“Songs of Thankfulness and Praise,” ELW 310 and LBW 90
1 Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord, to thee we raise;
Manifested by the star To the sages from afar,
Branch of royal David's stem In the birth at Bethlehem:
Anthems be to thee addressed, God in flesh made manifest.
2 Manifest at Jordan's stream, Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;
And at Cana wedding guest In thy Godhead manifest;
Manifest in power divine, Changing water into wine;
Anthems be to thee addressed, God in flesh made manifest.
3 Manifest in making whole Palsied limbs and fainting soul;
Manifest in valiant fight, Quelling all the devil's might;
Manifest in gracious will, Ever bringing good from ill:
Anthems be to thee addressed, God in flesh made manifest.
4 Grant us grace to see thee, Lord, Present in thy holy Word;
Grace to imitate thee now And be pure, as pure art thou;
That we might become like thee At thy great epiphany,
And may praise thee, ever blest, God in flesh made manifest.
Devotion
On this Sunday, are you getting ready to worship with other people of God? Have you already done so? The first line of Wordsworth’s stanza 4 is, by itself, a good prayer before or after worship: “Grant us grace to see thee, Lord, Present in thy holy word.”
God is not silent. God speaks. Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh, speaking to us, living for us. The Bible is the written Word, ready and waiting to be God’s channel to us. The speaking of God’s people – sermons, hymns, liturgy, testimony – is the proclaimed Word, shaping lives.
Today you may faithfully anticipate God’s self-revelation through words. You may read the Word and hear God speak again. And you are a channel of God’s word. It is a wonderful privilege to be able to hear and speak the gift of God. The privilege is for you and for each of us today.
Prayer
Lord, open my eyes, my ears, my heart, to your many ways of speaking today. Help me join the conversation of faith. Amen.