Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Saturday, 28 June 2014 "Each Morning Brings Us" With One Voice, 800

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Saturday, 28 June 2014 "Each Morning Brings Us" With One Voice, 800
1. Each morning brings us fresh outpoured
the lovingkindness of the Lord.
It ends not as the day goes past,
but gives us strength while life shall last.
2.O God, the star of dawning day,
give us that light for which we pray.
Your holy flame within us glow,
that we no lack of grace may know.
3. Walk with us in the light of day,
that we may ever, come what may,
in hope endure, in faith be strong;
abide in us our whole life long.
I phoned my 91 year old mother today. My heart is breaking because, for the first time, she had difficulty remembering who I am. Some of you have experienced this same hole in the heart. 
When I select music for worship, my mother's face is always before me. She first played the church organ while in high school and was still playing a decade ago. I often recall how, as I was growing up, Mom would sit at the kitchen table and counsel us the best she could. Sometimes I shook my head thinking her advice was not sufficient, always a variation on the same theme: "The Lord is with us day by day." If I could convey this hymn to her now she would smile: Each morning brings us fresh outpoured the loving-kindness of the Lord. Mom is on the home stretch now. I thought that when I hung up. A smile breaks out and stretches across my face, as I realize that the best pastoral advice I give to this day sounds like I'm mimicking my mother at the kitchen table.
Gracious Lord, your loving kindness ends not as the day goes past, but gives us strength while life shall last. Thank you. Amen.
Steve Wigdahl
Senior Pastor, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Naples, Fla. 
Master of Divinity , 1984
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