Dearest Jesus, at Your Word (ELW 520, focus on Verse 4)
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
In our worship we rely on words to reflect on and give voice to what this hymn calls the “gospel’s consolation.” We speak words, we sing words, we hear words—to God, to each other, from scripture, from preachers, from each other. Through the many words of worship we are invited into the liveliest of conversations on what we, at bottom, need the most—the wondrous connection that God, in Jesus, has made with us and between us. God’s good news in Christ is the story we talk about, sing about, listen for and are invited into. Its words are good words, and again and again they bring us into the presence of the One who is the Word, full of love and truth and life for you, for me, for all.
Prayer
Holy One, bless us again in worship today with your words and your Word, granting all that we need and opening our praise and thanks for all that you say to us. Amen.