The beacon

Here O My Lord, I See Thee

Face to Face

Whatever else the church today is called to be and do,  at the end of it’s search for meaning it must remain a baptized community centred on Christ and gathered round the table of communion, in company with God and with each other.

 

For me one of the hymns that best expresses the individual Christian's response to that gathering around the Lord's Supper to worship, (but which has gone out of favor)   is Bonar's "Here O my Lord, I see Thee face to face".

This communion hymn, was written at the request of Horatius Bonar’s brother John, the pastor of St. Andrews’ Free Church, Greenock, Scotland. Once each year, Horatius went to visit John, and assisted his brother at the Lord’s Supper.

 In this hymn Bonar describes for us Christ’s invitation to meet Him face to face.  Here at this table the believer and Jesus, the Saviour and the saved,  face guilt, mystery, burdens eased, sin forgiven, and

heavens acceptance  together  through the actions performed together, of bread broken, wine poured out.

 

Take the time to reread this beautiful communion hymn before coming to communion next Sunday.

It’s not often we come across a hymn that can give us such a feeling of awe and WOW.

I hope my choice of hymn of the month meets with your approval.

……………..

 

 

Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face;
Here would I touch and handle things unseen;
Here grasp with firmer hand eternal grace,
And all my  weariness upon Thee lean.

 

This is the hour of banquet and of song;
This is the heavenly table spread for me;
Here let me feast, and feasting, still prolong
The brief bright  hour of fellowship with Thee.

Here would I feed upon the bread of God,

Here drink  with Thee the royal wine of Heaven;
Here would I lay aside each earthly load,
Here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiven.

 

I have no help but Thine; nor do I need
Another arm save Thine to lean upon;
It is enough, my Lord, enough indeed;
My strength is in Thy might, Thy might alone.

 

Mine is the sin, but Thine the righteousness:
Mine is the guilt, but Thine the cleansing blood;
Here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace;
Thy Blood, Thy righteousness, O Lord my God!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Too soon we rise; the symbols disappear;
The feast, though not the love, is past and gone.
The bread and wine remove; but Thou art here,

(Continued on page 13)