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Lead Kindly Light is a hymn with words written in 1833 by Saint John Henry Newman, a prominent theologian and poet who later became a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church. He wrote the poem as a prayer for guidance and comfort in times of trouble, when he was stranded in Italy after a serious illness. The hymn expresses his faith in God's providence and his willingness to follow God's will, even when he cannot see the future clearly.
I choose this song for this post because of how connected I feel to it. It always reminds me that this world is neither my ultimate destination nor home. May He lead us all home with His light.
The lyrics of the hymn Lead Kindly Light are as follows:
Lead, kindly Light, amid th’ encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on;
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on;
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path, but now
Lead Thou me on;
I loved the garish day, and spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will; remember not past years.
So long Thy pow’r has blest me, sure it still
Wilt lead me on,
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.
[Source] [https://hymnary.org/text/lead_kindly_light_amid_the_encircling_gl]
The hymn was written by John Henry Newman and set to music by John B. Dykes.
The light of God is a metaphor that describes God's nature, character, and actions. It implies that God is pure, holy, true, righteous, and good. It also means that God reveals Himself to His creation, exposes sin and darkness, and guides His people to His will and purpose. Here are some aspects of the light of God:
- God is the source of light. He created light in the beginning (Genesis 1:3) and He dwells in unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16). He is called the Father of lights (James 1:17) and the light of Israel (Isaiah 10:17).
- God is light in Himself. He has no darkness or evil in Him (1 John 1:5). He is perfectly holy and righteous (Psalm 97:6). He is the truth and He cannot lie (John 14:6; Titus 1:2).
- God is the light of the world. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the light of the world (John 8:12). Jesus came to reveal God's glory and grace to humanity (John 1:14, 18). He also came to expose the works of darkness and to destroy the power of the devil (John 3:19-21; 1 John 3:8).
- God is the light of His people. He gives His Spirit to His children, who are called the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). He enlightens their minds to understand His word and His will (Psalm 119:105; Ephesians 1:18). He also empowers them to shine His light to others and to overcome the darkness (Philippians 2:15; 1 John 2:8-10).
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