Hymn Hits Home

Most bloggers know the two extremes of having either nothing to say at all, or too much on your mind to get it all out on the page. I think I'm skewing more toward the latter. So as I work on organizing my thoughts on one entry, I offer to you the lyrics from this morning's recessional hymn at St. John's, "Christ for the World We Sing" which is #537 in the 1982 Hymnal, and caused me to sing a sotte voce "Amen!" on the last note of each verse.

Christ for the world we sing!
The world to Christ we bring
with loving zeal;
the poor and them that mourn,
the faint and overborne,
sin-sick and sorrow-worn,
whom Christ doth heal.
 
(Amen! And prayers for all who face illness, death, and are despairing.) 

Christ for the world we sing!
The world to Christ we bring
with fervent prayer;
the wayward and the lost,
by restless passions tossed,
redeemed at countless cost,
from dark despair.


(Amen! And prayers for those who are in search of God after being rejected by the people of God. Don't give up and continue to seek!)

Christ for the world we sing!
The world to Christ we bring
with one accord;
with us the work to share,
with us reproach to dare,
with us the cross to bear,
for Christ our Lord.


(Amen! May I remember and trust that the power of God working in me can do infinitely more than I can ask or imagine!)

Christ for the world we sing!
The world to Christ we bring
with joyful song;
the newborn souls, whose days,
reclaimed from error's ways,
inspired with hope and praise,
to Christ belong.
(Amen, and Amen!)