LBW #530, "Jesus Shall Reign"
1 Jesus shall reign wherever the sun
Does its successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
2 To him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown his head;
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.
3 People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on his love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on his name.
4 Blessings abound wherever he reigns:
The prisoners leap to lose their chains,
The weary find eternal rest,
And all who suffer want are blest.
5 Let every creature rise and bring
Honors peculiar to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen.
Devotion
By 1821, many of the natives of Fiji had become Christian. One day, they were terrified by the sight of an approaching Tongan war canoe. The Tongans were known for their ferocity. But they had not come to fight - they had come to buy a Bible. Hearing about the "white man's God," they rowed 250 miles across the open sea to get a copy of the book - even though none of them could read. The Holy Spirit was so obviously at work that a missionary returned with them to their island.
On Pentecost 1862 there was a remarkable gathering of thousands from Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. Presiding was an old native monarch named George who had declared his islands Christian. The first thing they did was sing a hymn that had been translated into their language. "Jesus Shall Reign" marked this significant step in their journey with God.
Prayer
Lord of all creation, wherever the sun rises and sets, your Holy Spirit invites us to join in the mission where you are already at work. Continually reveal your mission to us until that day when Jesus reigns in glory over his kingdom without end. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!