Charles Wesley - Being Of Beings, God Of Love! (654) Lyrics

Meaning & Inspiration

The enduring spiritual power of Charles Wesley’s hymns is beautifully re-presented with the 2023-07-22 release of "Being Of Beings, God Of Love! (654)," a timeless piece that invites deep reflection and devotion. While the original composition dates back centuries, this contemporary release ensures its profound message continues to resonate with a modern audience, demonstrating that truth and inspiration transcend time. This hymn is not merely a song; it is a meticulously crafted theological journey, guiding the worshiper through adoration, consecration, and an insatiable desire for God's fullness, a hallmark of Wesley's profound grasp of Christian experience.

At its core, "Being Of Beings, God Of Love!" is a majestic declaration of God's sovereignty and benevolent character, coupled with a fervent human response. Wesley often wrote hymns that articulated the full scope of Christian faith – from creation to salvation, and the ongoing work of sanctification. This particular hymn dives straight into the essence of worship, recognizing God as the ultimate source and sustainer of all existence. It’s an act of profound reverence, acknowledging God’s fundamental nature as both the ultimate reality, "Being of beings," and the embodiment of compassion, "God of love." This foundational truth inspires a spontaneous outpouring of praise, as we "gladly sing thy praise," echoing the Psalmist’s call to worship the Lord with gladness (Psalm 100:2). The hymn understands that genuine worship flows from a recognition of God's active presence and power in our lives, a power we tangibly "prove" through His continuous care and faithfulness, much like the Apostle Paul reminds us that in God "we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

The journey quickly moves from adoration to an intense personal consecration in the second stanza. Here, the worshiper expresses an earnest longing to belong wholly to God: "Thine, only thine, we pant to be." This isn't a casual sentiment; the word "pant" suggests a deep, consuming desire, much like a deer thirsting for water (Psalm 42:1). It is a surrender of the entire self, offered as a "sacrifice," reminiscent of Paul’s exhortation to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1). This act of self-giving is rooted in a profound recognition of God's prior work in our lives: we are "Made, and preserved, and saved by thee." This Trinitarian acknowledgement – God as Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer – forms the basis for our complete dedication, leaving no room for self-reliance. It affirms that our very existence and salvation are gifts, prompting an unreserved return of ourselves to the Giver.

Perhaps one of the most remarkable and deeply Wesleyan theological insights arrives in the third stanza. Having acknowledged God's mercies, the hymn presents a divine paradox: the "sole return thy love requires Is, that we ask for more." This concept challenges conventional notions of reciprocity, where one might expect a demand for service or strict obedience. Instead, God's boundless love, like a fountain, invites us to drink deeply and continuously. It's an invitation to cultivate an insatiable spiritual hunger, to keep our "heavenward... every wish" aspiring not to earthly accumulation, but to an ever-increasing experience of divine grace. This aligns perfectly with Jesus' teaching to "ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7). God's desire is not merely to meet our needs but to fill us to overflowing, prompting us to open our mouths wide so He can fill them (Psalm 81:10).

This beautiful invitation is met with an immediate and eager response in the fourth stanza: "For more we ask; we open then Our hearts to embrace thy will." This isn't a passive request; it's an active surrender and alignment. Asking for more of God inherently means asking for more of His will, more of His presence, and more of His transformative power. The petition to "Turn, and revive us, Lord, again, With all thy fulness fill" is a plea for spiritual renewal and completion. It’s a cry for a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit, bringing restoration and invigorating faith, much like the promise of times of refreshing coming from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19). This pursuit of divine "fulness" echoes Paul’s prayer that believers might be "filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:19), suggesting a complete saturation by God’s character and power.

The hymn culminates in a powerful invocation of the Holy Spirit, bringing the Trinitarian nature of Christian life into sharp focus. "Come, Holy Ghost, the Saviour's love Shed in our hearts abroad!" is a direct and urgent prayer for the Spirit to pour God's love into our innermost being, fulfilling the promise found in Romans 5:5 that "God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." This infilling is not merely an emotional experience but a transformative presence that defines our very existence. The glorious outcome is nothing less than complete communion: "So shall we ever live, and move, And be, with Christ in God." This profound statement encapsulates the essence of Christian life – our existence is inextricably linked with Christ, hidden in God, ensuring a life of purpose, power, and eternal belonging (Colossians 3:3). This hymn, therefore, stands as a vibrant testament to the dynamic, loving relationship God desires with His children, continually drawing us deeper into His presence and purpose through adoration, consecration, and an unending hunger for His divine fullness. Its re-release is a gift, a call to renewed spiritual passion in a world desperately needing God's love and presence.