Spirit of God, you're with me

In 1987 I was turned on to a terrific little book by Mark Altmann, then a Sem Student. ‘The Holy Spirit: Shy Member of the Trinity’ contained 4 lectures, 2 by Frederick Bruner, 2 by William Hordern. One of Bruner’s led to a song called ‘Listen to Him’, both of Hordern’s to ‘Spirit of God’. The combination of this little book, the purchase of a new synthesiser, and the uncertainty of personal direction led to 3 songs in one month. I don’t usually do so well.
I'm doing an edited version of these thoughts the day after Pentecost 2008. The band played the song (and the congregation sang it) during communion yesterday at our church (St Stephen's Lutheran, Adelaide).

‘Spirit of God’ contains the chorus-prayer for the Spirit to bring its 2 greatest gifts of faith and love. The verses are a kind of exposé of the Spirit:
1. the Spirit fulfils Jesus’ promises
2. the Spirit brings life, new birth, through baptism
3. the Spirit gathers us into community
4. the Spirit brings new behaviour, grows ‘good fruit’ in us
I’m not sure if I had it at the front of my mind when I wrote, but I guess it’s a song expansion of the teaching that the Spirit calls, gathers, and enlightens the whole Christian Church on earth.(from Luther’s Catechism, 3rd Article re the Creed).

Hordern’s 2 lectures are titled “The Theology of the Cross and the Holy Spirit” and “The Holy Spirit and the Theology of the Cross”. Hordern asserted, and I agree with him, that we are surrounded by triumphalism’. He looks at the Holy Spirit in the light of a theology of the cross.
I attempt to do the same in the song, emphasising:

• God comes to us. We are unable to rise to heaven
• Heaven is guaranteed for us through humble means like water and word
• God’s strength, not ours
• Trust in God, God’s power over evil, &God’s promise to be in us & with us.

I also attempt to communicate a Theology of the Cross in this & all my songs by using ordinary language as much as possible (not ‘holy’ words) & music, melodies, chords… that are not too emotive and conjure up a ‘religious’ feeling. This is kind of an ‘anti-popular’ thing to do — but then so is a Theology of the Cross.