Brother Perry knows the hymn intimately, as he wrote the words. Only after their being tweaked and rewritten did the hymn make it into the LDS Church hymnbook nine years later. The result was a reflective song with three messages as follows for each person who takes the sacrament.
A Message of Reunion
Christ was one with the Father as he obediently followed what God wanted him to do. Even though the hymn was written in a plural and our form, Brother Perry hoped singers would think about the ordinance as individuals. He explained the importance of coming together every week to experience a reunion with God the Eternal Father as we partake of the sacrament.
A Message of Repentance
Just as rain gutters help redirect water out of and away from houses so buildings can remain clean inside, Brother Perry compared this to the importance of maintaining clean spiritual gutters so the Holy Ghost can flow inside each of us. One way to keep our spiritual gutters clean, he said, is through the sacrament. As we partake of the sacrament, our sins can be cleaned and the influence of the Spirit can be felt more easily in our lives.
A Message of Resolve
Accepting the will of God can be hard during times of despair or hardship, said Brother Perry. He explained how verse three of the hymn was intended to strengthen our resolve to accept God's will, walk in the footsteps of the Savior, and endure to the end.
Each one of us must form a personal connection with the Savior, he said. Brother Perry hoped the three symbolic messages conveyed through. As Now We Take the Sacrament would help us all remember the power of the sacred ordinance.