There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 588)
1 There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in his justice Which is more than liberty
There is no place where earth’s sorrows Are more felt than up in heav’n.
There is no place where earth’s failings Have kindly judgment giv’n.
2 There is a welcome for the sinner, And a promised grace made good;
There is a mercy with the Savior; There is healing in his blood.
There is grace enough for thousands Of new worlds as great as this;
There is room for fresh creations In that upper home of bliss.
3 For the love of God is broader Than the measures of our mind;
And the heart of the eternal Is most wonderfully kind.
There is plentiful redemption In the blood that has been shed;
There is joy for all the members In the sorrows of the head.
4 ‘Tis not all we owe to Jesus; It is something more than all:
Greater good because of evil, Larger mercy through the fall.
If our love were but more simple, We should take him at his word;
And our lives would be all sunshine In the sweetness of the Lord.
Text: Frederick W. Faber; Music: North American; Public Domain
Devotion
In verse 2 of this hymn, we sing, “There is welcome for the sinner, and more graces for the good; there is mercy with the Savior; there is healing in his blood.” These words speak to God’s mercy that equips us for love and service to others. God welcomes all of us as broken sinners who are redeemed and forgiven by the One whose only Son, Jesus, suffered and died for us and for the sake of the world.
God makes room for us and graciously provides for us a place at this great big table full of grace and mercy. It’s a place where there’s always room for one more saint and sinner and it’s a place where we know we belong. The Rule of Saint Benedict states, “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ.” This means when we as a community welcome others, we too are blessed, just as the guest is blessed. The care we give in Jesus’ name is
reciprocal. Everyone is blessed.
Prayer
Gracious God, your love and mercy for us is more powerful than we can imagine. Remind us of your love for us and help us to trust in you and your power to give us what we need to serve you and others with welcoming and open hearts and minds. Amen.