I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 611)
1 I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto me and rest;
Lay down, O weary one, lay down
your head upon my breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
So weary, worn and sad;
I found in him a resting place,
And he has made me glad.
2 I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
The living water, thirsty one;
Stoop down hand drink and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.
3 I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s light;
Look unto me, your morn shall rise,
And all your day be bright.:
I looked to Jesus and I found
In him my star, my sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk
Till trav’ling days are done.
Text: Horatius Bonar; Music: English folk tune; Public Domain
Devotion
In this beloved hymn, Jesus tells the singer who he is. When the person is weary, Jesus is the rest that she seeks. When the person is thirsty, Jesus is the life-giving water that he needs. And when the person is alone in the dark, Jesus is the light in the world that we all need to find our way.
We know these truths, and we can read them in scripture. But frequently, we need to be reminded of them, through the voice of a friend or loved one, or through God speaking directly to our hearts or minds. Knowing the truth about Jesus is not enough. We have to hear it, again and again, to be reminded of the power of his person for meeting our needs for rest, sustenance, and illumination. In singing this song, we hear the voice of Jesus speak about his desire to care for us.
Prayer
Speaking God, assure us of your care. Cause us to trust in you for our provision. We seek the comfort of your voice! Amen.