4. Come in your holy might, we pray,
redeem us for eternal day;
defend us while we dwell below
from all assaults of our dread foe.
---------------------
I once had a religion professor who was so soft spoken that the front of the classroom used to fill up first so students could actually hear him. This man also happened to be short and thin. His whole aura radiated not wanting to take up space.
So I was shocked when I saw my professor speaking at a large peace rally off campus. He shouted into the microphone with energy, volume and passion that I had no inkling he possessed. I came to understand that the change had to do with faith: in the classroom, he taught what other people thought about God. At that podium, he got to proclaim his own faith.
I remembered my professor when reading "holy might" in the fourth stanza of our hymn. We sing that God might come in "holy might" to redeem and defend us. Even as we sing, we can profess what we believe with holy passion now.
Gracious God, enlighten in us your might for justice, redemption and peace. Amen.
Adam Copeland
Director of Stewardship Leadership, Luther Seminary
"Creator of The Stars at Night" by Unknown author, 7th Century (Conditor alme siderum); translated from Latin to English by John M. Neale in the Hymnal Noted, 1852.
1. Creator of the stars of night,
Thy people’s everlasting light,
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,
And hear Thy servants when they call.
2. Thou, grieving that the ancient curse
Should doom to death a universe,
Hast found the medicine, full of grace,
To save and heal a ruined race.
3. Thou cam’st, the Bridegroom of the bride,
As drew the world to evening-tide;
Proceeding from a virgin shrine,
The spotless Victim all divine.
4. At Whose dread Name, majestic now,
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
And things celestial Thee shall own,
And things terrestrial, Lord alone.
5. O Thou Whose coming is with dread
To judge and doom the quick and dead,
Preserve us, while we dwell below,
From every insult of the foe.
6. To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Laud, honor, might, and glory be
From age to age eternally.
---------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment