I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say, ELW 332
I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Come unto me and rest;
"lay down, O weary one, lay down your head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was, so weary, worn and sad;
I found in him a resting place, and he has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Behold, I freely give
"the living water, thirsty one; stoop down and drink and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, "I am this dark world's light;
"look unto me, your morn shall rise, and all your day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found in him my star, my sun;
and in that light of life I'll walk till trav'ling days are done."
Devotion
If baptism is where our story with Jesus begins, then the Christian life is all about making sense of that story. It’s about digging into scripture as we seek to understand God’s intentions for us, so we can be confident we are on the right path. It’s about turning our hearts back to God, day after day, so we can let go of the guilt, shame and sin that weighs us down. It’s about remembering that we are part of God’s family, and that we are to love others as Christ loves us.
We are able to make sense of that story best when we listen to the voice of the one who calls us by name. As expressed in the words of this hymn, Jesus calls to us when we are weary, or struggling, or walking in darkness. But Jesus does not just call us; Jesus gives us what we need: rest, refreshment, light, hope.
Prayer
When you call to me today, Lord Jesus, give me ears to listen and a heart to feel your love. Amen.