O Holy Spirit, Enter In (ELW 786)
1 O Holy Spirit, enter in,
and in our hearts your work begin,
and make our hearts your dwelling.
Sun of the soul, O Light divine,
around and in us brightly shine,
your strength in us upwelling.
In your radiance life from heaven
now is given overflowing,
gift of gifts beyond all knowing.
2 Left to ourselves, we surely stray;
oh, lead us on the narrow way,
with wisest counsel guide us;
and give us steadfastness, that we
may follow you forever free,
no matter who derides us.
Gently heal those hearts now broken;
give some token you are near us,
whom we trust to light and cheer us.
3 O mighty Rock, O Source of life,
let your good Word in doubt and strife
be in us strongly burning,
that we be faithful unto death
and live in love and holy faith,
from you true wisdom learning.
Lord, your mercy on us shower;
by your power Christ confessing,
we will cherish all your blessing.
Devotion
“O Holy Spirit enter in.” In such words I have often found myself asking God to not be absent in my life. And yet the reality is that God’s Holy Spirit has already entered in and given me life. What seems to confuse us the most is trying to figure out what kind of life God wants to give us. And sometimes perhaps we are not even so sure we want God to lead us on that narrow way. We can’t control just how the Holy Spirit enters into us and gives us life. But we can begin to trust that God does indeed love us and want what is best for us. We can let the Spirit help us in our weakness and pray for us with sighs too deep for words, trusting that all things will work together for good. To live in love and holy faith, from God true wisdom learning, may we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit wherever and to whatever God’s love has in store for us.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, enter in, and in our hearts begin your work in our lives again today, and every day, in each present moment. Amen.