“O Christ, Our Light, O Radiance True”, ELW 675
1 O Christ, our light, O Radiance true,
Shine forth on those estranged from you,
And bring them to your home again,
Where their delight shall never end.
2 Fill with the radiance of your grace
The wand'rers lost in error's maze.
Enlighten those whose secret minds
Some deep delusion haunts and blinds.
3 Lord, open all reluctant ears
And take away the childish fears
Of those who tremble to express
The faith their secret hearts confess.
4 Lord, let your mercy's gentle ray
Shine down on others strayed away.
To those in conscience wounded sore
Show heaven's waiting, open door.
5 Make theirs with ours a single voice
Uplifted, ever to rejoice
With wond'ring gratitude and praise
To you, O Lord, for boundless grace.
Devotion
“O Christ our light, O Radiance true, shine forth on those estranged from you.”
There are many estranged from Christ today. We experience fewer people attending worship. We hear reports of fewer people who believe in God, and of more people who claim to be spiritual but who have no time for the church. They say they have their own spirituality.
It is good to know that the crisis of faith we see today is not new. It is the very reason Jesus was born, revealed God's love, and died for our sins. And God is still at work in people's lives, drawing them to believe in Jesus and trust themselves to God's word.
Prayer
Lord God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, fill with the radiance of your grace the wanderers lost in error's maze. Enlighten those whose deep delusions haunt and blind. Shine down on those who have strayed away. Show them heaven's waiting, open door. Amen.