1. Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heav'n, to earth come down!
Fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
enter ev'ry trembling heart.
2. Breathe, oh, breathe thy loving Spirit
into ev'ry troubled breast;
let us all in thee inherit;
let us find thy promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.
3. Come, Almighty, to deliver;
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
4. Finish then thy new creation,
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee!
Changed from glory into glory,
till in heav'n we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise!
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The holiday season is quickly drawing to a close. Perhaps you are reading this devotion on your phone or tablet while you make your way home. School will start up again soon. Back to the grindstone in your office, shop, home or farm. It will be time to take down any remaining Christmas decorations, pack them up and store them away. And then what?
Charles Wesley's much loved hymn is a good reminder that the "back to normal" life we are facing is anything but unremarkable. How could it be anything else when Divine Love and Heavenly Joy have come down to companion with you. None of us know what 2016 will bring. Be it a litany of success, accomplishments or achievements, or be it a year punctuated with sickness, sadness and loss, we might remember that as we live our way through this new year we will not do so alone. Emmanuel, God is with us. And in the end may you see that your journey has been one "lost in wonder, love and praise!"
Divine Love, fix in us your humble dwelling, all your faithful mercies crown. Visit us with your salvation, and enter every trembling heart. Amen.
Sherman Bishop
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Westlake, Ohio
Master of Divinity , 1980
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