You baptize me into your death
and pour your waters down,
but I must choose with every breath
to die as you had done:
the waters falling down again
upon this heart of stone.

And every drop that you let fall
is forming me, O Lord.
Your Spirit plays upon them all,
your mercies new each morn.
Each “yes” I answer to your call,
I am again newborn.

Then wear away my hardened heart:
Dull every sharpened edge;
break down the walls I built to guard
my weak and wounded flesh.
Each time I choose the better part,
give me a heart of flesh.

This one comes partly out of a suggestion in a songwriting challenge for this month, and partly out of sessions from the songwriting workshop I was at last week. It’s a song celebrating our creation and baptismal call, written for the tune of “All Creatures of Our God and King” (Lasst uns erfreuen).

In the beginning was the Word,
working, creating all that heard,
and it was good. Alleluia!
Darkness and light now have their ways;
season and form now sing God's praise,
and it was good. And it is good.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

In our beginning was a name,
spoken by God as heaven's claim,
and it was good. Alleluia!
Calling us here from nothingness,
speaking us into blessedness,
and it was good. And it is good.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

In the beginning, Spirit's mirth
played on the waters of our birth,
and it was good. Alleluia!
Now into Jordan's waters cold
sinking, we rise with heart made bold,
and it was good. And it is good.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

In the beginning as is now,
we bear a sign upon our brow,
and it was good. Alleluia!
Never to fade or fall away,
God's hand is on us every way,
and it was good. And it is good.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!