God of Grace and God of Glory (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 705)
1 God of grace and God of glory,
on your people pour your pow’r;
crown your ancient church’s story;
bring its bud to glorious flow’r.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
for the facing of this hour,
for the facing of this hour.
2 Lo! The hosts of evil round us
scorn the Christ, assail his ways!
From the fears that long have bound us
free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grand us courage
for the living of these days,
for the living of these days.
3 Cure your children’s warring madness;
Bend our pride to your control;
Shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
Rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grand us courage,
lest we miss your kingdom’s goal,
lest we miss your kingdom’s goal.
4 Save us from weak resignation
to the evils we deplore;
let the gift of your salvation
be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
serving you whom we adore,
serving you whom we adore.
Text: Harry E. Fosdick; Music: John Hughes; Public Domain
Devotion
The melody of this hymn is a stirring one, which congregations of which I have been a part enjoy singing. The spirit of the melody matches the lyrics. They are a call for the church to rouse itself from quietism, to dare to enter the world of our neighbor and thus to encounter the world of the political, economic, and social structures around us. That world can be messy; it can be confusing and scary. But we do so knowing we have a place to stand. We stand on the foundation of God’s grace. It liberates us, sustains us, and empowers us. We can respond to the needs and even to the evils around us with words and actions that embody the care and the love of Jesus. May the words that we sing in strong hymns like this one be reflected in the lives we live.
Prayer
God, our Guide, thank you for the poets and musicians which inspire our song and invigorate our faith. May we carry in our hearts songs which speak to us as we seek to spread the good news of your love. Strengthen us to work faithfully for your kingdom’s goals of compassion, justice, and peace. Amen.