The Spirit and Fire of God!

Hymn 2: The Spirit of God

The opening line of William W. Phelps’ The Spirit of God is also the hymn’s most relatable metaphor, and it guides our interaction with the piece. First lines of hymns are very important. For example, look at the tone this sets, The Spirit of God like a fire is burning.



Fire is a powerful image. Fire is dynamic, and as we have seen all over the world, spreads… well, like wildfire. It begins with a spark, catching twigs, leaves, grass, trees, houses, and anything else in its path. Fire doesn’t follow a set line, but like a ripple of water, spreads outward to wherever there is fuel to feed it. The Spirit of God like a fire is burning.

Think for a moment about that metaphor, and fire becomes a very appropriate image for the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God spreads wherever there is fuel to feed it, catching in the hearts and souls of men, women and children throughout the world. The Spirit of God is dynamic. It goes from a flickering warmth to a rousing elation, and seems to communicate directly with our own spirits.



In the mission field, as my companion and I strove for obedience and and to keep the Spirit of the Lord with us, we had an experience with a woman while out tracting that has stayed fresh in my mind since that time.
The woman was troubled, dealing with major health challenges in her family. When she saw who we were, she asked a heartwrenching question, "Does God even care about us anymore?"

I felt in that moment the Spirit of God like a fire in my heart as I bore testimony of our Heavenly Father's great love for her and each and every one of His precious children. I told her about Moses 1:39, how it is God's work and glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, or in other words, to bring us home safely.

After we testified, the woman said that she could see light coming from us, that we were bright. The Spirit of God became an almost literal fire in that moment, transmitting directly from spirit to spirit as we testified of God's constant love. And for that woman, it manifested itself not only spiritually, but to her eyes, to one of her physical senses.




This is an exciting hymn. Each phrase enacts the first line's image with rousing, exultant language that relays the Spirit of God to our own souls like a burning fire. Is it any wonder this is still one of our most beloved hymns? The Spirit of God like a fire is burning.


Hear The Spirit of God sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!