About the Hymn
In a 1541 sermon, just a few years before his death, Luther said, “Faith is the ‘yes’ of the heart.” We’d be hard-pressed to find a better definition.
Faith is certainly knowledge of God’s promises—but more. Faith is certainly assent, or belief, in those promises–but more. Faith is trust in those promises, absolute dependence on those promises. In fact, Luther went on to say that faith is “a confidence on which we stake our lives.”
Let’s never be fooled into thinking that faith is simply knowledge and assent, for that’s only a ‘yes’ of the mind. Faith must also be a ‘yes’ of the heart, a ‘yes’ that only the Spirit himself can spark in us.
It is that kind of faith that Abraham had, according to Paul in his letter to the Romans, chapter 4, a reading for the second Sunday of Lent. As God shows Abraham the sweep of stars in the sky and promises that his descendants would be just as numerous, Abraham—“against all hope”—believes him.
Humanly speaking, it’s impossible. Abraham and Sarah are childless and well beyond childbearing age. But faith knows that God makes the impossible possible. Faith believes the unbelievable.
One more thought: It’s risky business to write a hymn about faith. It’s far too easy to inadvertently present faith as a decision we make or a feeling we have or a work we do to earn our salvation: “All you have to do is believe!”
On the contrary, faith is passive. It only receives. It is the empty hand now filled and the peace upon the dying sinner’s face, the Spirit’s sacred spark and the ‘yes’ said in the heart.
The hymn should be performed at a steady and expansive♩= ca. 66.
Text
1. The empty hand now filled,
the Spirit’s sacred spark,
the eyes that see the hidden things,
the ‘yes’ said in the heart.
This gift of God is faith.
2. The nod of Abraham
when promised late one night
his family would numbered be
like stars that sweep the sky.
This gift of God is faith.
3. The Virgin’s willingness,
when hearing Gabriel’s word,
to be the one to bear the Son,
the Savior of the world.
This gift of God is faith.
4. The soul that knows it’s lost
but hopes against all hope
and clings to life in Jesus Christ.
To whom else would we go?
This gift of God is faith.
5. Our leaning in to hear,
above the daily noise,
the word divine that says, “You’re mine,”
the Father’s still, small voice.
This gift of God is faith.
6. God’s heart that beats in us,
no matter what we feel;
when we are weak, his Spirit speaks;
our destiny is sealed.
This gift of God is faith.
7. Our turning back to God
when far from him we’ve strayed;
because we see his constancy,
we come back unafraid.
This gift of God is faith.
8. The peace we see upon
the dying sinner’s face
who knows that death is powerless
when sinners die in grace.
This gift of God is faith.
© 2018 Laurie F. Gauger
Lectionary Reading
Year A, Second Sunday in Lent: Romans 4:1–5, 13–17
Year A, Season after Pentecost, Proper 5 (10): Romans 4:13–25
Year B, Second Sunday in Lent: Romans 4:13–25
It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
