"Lord Jesus, You Shall Be My Song," ELW 808
The text for today's hymn cannot be published due to copyright limitations. We apologize for the inconvenience. Words translated by Stephen Somerville
1. Lord Jesus, you shall be my song as I journey;
I'll tell ev'rybody about you wherever I go;
you alone are our life and our peace and our love.
Lord Jesus, you shall be my song as I journey.
2. Lord Jesus, I'll praise you as long as I journey.
May all of my joy be a faithful reflection of you.
May the earth and the sea and the sky join my song.
Lord Jesus, I'll praise you as long as I journey.
3. As long as I live, Jesus, make me your servant,
to carry your cross and to share all your burdens and tears.
For you saved me by giving your body and blood.
As long as I live, Jesus, make me your servant.
4. I fear in the dark and the doubt of my journey;
but courage will come with the sound of your steps by my side.
And with all of the fam'ly you saved by your love,
we'll sing to your dawn at the end of your journey.
The L'Arche community in France pairs volunteers to supportively live with adults with severe limitations. Some of the residents would be unable to move beyond their beds without a partner serving as their dresser, bather, feeder and friend. To serve those with such significant impairments requires the volunteer to fully explore for him or herself the meaning of, "love your neighbor as I have loved you."
"Lord Jesus, you shall be my song as I journey." That affirmation could well guide each of us this Lord's Day, reminding each of us that we never journey alone. We are always a part of a community that includes the Lord of the church who loves us deeply.
"As long as I live Jesus make me your servant, to carry your cross and to share all your burdens and tears." The theme of the lessons this past week have concentrated on the image of a vineyard, too often not well tended. This hymn from the L'Arche community offers a fine blueprint for living well on the journey of faith. To carry the cross is to acknowledge that the life of faith involves trusting in the love and mercy of God in a world all too often characterized by pain, suffering and death.
The fear of such a world is transformed into courage when faith perceives the presence of love as our companion. Then we truly can lift our voices in a glad confidence and, "sing to your dawn and the end of our journey."
Lord Jesus, let my worship this day be a heart that overflows with gratitude for the grace you have shown me, and a trust that you will multiply my joy by letting me walk with another as a caring companion on the road. Amen.
Sherman Bishop, '80
Senior Pastor, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Westlake, Ohio
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The Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
Telephone: (651)641-3456-
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