Dearest Jesus, at Your Word (ELW 520, focus on Verse 1)
1 Dearest Jesus, at your word
we have come again to hear you;
let our thoughts and hearts be stirred
and in glowing faith be near you
as the promises here given
draw us wholly up to heaven.
2 All our knowledge, sense, and sight
lie in deepest darkness shrouded
till your Spirit breaks the night,
filling us with light unclouded.
All good thoughts and all good living
come but by your gracious giving.
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
All this week we have focused on speech, on words spoken by and to God and the function and power of those words. We like to think speech is a uniquely human attribute. Yet, there is evidence in the animal kingdom of communication by voice or sound. We hear the voices of wind, water, and rock as well. What a wonder it would be to comprehend the speech of all creation.
The speech we are best familiar with has the power to stir us to know more. The hymn declares that we come again at Jesus’ invitation, to hear words that stir our hearts. We dare to want to glow from the experience of a holy word, and we even dare to want to be drawn to holy places. The word of love and grace that is the gospel carries this humble power—the power to stir us toward the holy in all things.
Prayer
Creator God, invite us again into the creation-wide conversation you have begun. Let us listen to and speak with all you have made—and hear and know again and again the promise of your holiness in every voice. Amen.