Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray
I woke the dungeon flamed with light
My chains fell off my heart was free
I rose went forth and followed Thee
And Can It Be, That I Should Gain? 1738
By: Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Listen to this modern version of this hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.
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Please enjoy this video and the transcript below.
Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.
As we continue our journey through this hymn which encourages us to be amazed at God’s love for us prepare to respond and give Him praise. Let’s tune our hearts.
Fast Bound in Sin, and Unaware
We were unaware, even asleep to the reality of our condition. The next line says the writer awoke, implying he was asleep before the dungeon filled with light. That is a good illustration of the double bondages of sin. We can not enjoy the freedom God made us for, and we do not even realize we are bound.
Nature’s night is the way the writer says it. Our fallen nature doomed us to sleep while God’s invitation is to wake. We lay asleep, unaware that there was a world of daylight waiting for us to wake up and enjoy it.
What a powerful picture! We even are tempted to bury our heads to spare our spiritual eyes from the brightness just like the image above depicts. Then when we realize the warmth and light of an alternative reality things begin to change, but it is not an easy process to awaken to this reality.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,
for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High. Psalm 107:10-11 ESV
Turning from God’s counsel and rebelling against His word brings darkness, and affliction. It is absolutely a prison of sorts, only the prisoner is often unaware of the bars, which makes it even more sad. When you come to see the bars you long for an escape. Remember?
Though this description applies to all of Adam’s race, without the work of the Holy Spirit we are incapable of accepting our captivity. Sin is absolutely a prison, but one we become accustomed to and accept as the only possibility. Reflect back on the darkness of that bondage.
RESONATE!
Take a few moments and remember the bars. Can you recall what it first felt like when you realized they were there? Make this your simple prayer “Spirit, remind me just how dark was the prison of sin.”
Asleep But Waking
Did you catch the interesting sequence of events described in the text? We realized a light was bursting forth while we were still asleep. The light woke us up from our spiritual slumber. It woke us up to the bondage of our sin. It woke us up to a better future and freedom.
But notice where we still were when we saw the light. A dungeon! We were still in the dungeon when the light revealed our captivity. But it also revealed the way of escape.
It was then, aware of the bondage, awakening from our slumber that we cried out to the Lord. We could not have done so if He had not already sent the light. We never would have even realized our need if He had not. He initiates and we respond.
It happened when we first started the journey. It happens again and again when there are more prisons to escape. God keeps sending His light so we can awaken to each those new freedoms. What an amazing love!
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray
I woke the dungeon flamed with light
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart. Psalm 107:13-14 ESV
Deliverance and freedom are available to those who call to the Lord. We could not see the bars and certainly not cry out without His help. Fortunately He sent enough light that we could see them and the way out. Give Him praise.
Into that darkness came a ray of light that filled my life. That first appearing brought a quickening of my conscience which allowed to me see my prison for the first time, and the path of escape from it. Double was the blessing of seeing the dungeon and the doorway.
RESONATE
Take a few moments and consider the light Jesus has brought into your life. Recall what that felt like. Pray a simple prayer like this one, “Jesus, thank You for being that light.”
Jesus, thank You for flooding my life with Your light. Help me to wake up every day to new freedom. In Jesus’ name.
Illuminated Tuning!
Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence. We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.
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Video 43.4 Transcript
Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray
I woke the dungeon flamed with light
My chains fell off my heart was free
I rose went forth and followed Thee
Though this description applies to all of Adam’s race, without the work of the Holy Spirit we are incapable of accepting our captivity. Sin is absolutely a prison, but one we become accustomed to and accept as the only possibility. Reflect back on the darkness of that bondage.
Spirit, remind me just how dark was the prison of sin.
Into that darkness came a ray of light that filled my life. That first appearing brought a quickening of my conscience which allowed to me see my prison for the first time, and the path of escape from it. Double was the blessing of seeing the dungeon and the doorway.
Jesus, thank You for being that light.
That same light which illuminated my bondage also shattered those shackles. Even more than the release of physical chains my heart was truly free from the consequence of a lifetime of sin. I could have never pryed them off but they melted away in the light of God’s love.
God, I praise You for dissolving the chains my sin had forged.
The only appropriate response to that newfound freedom is to rise up and follow the One who made it available. First we stand in His presence, free of sin. Then we learn to move about in that freedom, all the while learning that following Him is the only path to enjoying it fully.
Jesus, show me how to follow You today.
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.
My chains fell off my heart was free
I rose went forth and followed Thee
Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, Be Resonant.
The post Awakening in His Light appeared first on Resonant 7.
Image Attributions
Imprisoned Spirit – https://pixabay.com/photos/prisoner-captivity-jail-penalty-6001768/
A Quickening Ray – https://pixabay.com/photos/man-pray-prayer-praising-praise-6354820/
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