The Lutheran Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States "God Pause Daily Devotion" for Sunday, 7 June 2015 "Blest Be the Tie that Binds" ELW 656

The Lutheran Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States "God Pause Daily Devotion" for Sunday, 7 June 2015 "Blest Be the Tie that Binds" ELW 656

1. Blest be the tie that binds
our hearts in Christian love;
the unity of heart and mind
is like to that above.
2. Before our Father's throne
we pour our ardent prayers;
our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
our comforts and our cares.
3. We share our mutual woes,
our mutual burdens bear,
and often for each other flows
the sympathizing tear.
4. From sorrow, toil, and pain,
and sin we shall be free;
and perfect love and friendship reign
through all eternity.
Lyricist John Fawcett, orphaned at 12 and a tailor's apprentice, became a pastor at age 25. He and his wife, Mary, served a congregation of farmers and shepherds who could pay them little. When the Fawcett family grew, they accepted a wealthier congregation's call. But when Fawcett preached his final sermon in that rural congregation and the family made ready to depart, the couple realized they could not bear to leave their beloved congregation. Thereafter, Fawcett wrote "Blest Be the Tie that Binds." They remained 54 years.
The congregation had become the Fawcetts' brothers and sisters, just as Jesus' followers were his family. The Fawcetts and congregants shared the toil and pain experienced by humans since leaving the Garden. They shared the fears, burdens and hope the psalmist expressed and the frailties Paul described. God blessed the tie binding the Fawcetts in Christian love with their congregational family. With whom do you share such blest ties?
God of Blessings, we rejoice that you wondrously created us to share our lives in loving communities. Forgive our sins that destroyrelationships with Creation, each other and you. Bind us in Christian love and strengthen us to share mutually our burdens and joys. Amen.
Mary Simonson Clark
Redeemer Partner Engagement, Minneapolis, Minn.
Adjunct Instructor, Social Work, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minn.
Master of Arts in Theology/Master of Social Work , 2007

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