In Christ There Is No East or West (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 650)
1 In Christ there is no east or west,
in him no south or north,
but one community of love
throughout the whole wide earth.
2 In Christ shall true hearts ev’rywhere
their high communion find;
his service is the golden cord
close binding human-kind.
3 Join hands, disciples of the faith,
whate’er your race may be.
All children of the living God
are surely kin to me.
4 In Christ now meet both east and west,
in him meet south and north;
all Christly souls are one in him
throughout the whole wide earth.
Text: John Oxenham; Music: African American spiritual; Public Domain
Devotion
John Oxenham wrote this hymn in 1908, at the end of the Victorian era and the advent of a progressive time in England known as Edwardian. Social reforms were enacted by the British government that established free school meals, school medical service, the Children’s Act, the Old Age Pension Act, and an 8-hour work-day for miners. Hallmarks of a culture and society that loved Jesus and each other. His faith and values are evident in the 3rd verse:
“Join hands, disciples of the faith, whate’er your race may be. All children of the living God are surely kin to me.”
Prayer
Unifying God, allow your Spirit to help us see that we can love each other, regardless of where we are from, our race, orientation, political opinion, or anything else that might define us as anything other than a child of God. Inspire us to be conduits of your Spirit for the sake of the world. Amen.