I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 332)
1 I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto me and rest;
lay down, O weary one, lay down
your head upon my breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
so weary, worn, and sad;
I found him in a resting place,
and he has made me glad.
2 I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
the living water, thirsty one;
stoop down and drink and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.
3 I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise,
and all your day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
in him my star, my sun;
and in that light of life I’ll walk
till trav’ling days are done.
Text: Horatius Bonar; Music: Thomas Tallis; Public Domain
Devotion
Most of us would probably never use the word “rest” during times of chaos and uncertainty. But in this hymn we hear the call from Jesus to rest, to find solace in him, and to lay our heads down on the heart of our Savior. “Come unto Me and rest.”
In the midst of the challenges and trials that we face, we are called to trust in God’s mercy and grace, knowing that the love and peace of God will always carry us through. That may mean picking up a sign and hitting the streets, or a pen and writing letters, or it might mean laying our heads down on Christ’s chest and resting in the arms of unconditional mercy and grace.
Prayer
Help us to listen, O God, for your voice in all circumstances. Give us peace as we walk through the times of uncertainty and the chaos in our lives. Amen.