Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain,” stanzas 1, 2, & 3 (ELW 363)
1 Come, you faithful, raise the strain
Of triumphant gladness!
God has brought his Israel
Into joy from sadness,
Loosed from Pharaoh's bitter yoke
Jacob's sons and daughters,
Led them with unmoistened foot
Through the Red Sea waters.
2 'Tis the spring of souls today:
Christ has burst his prison,
And from three days' sleep in death
As a sun has risen;
All the winter of our sins,
Long and dark, is flying
From his light, to whom is giv'n
Laud and praise undying.
3 Now the queen of seasons, bright
With the day if splendor,
With the royal feast of feasts
Comes its joy to render;
Comes to gladden faithful hearts
Which with true affection
Welcome in unwearied strain
Jesus' resurrection!
Devotion
In this 8th century Easter hymn by John of Damascus, translated by John Mason Neale, our future is connected with our past. We are reminded that the God of the Old Testament, who delivered Moses and the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt and led them safely across the Red Sea, is the same God who raised Jesus from the dead. The Easter celebration is lifted up as the “feast of feasts,” and is thus connected to Passover (and other feasts) of the Jewish people. Jerusalem’s response is to sing, rejoicing with “true affection” and “unwearied strain” of song.
In the resurrection Christians see the fulfillment of God’s ancient promises. God has a long history with us. It isn’t as if God suddenly took an interest in our well-being with the coming of Christ. Instead, God sent Jesus as the ultimate act of love toward us, his wayward (but beloved!) children.
Prayer
Risen Jesus, your love is eternal, at our beginning and our end. Help us to rejoice in your love today and always. Amen.