God, Whose Almighty Word (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 673)
1 God, whose almighty word
Chaos and darkness heard
And took their flight:
Hear us, we humbly pray,
And where the Gospel day
Sheds not its glorious ray,
Let there be light!
2 Lord, who once came to bring,
On your redeeming wing,
Healing and sight,
Health to the sick in mind,
Sight to the inly blind:
Oh, now to humankind
Let there be light!
3 Spirit of truth and love,
Life-giving, holy dove,
Speed forth your flight;
Move on the water’s face
Bearing the lamp of grace,
And in earth’s darkest place
Let there be light!
4 Holy and blessed three,
Glorious Trinity,
Wisdom, love, might!
Boundless as ocean’s tide,
Rolling in fullest pride,
Through the earth, far and wide,
Let there be light!
Text: John Marriott; Music: Felice de Giardini; Public Domain
Devotion
As we in the Northern Hemisphere are in the grips of long nights and shortened days, I take great comfort that darkness responds to God’s word. Just as in Creation, God’s spoken word created light, and God multiplied the light into sun and stars. In our world, God’s words, when spoken and repeated, have power to shine into darkness.
The hymn pleads that “where the gospel-day sheds not its glorious ray: let there be light!” This evocative language casts in concrete terms the connection between the proclamation of the gospel and the enlightening of creation and the world. So, when we feel beset by chaos and darkness, we can turn to our God who speaks light into the gloom. As John’s Gospel tells us, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). We pray that God will speak light into our lives and all the places in the world that need illumination.
Prayer
Speaking God, speak your light into being. Cause us to shine your words into chaos and darkness. We seek the comfort of your voice! Amen.