Holy Spirit Come Again, Like a Gentle Summer Rain
The Holy Spirit is not some ethereal Force.
He is real, present. Sometimes like a gentle summer rain, sometimes a Holy Fire burning evil.
The Holy Spirit means many things to me. A gentle summer rain. A pure, white dove. Holy fire. This song (in gold titles) describes the Spirit in our lives.
The poem written in between comes from my heart, sharing the ways the Spirit comes to me.
Holy Spirit come again, like a gentle summer rain,
Falling softly from a mellow sky, cooling pastures parched and dry.
With outstretched hands, eyes turned skyward, I search.
My heart feels empty, parched, dry.
How long has it been? How long
since I felt the gentle summer rain?
Or saw a mellow sky?
So long stormy, turbulent, awash.
So long gloom, seeking silence, arid dryness, always empty.
Holy Spirit, I beseech You
come again!
Fill me with Your gentle rain.
Holy Spirit come with love, pure and gentle as a dove,
Melt our hearts and make them soft again, send your peace to dwell within.
With outstretched hands, eyes turned skyward, I search.
From a sunny sky,
a soft, white feather floats errantly on a gentle breeze,
downward, this way then that,
then kisses my palm.
How did this blessing, this beautiful gift
I don’t begin to deserve
settle upon me?
My heart melts soft at the gentle dove-ness of the Holy Spirit,
warming and swelling my heart with gratitude.
Holy Spirit come with pow’r, burning with Thy Holy fire,
Give us strength to comfort, heal the lame, cast out demons in Thy name.
My arms stretch-wrapped tight around my loved one,
eyes shooting fire at the turmoil raging,
consuming her with electrical flames of distress.
Tighter, tighter.
My arms become Yours, my fire becomes Yours!
You come with power
Burn with Holy fire,
You strengthen my arms, You comfort our souls, You calm our anguish.
Your Name is power, Your Name is fire.
Once more calm, silence, peace…
Inner demons slink away.
Holy Spirit come with joy, to our lips bring songs of praise,
Thru dark valleys or on rugged ways, joy will brighten all our day.
Sunrise glows past the horizon
the day still new, night darkness gone.
A spring robin splashes and preens in a clear stream
then bursts skyward in sudden, joyous flight,
iridescent sparklets in his slipstream.
Light. For a new day.
Hope. To smooth the rugged way.
With arms outstretched, eyes turned skyward, I receive.
The joy robin explodes into song and I sing
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
I will praise Your Holy Name!
My soul rests in Your embrace…
My spirit is safe in Yours.
Forever.
Holy Spirit come again, like a gentle summer rain.
FOOTNOTES:
The song written in gold titles is “Holy Spirit, Come Again” by Caleb Heppner. The song is included in the songbook “Banners of Joy 2” by Josie Regehr.
The poem written between the gold titles is my extension of the song, written from the heart. So often we wonder just what is the Spirit. It is not some ethereal Force that is sometimes with us and sometimes not. The Holy Spirit is a Who, and He is always with you. He is a Force, yes, but He is much more than that. He is our Guide for every day, our very breath, our every sigh. Exactly what we need, when we need it. He is God with us. He is Jesus living inside us.
