“God Whose Almighty Word,” ELW 673 & LBW 400
1 God, whose almighty word
Chaos and darkness heard
And took their flight:
Hear us, we humbly pray,
And where the Gospel day
Sheds not its glorious ray,
Let there be light!
2 Lord, who once came to bring,
On your redeeming wing,
Healing and sight,
Health to the sick in mind,
Sight to the inly blind:
Oh, now to humankind
Let there be light!
3 Spirit of truth and love,
Life-giving, holy dove,
Speed forth your flight;
Move on the water's face
Bearing the lamp of grace,
And in earth's darkest place
Let there be light!
4 Holy and blessed three,
Glorious Trinity,
Wisdom, love, might!
Boundless as ocean's tide,
Rolling in fullest pride,
Through the earth, far and wide,
Let there be light!
Devotion
“Let there be light!” God said, and there was. The Word of God never comes back empty. We may be afraid to speak on God’s behalf, but if we speak the words God gives us it will have impact.
God’s Word is truly illuminating, but far too often we don’t heed the advice of, “Hide it under a bushel, no! I’m going to let it shine!” Oh, that we could feel the burn Jeremiah felt when he wrote, “If I say, ‘I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,' then within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.” (Jer. 20:9) But God’s Word will either work through us or around us, and it will not fail.
Prayer
Let the chaos and darkness of our sinful world hear your Word, and may your Word be on our lips. Amen.