Archives for November 30, 2013

Devotion

We walk by faith and not by sight;
with gracious words draw near,
O Christ, who spoke as none e'er spoke:
"My peace be with you here."

We may not touch your hands and side,
nor follow where you trod;
but in your promise we rejoice,
and cry, "My Lord and God!"

Help then, O Lord, our unbelief;
and may our faith abound
to call on you when you are near
and seek where you are found:

For you, O resurrected Lord,
are found in means divine:
beneath the water and the word,
beneath the bread and wine.

And when our life of faith is done,
in realms of clearer light
we may behold you as you are,
with full and endless sight.

Henry Alford's wonderful hymn "We Walk by Faith" seems appropriate for this St. Andrew's Day. Andrew, through prominently mentioned as one of the first called disciples of our Lord, is a bit mysterious. Legends abound about his missionary activities and his martyrdom, but the man himself is never on display: the stories are all about faith.

That's as it should be. Our life of faith is what matters in this life and in the life to come. As Alford so beautifully writes, "And when our life of faith is done, in realms of clearer light, may we behold you as you are, with full and endless sight." May our lives become more like Andrew's: sharing our joy in Jesus' presence with those near to us and those far away. May we too find our reward not in worldly fame or renown but in the beauty of Christ's presence eternally.