Let us pray that grace may ev’rywhere abound, “Send the light! Send the light!” And a Christ-like spirit ev’rywhere be found, Send the light! Send the light!” Grace and knowledge are resources that are no different in their dispersion than that Love of God overflowing in the heart of the Christian believer. The greater the flow, the larger the reserve. Love can never be exhausted by sharing. There is always more of the ‘oil of love’ left in the pot to satisfy the hunger of all neglected hearts around us. The Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of Truth and Life. True sources of the beams of light have no limit in distance but travel the extremes of the universe until impacting some recipient thereof. But Light, unlike darkness, is a force that requires generation. The great Generator of our Light comes from the Sun of Righteousness and our Day Star, the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 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 is only a work if it is the work of Christ and not of our own doing. We merely share the love of God for He is the source of ALL love. We may be dark in our souls and black in our hearts. Black always absorbs light. But white reflects every ray of its colors. We ‘send’ the light by means of reflecting that Light from the Sun of Righteousness as the Moon reflects the light of its sun. I could care less for the jewels on my crown in Heaven. My desire is to serve God here and now, and I will be satisfied with whatever my lot as long as I can be in the presence of my Lord at the end of days.
Chorus:
Send the light the blessed gospel light; Let it shine from shore to shore! Send the light the blessed gospel light; Let it shine forevermore! Our Lord is the Light of the World; and He is also the WORD Incarnate. The Word of God is also that Light to which our Lord refers. The Gospel Light is that Good News Light that “brightly beams from His Lighthouse ever more.”
Consider these verses:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” John 1:1-5 (KJV) Once the Light falls upon a heart, that Light will either reflect light or be absorbed in darkness much as a Black Hole in space is so greedy as to consume all that comes within its gravitational field so that even light cannot escape its dark powers. But the True Light will overcome every such darkness for darkness is not a force. It is only the absence of light. “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” John 1:9 (KJV)
“Say, friend, do you have a Light?”
