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The Third Sunday of Lent

February 24, 2008

JOYFUL, JOYFUL WE ADORE THEE

(Note: we had permission to print the text during Lent but have had to remove the text after Lent.  Refer to your hymnal for the text.)

I love the melody of this hymn. I could sit and listen to it over and over. But a great hymn is the combination of beautiful music and inspiring words. Together they make a stream of faith that we can jump in and let flow over us. This assignment forced me to look closer at the words. To my surprise, they really speak to me. They are about many of the things I love. Each verse intertwines God and his creation. The hymn relates the joy of God and the joy in God we all feel. It tells how this love can bring us happiness and take away our fear.

When I hear Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” the words of this hymn flow through my head. I realize I have always known and loved them. I feel comfort in this song. We all find comfort in the hymns that have been with us all our lives.

The song takes us into God’s world. It lays out before us the many wonders God has created and entrusted to us, from the heavens above to the grandeur that surrounds us. The hymn touches on all of the reasons I love the outdoors.

God has built an awesome sight. The earth’s visual aspects are unchallenged. But “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” reminds me of the beautiful music to be heard in nature. It reminds me that we need to stop and listen to the song God is singing. I often admire the beauty of the blue jays, but when did I last listen to their song? I’m drawn to the mountain waterfalls to take a picture, but I never try to record it. I am missing half of God’s creation.

The verses also remind us of God’s forgiveness and blessings. These blessings transcend God’s creation, and we need to transcend our petty differences to live together and care for that which has been entrusted to us. We have forgotten how delicate the environment truly is. The earth should be handled like fine china. If it is abused, it will break and become useless.

Dear Lord, we speak to you in voices raised in song. We pray that our hymns glorify and exalt you.  Teach us to also listen to the songs you are singing to us. Let us find exaltation in your hymns. Only when we come together, with harmony between our songs and your songs, can we truly find the peace on earth you have provided us, not as a substitute for heaven but as a small glimpse into its magnitude.

Bob Weaver


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