The Lutheran Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States "God Pause Daily Devotion" for Saturday, 30 May 2015 "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty" ELW 413 v.1
1. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
I have vivid memories of hearing the church bell ringing, calling the parishioners into the sanctuary. There was a lot of commotion and talking until the choir began their choral invitation to worship. Their voices were low and solemn. Suddenly there was silence, as they began to intone their invitation that went something like this:
"Holy ... Holy .... Holy, the ... Lord ... is ... in ... his ... holy temple, let ... all ... the ... earth ... keep ... silent ... keep ... keep ... silent ... keep ... silent."
During the Trinity Season (now called the Sundays of Pentecost) the silence was then broken as the congregation raised its voices to sing, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty." I felt like I was sitting next to Isaiah in the temple. I miss that experience of coming apart from all the competing voices of the secular world into a holy place. I am thankful for having been given the privilege of calling God Abba, my Father, but I also need to experience God Almighty, high and lifted up upon His throne.
Tomorrow is Holy Trinity Sunday. It is a day when for a moment we step aside from familiarity and turn to the experience of awe and majesty, "How can this be?"
Holy and majestic God, touch our lips as you did for Isaiah, and assure us that our sins are forgiven, that you have made us holy even as you are holy. In the name of the Father and the name of the Son and the name of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hub Nelson
Retired Pastor, Eden Prairie, Minn.
Master of Divinity , 1962
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