The God Pause Daily Devotional for Saturday, 10 March 2018 - The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United "Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow," ELW 327, Verse 2
1. Through the night of doubt and sorrow,onward goes the pilgrim band,
singing songs of expectation,
marching to the promised land.
Clear before us through the darkness
gleams and burns the guiding light;
pilgrim clasps the hand of pilgrim
stepping fearless through the night.
2. One the light of God's own presence
on the ransomed people shed,
chasing far the gloom and terror,
bright'ning all the path we tread.
One the object of our journey,
one the faith which never tires,
one the earnest looking forward,
one the hope our God inspires.
3. One the strain that lips of thousands
lift as from the heart of one;
one the conflict, one the peril,
one the march in God begun.
One the gladness of rejoicing
on the far eternal shore,
where the one almighty Father
reigns in love forevermore.
4. Onward, therefore, sisters, brothers;
onward, with the cross our aid.
Bear its shame, and fight its battle
till we rest beneath its shade.
Soon shall come the great awak'ning;
soon the rending of the tomb!
Then the scatt'ring of all shadows,
and the end of toil and gloom.
***
Each morning I set out for my daily walk, often just
before the dawn. At first the path ahead is dark and
gloomy, my steps careful and uncertain. But then as
sunrise approaches, the light begins to "chase the gloom
away" and "brightens the path I tread." As our Lenten
theme hymn suggests we are like pilgrims on a journey,
walking from darkness toward the light. That journey is
like a parable of our lives, so often seeking light that will
chase away the darkness and gloom that too often press
in on us. It is comforting to join in singing our hymn's
reminder: like the dawn of each morning that chases
away the darkness, the "light of God's presence" travels
with us each step of our journey toward the dawn of
Easter's light.
God of Presence and Light, may we journey this Lenten
Season, confident that in the midst of the gloom that
shadows our days, there is a light that dawns with the
promise of your presence to guide us each step of our
journey. Amen.
James L. Boyce, '72
Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Greek, Luther Seminary
***
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