Jesus is a Rock in a Weary Land,” ELW 333
Devotion
Refrain
Jesus is a rock in a weary land,
a weary land, a weary land;
my Jesus is a rock in a weary land,
a shelter in a time of storm.
No one can do like Jesus,
not a mumbling word he said;
he went walking down to Lazarus' grave,
and he raised him from the dead. Refrain
When Jesus was on earth,
the flesh was very weak;
he took a towel and girded himself
and he washed his disciples' feet. Refrain
Yonder comes my Savior,
him whom I love so well;
he has the palm of victory
and the keys of death and hell. Refrain
"A weary land." The African American slaves certainly knew what a weary land their situation was. They also knew, though, that in the midst of their bondage, Jesus was still their rock, their only real recourse. To my mind, the refrain recalls the Israelites in their wilderness journey. Some felt that God, through Moses, had led them out of Egypt, only to die of thirst in the desert. All seemed lost, but then Moses struck a rock with his staff, and reviving water flowed forth.
If we think of our world and its myriad troubles, it can seem like a weary land, and in many respects it is. Refugees are perpetually seeking shelter from warfare and despotism, while our earth itself shows signs of drooping under the effects of over development and a too high level of carbon emissions. Our human community agonizes and at times despairs over these ills. In our Christian community, especially in Lent, we know that our journey in this weary land leads ultimately to the cross, where blood flows from Jesus' body for us. We have recourse. We are revived to live as God’s people.
Prayer
Gracious God, in the shifting sand and sometimes bleak landscape of this life, help us to stand evermore firmly on the solid rock of your son, Jesus. Amen.