Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 246)
1 Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding!
“Christ is near,” we hear it say.
“Cast away the works of darkness
all you children of the day!”
2 Wakened by the solemn warning,
from earth’s bondage let us rise;
Christ, our sun, all sloth dispelling,
shines upon the morning skies.
3 See the Lamb, so long expected,
comes with pardon down from heav’n.
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
one and all, to be forgiv’n;
4 So, when next he comes in glory
and the world is wrapped in fear,
he will shield us with his mercy
and with words of love draw near.
5 Honor, glory, might, and blessing
to the Father and the Son
with the everliving Spirit
while unending ages run!
Text: Latin hymn, 1632; Music: William H. Monk; Public Domain
Devotion
The second line of verse four says, “When the world is wrapped in fear.” That’s a good description for billions of people in our world today.
Here is the mystery and the gift of Advent. It is always based in a hope that calls from the future. The Hebrew prophets moaned in the fear of Ancient Empires crushing their people. They called out for the dawn of a Messiah.
Christians claim to follow that Messiah. Jesus of Nazareth is Jehovah is Salvation and God with Us. And still, our world is shrouded in the darkness and suffering of oppression and fear. And yet, the Advent voice still calls out. The promise of God calls from the future. The coming of Jesus is the already-and-not-yet reality of God’s unfolding promise. In the grace of God through Jesus, we can be wrapped in God’s mercy and drawn near in love, now and forever.
Prayer
Oh God, draw us near to your love. Wrap us in the shield of your mercy. Amen.