“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” (ELW 631, verse 4)
Devotion
Finish then thy new creation,
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee!
Changed from glory into glory,
till in heav'n we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise!
The readings for this week have inspired me to think especially about what God’s gift of faith stirs up in us. I have focused on the sort of "What now?" question regarding our consequential responsibilities. The final verse of this song about God's divine love reminds me about what God is doing. God's promises are real and present. True rest comes when God restores us and reconciles us to Godself. Where can you feel God acting in your life right now? Where do you see the in-breaking of the kingdom of God? It is an infinite relief to trust that our God comes to us. God meets us where we are instead of requiring us to work our way towards God. Trusting in such an active and attentive God makes hope much easier. So, let us rejoice in moments of rest and cling to the hope for the unfathomable rest which is yet to come.
Prayer
God who promises, we often take your works for granted. Open our eyes to your graceful presence and renew our faith in your love. Amen.