For over a century, the bells of the church at All Saints in Lower Brixham, Devonshire, have rung out “Abide with Me” daily. The hymn was sung at the wedding of King George VI, at the wedding of his daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II, and at the funeral of Nobel peace prize winner Mother Teresa of Calcutta in 1997. More recently it was sung by Emeli Sandé at the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The hymn is popular across many denominations, and was said to be a favourite of King George V and Mahatma Gandhi. It is also often sung at Christian funerals. In the aftermath of the sinking of RMS Titanic, survivors reported that the Titanic’s band played the hymn as the ship was sinking, although detailed studies have identified other songs played by the band.
What always strikes me about this hymn is its stark simplicity, and the way it just centres everything back to God. It’s also speaks of the challenge to above all else, remain attached to God.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
~ John 15: 5- 7
If we remain in Him and keep plugged in, our world changes, God becomes not only the Author of our faith, but the Completer of wholeness and holiness. God is always the missing piece of our plot, the beginning, middle, and end of our story.
What are your thoughts on this? What does it mean to ‘abide in Him’? Where does this get you? What will you do next?
You are
The wake to my sleep
The flip to my flop
The shrug to my shoulder
The corner to my smile
And the spring to my step
You are
The break to my bread
The press to my wine
The full to my empty
The vine to my branch
And the quench to my thirst
You are
The wind to my sail
The blue to my sky
The light to my path
The map of my road
And the north to my compass
You are
The beat to my heart
The depth to my soul
The sound to my mind
The source to my strength
And the best to my friend
You are
