On What Has Now Been Sown, ELW 550
1 On what has now been sown your blessing Lord, bestow; the pow'r is yours alone to make it sprout and grow.
O Lord, in grace the harvest raise, and yours alone shall be the praise!
2 To you our wants are known, from you are all our pow'rs; accept what is your own and pardon what is ours.
Our praises, Lord, and prayers receive and to your word a blessing give.
3 Oh, grant that each of us, now met before you here, may meet together thus when you and yours appear, and follow you to heav'n, our home.
E'en so, Amen!
Lord Jesus, come!
Devotion
I love sending songs. This likely has roots in my childhood experience of church. Certain hymns smelled like the cookies and coffee I knew were waiting for us as we spilled from the sanctuary. The best “close of service” hymns pull us to our feet with a lightness and freedom that is rare in our world of obligations and undertakings.
This hymn preaches in us the truth that faith’s power, sown in the sweet gifts of word and sacrament, is God’s to work in the weeks we enter. We sing together and separately, each of us praying for peace and pardon, and all of us in need of the blessing only God can give.
Of course we flow again into the workday world as laborers in God’s harvest; we also get to be God’s unexpected, sweet and welcome grace for neighbors near and far.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you shall be our song as we journey. From you are all our powers. Send us from your table with peace that passes all human knowing. Give us grace to be grace for others. Amen.