Filled with Hope and Gratitude (ACS 907, Verse 2)
2 God’s eternal mercy, meant for all of humankind,
is given as deliv’rance from oppression.
The powerful and haughty find that
they are now cast down,
the lowly raised beyond this world’s derision.
Text: Paul Damico-Carper, b. 1981, based on Luke 1:46–55
Text © 2013 Augsburg Fortress
Reprinted under OneLicense.net #A730924
Devotion
This hymn verse reminds me of Jesus’ statement in the Gospel of Matthew: “The last shall be first, and the first last.” The kingdom inverts earthly systems and expectations. The powerful will be brought down, while the lowly are raised. God’s kingdom is so unlike that world in which the devil seems to reign.
We live in a world where violence, oppression, and despair seem to rule. But Jesus taught us to pray that God’s kingdom would come among us in this world—taught us to hope for the day when God sets everything right. While we can fight for a more just world, Jesus and his transformational power to change people has to always be at the center. And we can anticipate the day when God makes all things right.
Prayer
God of the marginalized, the oppressed, the suffering, and the lowly: We pray for your justice, your mercy, and your love. We pray for your kingdom to finally come. Amen.