Sunday, July 5

ELW, Hymn 261
verse 1: As the dark awaits the dawn, so we await your light.
O Star of promise, scatter night, loving bring, loving bright,
Till shades of fear are gone.

Hymns have always been an important part of Lutheran spirituality, both for their music and for the theological content of their lyrics. For many Lutherans, hymns committed to memory are a lifelong source of strength and comfort, a constant reminder of God’s presence. I have chosen seven brand new hymns from the ELW hymnal, all of them by Lutheran poets.

“As the Dark Awaits the Dawn” expresses the hope of God’s people for the coming of the Savior in the familiar imagery of the watcher waiting for the dawn. Christ’s coming brings light into the darkness of the winter year, into the darkness of our world. The experience of the December darkness is a metaphor for the Advent time of the Church, a time of waiting and hope.

Dear Lord Jesus, shine the light of your presence into every dark place in our world. Shine in our farms and in our cities, in our homes and in our churches. Help us always to rejoice in the light of your coming into human space and time. Amen.

Monday, July 6

Hymn 330 verse 1: Seed that in earth is dying grows into ears of grain.
Grapes that are crushed in the vessel turn into golden wine.
God through this mystery grant us, faith in our deepest darkness,
life in our night and death.

This new hymn from Norway is rich in biblical imagery: the seed that must die to bring new life, grain and grapes that become the Lord’s body and blood, our baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection. In a world in which night and death are ever-present realities, the Church celebrates Christ’s presence and the promise of eternal life. We see with unblinking eyes the reality that surrounds us, and we see Christ with us, deep in our human condition.

This hymn is grouped with hymns for Lent, but it also a wonderful hymn for the Lord’s Supper, and for funerals. In the midst of night and death, we proclaim the life of Christ.

Almighty God, you have conquered death through the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus. Give us the strength and the confidence to live each day in the sure and certain hope of that resurrection, which we share with your Church in every corner of the world. Amen.

Tuesday, July 7

Hymn 374, verse 1: Day of arising, Christ on the roadway,
unknown companion walks with his own.
When they invite him, as fades the first day,
And bread is broken, Christ is made known.

The Easter story of the walk to Emmaus inspired one of the great hymns of faith, “Abide with Me, Fast falls the Eventide,” which now is almost always relegated to funerals. This new hymn text, by Susan Palo Cherwien, makes this a story for each day of our lives. The metaphor of walking with Jesus, through doubt and fear to hope and joy, is wonderfully expressed as a reality we share with two disciples on the Emmaus road.

We, too, know Christ in the breaking of the bread. We, too, know the presence of the risen Christ, walking with us through each and every day. And it is in the life of the church, its worship and its celebration of the Lord’s Supper, that we truly experience Christ and the promise of his resurrection.

Lord God, make us one with Christians of every time and place. Never let us forget that Jesus walks with us, just as he walked with the first disciples. Open our hearts to his presence in the church and in the celebration of his Supper. Amen.

Wednesday, July 8

Hymn 637, verse 2 Holy, God, holy and powerful, power without peer,
you bend to us in weakness; emptied you draw near,
and we behold your power.

One of the key faith insights in the Lutheran Church is Luther’s theology of the cross. This hymn, by Susan Briehl, expresses that wonderful, paradoxical insight into God’s ways with humanity in five brief but profound verses. While the hymn was written for a memorial service, it is a marvelous expression of faith for any occasion that depicts the Incarnation, Christ’s suffering and death, and the Easter story.

God’s glory is expressed in God’s humanity, Gods power in weakness, God’s beauty in the suffering of Christ, God’s wisdom in the cross, God’s life in Christ’s death. This is a hymn to meditate on and receive new understanding and insight in to the profound nature of God’s revelation to us in Christ.

Almighty God, you show us everything we need to know in your Son Jesus. In his life and death, in his goodness and his suffering, your glory and power are truly revealed. Help us to grasp the depth of your love for each one of us. Amen.

Thursday, July 9

Hymn 683, verse 3 I’ll never count all of God’s mercies, but oh, I can give God my praise
for all of that love, my thanksgiving, and love to the end of my days.
I’ll never count all of God’s mercies
but oh, I can give God my praise.

Here is a new hymn by an old friend, Carolina Sandell Berg, author of “Children of the Heavenly Father.” This is a wonderful hymn for stewardship and thanksgiving occasions; it wonderfully expresses our human inadequacies in the face of God’s amazing abundance and goodness.

We live in a world in which human greed and ingratitude are rampant. All around us we see lives lived by the slogan “I want more.” Here we are reminded that we already have more than we could ever hope for, more than we can count or tell. May our lives of service and thanksgiving be newly inspired as we sing this hymn of praise.

Thank you, God, for giving us more than we could ever deserve or even ask for. Give us truly thankful hearts, that our lives might be dedicated to your praise and service. Amen.

Friday, July 10

Hymn 740, verse 1 God of the sparrow God of the whale
God of the swirling stars
How does the creature say Awe
How does the creature say Praise

Jaroslav Vajda and Carl Schalk combined to produce this wonderful hymn of questioning and praise. It is a good example of the new “Creation” heading in ELW, a much needed addition to the church’s repertoire of song. You may be wondering about the lack of punctuation– Vajda is certainly one of the most “modern” of hymnwriters, along with Herb Brokering. You might almost think that like the songs of the angels, some hymns push beyond the boundaries of human grammar and punctuation. (Another example of this is “Thine the Amen”, #826.)

Each verse is built around a pair of important ideas: Awe/Praise, Woe/Save, Grace/Thanks, but the images are both biblical and down to earth. This hymn is a wonderful example of very modern poetry in the service of the Gospel.

Thank you, God, for the world around us and all of its wonders. Thank you for making this world an instrument of your love and grace for each and every creature. Thank you for Jesus, who came and shared this world with us. Amen.

Saturday, July 11

Hymn 862, verse 1 Praise, praise! You are my rock. The wind, the waves are high.
You hold me when the waves are strong,
You hold me lest I die, I die.
Praise, praise! O God, you are my rock.

Herb Brokering is probably the best know contemporary Lutheran hymn writer. Think of “Earth and All Stars,” or “Thine the Amen.” The language is contemporary, even startling, but the imagery is all biblical, from waves on the sea to the mount of Ascension. In everything, Brokering uses Luther’s favorite image: God is our Rock.

A clear implication of this hymn is that the Biblical story is our story. We are the people God lives with, from Moses and the Israelites to the disciples in the Upper Room. We are God’s people, and God is our rock and our stronghold.

Dear God, we thank you for your never failing love and your constant presence in our lives. Help us always to build on the rock of Jesus Christ, and give us the confidence to face every situation in his strength and courage. Amen.