The Lutheran Semknary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States "God Pause Daily Devotion" for Penetecost sunday, 24 May 2015 “Spirit of The Living God,” St. 1, Daniel Iverson, 1926; St. 2, Michael Baughen, 1982

The Lutheran Semknary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States "God Pause Daily Devotion" for Penetecost sunday, 24 May 2015 “Spirit of The Living God,” St. 1, Daniel Iverson, 1926; St. 2, Michael Baughen, 1982

The text for today's hymn cannot be published due to copyright limitations. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Spirit of the living God,

Fall afresh on me.

Spirit of the living God,

Fall afresh on me.

Break me, melt me,

Mold me, fill me,

Spirit of the living God,

Fall afresh on me.

I have sung this "spiritual" over and over throughout my life in many different places and situations—in confirmation classes, at Bible camps, on wilderness canoe trails, in college dorms, and at congregational retreats. It has been part of Lenten Prayer around the Cross at Holden Village or in our Minneapolis congregations every year. I have prayed it in monasteries, in Greek Orthodox cathedrals, in ancient centers for worship in Turkey, and in temples where I do not speak the language. Why not sing it on Pentecost Sunday? It is surely an appropriate prayer for the day: for with Martin Luther I believe that "the Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian Church on earth." (Small Catechism, Apostles' Creed, explanation to Third Article)

Let this be our Pentecost Prayer: Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on us! Amen.

Don Rudrud

Master of Divinity , 1965

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