Songs of Thankfulness and Praise, ELW 310 and LBW 90
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 thy birth at Bethlehem:
anthems be to thee addressed, God in flesh made manifest.
Manifest in 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.
Manifest in making whole weakened body, 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.
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 me might become like thee at thy great epiphany,
and may praise thee, ever blest, God in flest made manifest.
Devotion
How do you know Jesus is Lord? Because someone one told you so? Because what you’ve heard and read makes sense? Because you have experienced a moment so powerful and meaningful that you know it had to come from God?
The hymnwriter posits that everything Jesus was and did made his divine nature apparent. “Manifest” means to prove, to make obvious, to put beyond doubt or question. From his birth to his death, Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of old. He healed and cast out demons. He taught with authority. He gave up his life in an act of selfless love. No ordinary man could do this; only the one who had been begotten from God.
If you believe this to be true, the hymn continues, there is but one response:
Prayer
Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord, to thee we raise, Amen.