Give me the wings of faith

Although the majority of the music on UCB and Premier Radio (the channels I have been listening to whilst driving) is “contemporary”, hymns are also heard from time to time. A couple of Sunday evenings ago I was very moved to hear the hymn “Give me the wings of faith to rise”. The hymn was written by Isaac Watts and was published in 1709.

It is not the best known of hymns, but it has a special place in Methodism. Every year at the Ministerial Session of the Methodist Conference a memorial service is held to remember the Ministers who have died during the time since the previous Conference. Families and friends of the deceased Ministers are invited to join the Conference for this Service.  The hymn is sung as part of the Memorial Service.

I have attended several of these services, including in 2004 when my brother in law, Rob, was one of the Ministers remembered.

The hymn (posted below) is particularly relevant today, a time when many people have lost loved ones to Corona virus. It focuses on Christian assurance that death is not the end of anyone’s life story. Life continues elsewhere through the things that Jesus has done for us in his death and resurrection.

By faith we know that those who have died are now with God. We wish we could see those who have died, but the eyes of faith show us that they are in a joyful and glorious place.

Verse 2 encourages us with the awareness that those in heaven are just like us – they experienced tears and temptations on the route to heaven. We shouldn’t give up hope!

In verse 3 we realise that those in heaven are there because of Jesus. They were not necessarily better than us, but they depended on what Jesus (the Lamb of God) had done for them in dying for their sins. 

The fourth verse reminds me of another hymn, “O Jesus I have promised”, and the words “O let me see thy footmarks, and in them plant mine own”. Those who have gone ahead of us to heaven have done just that, inspired by Jesus, God incarnate as a human being.

Verse 5 encourages us to praise God as we reflect on and grieve for those who have died. The pattern of Jesus in dying, rising and ascending to heaven is followed by the long line of Christians who have gone ahead of us. We are somewhere along that line as we walk our path to heaven.

In the Methodist hymnbooks the hymn does not have a chorus/refrain. The original version does. It gives us a beautiful picture of the saints and angels welcoming us home to heaven. These are words to move and encourage us at this time of illness, death and grief for so many.  By faith in the risen Jesus we know that a joyful future lies ahead.

Here is the hymn:

1.     Give me the wings of faith to rise
Within the veil, and see
The saints above, how great their joys,
How bright their glories be.

2.     Once they were mourners here below,
And poured out sighs and tears;
Thy wrestled hard, as we do now,
With sins and doubts and fears.

3.     I ask them whence their victory came;
They, with united breath,
Ascribe their conquest to the lamb,
Their triumph to his death.

4.     They marked the footsteps that he trod,
(His zeal inspired their breast)
And, following their incarnate God,
Possess the promised rest.

5.     Our glorious leader claims our praise
For his own pattern given;
While the long cloud of witnesses
Show the same path to heaven.
           

            They'll sing their welcome home to me,
            they'll sing their welcome home to me;
            and the angels will stand on the hallellujah strand
            and sing me a welcome home.
            Welcome, welcome home!
            Welcome, welcome home!
            And the angels will stand on the hallelujah strand
            and sing me a welcome home.
 
Isaac Watts (1674-1748)