Dearest Jesus, at Your Word (ELW 520, Verses 3-4)
3 Radiance of God’s glory bright,
Light of Light from God proceeding,
Jesus, send your blessed light;
help our hearing, speaking, heeding,
that our prayers and songs may please you,
as with grateful hearts we praise you.
4 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
praise to you and adoration!
Grant us what we need the most;
all your gospel’s consolation
while we here on earth await you,
till in heav’n with praise we greet you.
Devotion
Worship and praise at once invite and express our hearing of God’s living word. A whole week of “speaking” and “heeding” can follow, when by grace we have both pleased and praised God. It’s easy to look around in worship, experiencing it with curiosity or familiarity in community, as only a human event. But God is there to meet us in word and sacrament with “all [the] gospel’s consolation.”
We may be complacent, but God wills to transform us. We may be overwhelmed, but God comes to empower us. We may be preoccupied or even petty, but God comes to bless us. We may be self-absorbed, but God moves to mobilize us for the kingdom. I’m on the edge of my pew with anticipation!
Prayer
Lord, may we lift our hearts and eyes to heaven as you meet us here in worship today. Amen.