(Belated) Song for Sunday: Come Holy Spirit, Dove Divine

Sunday was my son's baptism, a joyous spiritual event for our family. We read this baptismal hymn in unison after the ceremony. In our Baptist tradition, baptism is for professed believers in Jesus Christ who request the ceremony as a way to demonstrate their faith. We are proud and happy.

In addition, this hymn was written by Adoniram Judson, the first missionary sent by an organization from America to anywhere. He served in Burma. Adoniram and his wife Anne Hasseltine  are the vocational models and inspiration for our men's and women's camps at CYC (the Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park.) I re-enact Anne Hasseltine, so this hymn is special to me because of its author.

Now I have the additional connection with it because of Jordan's baptism. So, even though I've used it for this before, it becomes this week's "Song for Sunday."

Come, Holy Spirit, Dove divine,
On these baptismal waters shine,
And teach our hearts, in highest strain,
To praise the Lamb for sinners slain.

We love Your Name, we love Your laws,
And joyfully embrace Your cause;
We love Your cross, the shame, the pain,
O Lamb of God, for sinners slain.

We sink beneath the water’s face,
And thank You for Your saving grace;
We die to sin and seek a grave
With You, beneath the yielding wave.

And as we rise with You to live,
O let the Holy Spirit give
The sealing unction from above,
The joy of life, the fire of love.

                           Adoniram Judson

                           Public Domain