Thursday Hymn Reflection: “Come Share the Lord”

[Each Thursday, we “reflect” on a hymn suggested by our readers. To add your favorites to the list, submit a comment with no more than three suggestions.]

Written in 1984, “Come Share the Lord” has become a often-used song before the Lord’s Supper. The idea of “sharing” is the overarching theme of this simple song, and it brings to mind the concept of unity that is seen so strongly at communion, as we are sharing not only with each other, but also with Jesus.

The writer and composer, Bryan C. Leach, struggled to write this song, though. These are his own words:

In the autumn of 1982, I made an inner resolve to write a communion anthem and promptly forgot about it. During Christmas with my family in England, I invented a melody at the piano, but my mind was barren of any lyric ideas. 

One hot summer day, while visiting a musician friend in Simi Valley, Calif., I played the setting and asked him to react to it. After repeating it, he thought a moment and then said, ‘It’s obvious: Holy Communion.’ I went home and within an hour the words were complete. In the anthem arrangement by Roland Tabell it has become my most popular song to date. (quote from http://www.umportal.org/article.asp?id=3900)

The picturesque words of the song are the driving force behind it. The picture of Christ being with us as we commune is a concept we don’t think about enough. The second verse begins, “He joins us here; He breaks the bread. The Lord who pours the cup is risen from the dead.” When we eat the Lord’s Supper, are we thinking about the concept of Christ not only being honored, but also being present?

My favorite part of the song, though, is the ending. As we commune here on the earth, we are anticipating a greater meeting. So, we sing, “We’ll gather soon where angels sing.” That hope gives us even greater motivation to commune with thought and emotion. And so, this song is able to do something that is rare among songs often sung at the Lord’s Supper: it combines the past, present, and future. But that’s what communion is all about.

Here are the lyrics to this great hymn:

We gather here in Jesus’ name;

His love is burning in our hearts like living flame,

For thro’ the loving Son the Father makes us one;

Come, take the bread; come, drink the cup;

Come share the Lord.

No one is a stranger here;

Everyone belongs.

Finding our forgiveness here,

We in turn forgive all wrongs.

He joins us here; He breaks the bread.

The Lord who pours the cup is risen from the dead.

The one we love the most is now our gracious host:

Come, take the break; come, drink the cup;

Come share the Lord.

We are now a family

Of which the Lord is Head;

Tho’ unseen He meets us here

In the breaking of the bread.

We’ll gather soon where angels sing;

We’ll see the glory of our Lord and coming King.

Now we anticipate the feast for which we wait:

Come, take the bread; come, drink the cup;

Come, share the Lord.

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What are some of your thoughts on this hymn?