Lord Jesus, You Shall Be My Song (ELW 808)
1 Lord Jesus, you shall be my song as I journey;
I’ll tell ev’rybody about you wherever I go:
you alone are our life and our peace and our love.
Lord Jesus, you shall be my song as I journey.
2 Lord Jesus, I’ll praise you as long as I journey.
May all of my joy be a faithful reflection of you.
May the earth and the sea and the sky join my song.
Lord Jesus, I’ll praise you as long as I journey.
3 As long as I live, Jesus, make me your servant,
to carry your cross and to share all your burdens and tears.
For you saved me by giving your body and blood.
As long as I live, Jesus, make me your servant.
4 I fear in the dark and the doubt of my journey;
but courage will come with the sound of your steps by my side.
And with all of the family you saved by your love,
we’ll sing to your dawn at the end of our journey.
Text: Les Petites Soeurs de Jésus and L’Arche Community; tr. Stephen Somerville, b. 1931
Text © 1987 Les Petites Soeurs de Jésus, admin. Augsburg Fortress. Tr. © 1970 Stephen Somerville, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
Reprinted under OneLicense.net #A730924
Devotion
The songwriter makes a vital point in this hymn. It is this: Jesus Christ saves us all. Us all. That means no exceptions. And we are not saved by terror or violence. Nor are we saved by anger or fright. Nor are we saved by the wrath of God or the suffering of Jesus. We are saved by love and love alone. Love is the saving energy that God brings into the world. Love is the powerful energy that Jesus takes with him to proclaim to the spirits in prison. Love is the protective energy of the angels who tend to Jesus in the desert. Love, not shame, turns our faces back to the shining face of God. Jesus’ saving power fills the cosmos and every corner of the earth, so that through the ups and downs of our lives we are never alone. Let us sing!
Prayer
Lord, I may not understand why you want to save us all, even those who have inflicted pain and suffering on others. Lord, help us to see that even in your love for all, there will be justice for those who have suffered here on earth. Help us to see that your love is greater and deeper than any love we mortals can imagine. We praise you! Amen.