Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 836)
1 Joyful, joyful we adore thee,
God of glory, Lord of love!
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before thee,
praising thee, their sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,
drive the gloom of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day.
2 All thy works with joy surround thee,
earth and heav’n reflect thy rays,
stars and angels sing around thee,
center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
chanting bird, and flowing fountain
call us to rejoice in thee.
3 Thou art giving and forgiving,
ever blessing, ever blest,
well-spring of the joy of living,
ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our brother,
all who live in love are thine;
teach us how to love each other,
lift us to the joy divine!
Text: Henry van Dyke; Music: Ludwig van Beethoven; Public Domain
Devotion
The words and music of this hymn are such a strong expression of joy for God’s creating of this world, and then they go on to point to the beauty of the planet by showing us what a loving God we have. Like the song, I have so appreciated science for the gifts it has given us to see and understand how complicated and beautiful this planet is. Imagine how amazing God is, not just to create this place we call our home but to create the cosmos and all the galaxies as well. For someone to call this an accident is beyond me. Evolution, Big Bang, String Theory—all of these point to just how complicated and generous our Creator is. How kind of God to give us the beauty of this earth and the love of the Son who would stop at nothing to show us the power of his committed love.
Prayer
Guide us Lord in seeing your creation as a statement of your existence. May we be in awe of the power it took to start it all in motion. Yet, with all your power, you choose to let us know you best through the love of your Son. Help us to help others know the awe of your creativity and the power of your endless love. Amen.