This morning I was thinking about spiritual gifts, because our church will soon be doing a workshop about this topic. And suddenly I heard this song in my heart, God singing it over me and all of us. Very simple and short, but meaningful to me.
I was in a Bible Study. We had just read 1 John 4: 17-18.
"This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
The question was asked, "What is the day of judgment?" and it occurred to me that there are many sorts of "days of judgment", times when our faith is tested. I don't have fear for the final day of judgment, but what about the intermediary times of testing. I don't want to be foolishly sure that I will pass the test in all times of trial.
So that became a prayer, became a poem, became a song. I probably did not pay as much attention as I might have to the rest of the study.
This is a song I wrote almost 30 years ago, but I had lost it. I couldn't remember the words or the melody except in a kind of ghost sense. In recent years, I've asked God if he would help me get it back. Then yesterday, it suddenly came back to mind. I guess it's time. I drew from Romans 8:28, Romans 8:38-39, the idea that the church is the Bride of Christ, and my memories of my wedding vows.
