Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer, ELW 618
1 Guide me ever, great Redeemer, pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but you are mighty; hold me with your pow'rful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, feed me now and evermore, evermore, feed me now and evermore.
2 Open now the crystal fountain where the healing waters flow; let the fire and cloudy pillar lead me all my journey through.
Strong deliv'rer, strong deliv'rer, shield me with your mighty arm, mighty arm, shield me with your mighty arm.
3 When I tread the verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside; death of death and hell's destruction, land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs and praises, songs and praises I will raise forevermore, evermore, I will raise forevermore.
Devotion
This hymn was originally written by a Welsh preacher and poet, William Williams. It had the original title "Lord, Lead Me through the Wilderness" and in a subsequent publishing carried the title, "A prayer for strength to go through the wilderness of the world."
The hymn is a prayer that asks God to guide us forever through the wilderness of this life. Most of us don't actually live out in the wilderness anymore, but who hasn't had the experience of looking around and asking, "What's going on here?" "How did everything get so complicated?" or "Where did everyone go?"
That is our current-day wilderness. When we are there, we are still scared, weak and needing a guide. In the wilderness, we still need the only thing that can restore the barrenness and bring us out of the wilderness—the bread of life. Bread of heaven, feed us now and evermore.
Prayer
Leading Lord, guide us forever through the wilderness of this life and feed us with the bread of faith. Amen.