Lenten Theme Hymn: "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say," ELW 332
Devotion
1I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest;
lay down, O weary one, lay down
your head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
so weary, worn, and sad;
I found in him a resting-place,
and he has made me glad.
2I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
the living water, thirsty one;
stoop down and drink and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.
3I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise,
and all your day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found
in him my star, my sun;
and in that light of life I'll walk
till trav'ling days are done.
Text: Horatius Bonar, 1808-89 (Public Domain)
I was baptized as an adult, and it felt like drinking from living waters. In a very real way, it is. Baptism proclaims the radical truth at the heart of the gospel—that God's grace is a free gift, imparted to us not because of anything we've done or left undone, but because that is who God is. Baptism proclaims the radical truth that in baptism our sins are forgiven and we are claimed as God's own. Baptism proclaims the radical truth that God has claimed us and will not abandon us, for God keeps God's promises and will never ever let us go.
If we have been baptized, we have received the living water of Jesus' love. We have entered into his death and been raised to new life in him. If we haven't been baptized, the font always stands ready to revive our souls. Come and drink.
Prayer
Gracious God, remind us of your faithfulness to the promises you made to us in baptism. Quench our thirst. Raise us to new life. Amen.