Thou canst fill me gracious Spirit
Though I cannot tell Thee how
But I need Thee greatly need Thee
Come O come and fill me now
Fill Me Now 1879
By: Elwood H. Stokes (1815-1897)
Listen to this modern version of this classic hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the podcast below.
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Everyone enjoy this podcast and transcript below! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures and reflections shared.
Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.
As we continue our journey through this penitent text and hymn, make each stanza your own by praying through it. Let’s think about this.
Great Need
We come with open, empty hands.
This admission does not come easy for most of us. We have needs. It is rather difficult for most of us to readily admit we have need of assistance beyond our own capacities. In short, we are not naturally a humble bunch.
To admit that we need help, that we need some intervention can be a challenging thing to acknowledge, no matter the scenario. This is especially true at the root of our deepest need, peace with God. The Holy Spirit is the One who meets that need by revealing to us our need of a Savior and the reality that Jesus wants to be that for us.
Among all our other needs, even the most spiritual ones, this is the most crucial. We need strength to live daily for God’s glory. We need patience to deal with the difficult people in our lives. We need peace in the midst of our conflicts. But most of all we need need the Spirit of God to dwell in us marking us as those who belong to Christ.
But I need Thee greatly need Thee
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Romans 8:9 ESV
We need the Spirit because He is the one who imparts Christ to us. It is imperative for our salvation that we have Christ and thanks be to God the Spirit makes Him ours and us His. Ask Him to help you live in the Spirit instead of the flesh, then make that choice again every day.
RESONATE!
Have you ever acknowledged this deepest of needs, your need for a Savior? If you have, rejoice that it was the Spirit in you that allowed you to do so, and that same Spirit who revealed Christ to you. If not, do so today. Pray, “Spirit, I confess my need of a Savior and pray you will make me His and He mine.”
The Gift
God fills those open empty hands with light and love, with Himself.
When we acknowledge our need to God, whether for a Savior or for any other need which He reveals to us, He delights to fill that need. He reveals it so that He can meet it and in doing so allow us the privilege of knowing Him more. The need becomes a way for us to come to know God and His goodness to us.
If you have a need in your life today do not hesitate to bring it to God. Bring it in your open hand and give it to Him. Then wait patiently to see what He will do with it.
Allow that practice to remind you of your greatest need to routinely come to Him for filling. That filling enables you to live or abide in Him and He in you. This is the work of the Spirit. Thanks be to God!
Come O come and fill me now
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 1 John 4:13ESV
He has given us of His Spirit so we abide in Him. We must make that choice every day, the choice to live in Him as He lives in us. It seems so simple and in many ways it is, but we make it difficult. Ask the Spirit to help you make abiding in Him simpler every day.
RESONATE!
Are you abiding or living with a continual awareness of God’s presence? The Holy Spirit and He alone is the one that will help you cultivate that kind of awareness. That is precisely why it is so important to routinely pray simple prayers that acknowledge your need and ask Him to meet it. Pray, “Spirit, come, o come and fill me now.”
Jesus, thank You for the gift of your Spirit. He reveals You to me and helps me realize how much I need You. Help me to welcome His work in my life every day. In Jesus name. Amen.
Continual Thinking!
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Podcast 29.2 Transcript
Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.
Thou canst fill me gracious Spirit
All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 1 Corinthians 12:11 ESV
The Spirit can fill us and graciously chooses to do so, according to His will. He imparts to us the very Presence of God when He fills us. This is such a remarkable and undeserved transaction, a grace we could never merit yet is freely bestowed. Thank Him for filling and empowering you.
Though I cannot tell Thee how
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Romans 8:26 ESV
We do not know how He fills us or why He chooses to do so the way He does, yet we marvel at the kindness. What we should pray for is more of Him, but we often get caught in smaller interests. Still He prays for us for what we truly need. Spirit, intercede for me today.
But I need Thee greatly need Thee
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Romans 8:9 ESV
We need the Spirit because He is the one who imparts Christ to us. It is imperative for our salvation that we have Christ and thanks be to God the Spirit makes Him ours and us His. Ask Him to help you live in the Spirit instead of the flesh, then make that choice again every day.
Come O come and fill me now
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 1 John 4:13 ESV
He has given us of His Spirit so we abide in Him. We must make that choice every day, the choice to live in Him as He lives in us. It seems so simple and in many ways it is, but we make it difficult. Ask the Spirit to help you make abiding in Him simpler every day.
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more, with the refrain
Thou canst fill me gracious Spirit
Though I cannot tell Thee how
But I need Thee greatly need Thee
Come O come and fill me now
Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, Be Resonant.
The post Welcoming the Spirit to Meet Your Need appeared first on Resonant 7.
Image Attribution
But I need Thee greatly need Thee – https://pixabay.com/photos/hands-two-palms-light-hand-in-hand-1044882/
Come O come and fill me now – https://pixabay.com/photos/hand-bokeh-give-gift-offer-open-3889288/
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