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Hymn Verse Devotions

  Taking the time to simply read a hymn and meditate on the words is different than singing that same hymn. When singing, the music moves you on to the next phrase quickly, without much time to concentrate on the words. Reading a hymn can make for some very simple, yet meaningful devotions. So let’s do one together.  The hymn is “My Faith Looks Up to Thee”.

  Right off the bat we are reminded that this faith is “mine”. It’s important to remember that faith is a personal thing. We are not saved because our parents have faith in Jesus. No, everyone must believe in Jesus for himself or herself. That’s why the creed we confess in church is written in the first person singular ... “I” believe... not “we” believe. On the other hand, the Lord’s Prayer is written in the plural form ... “Our” Father, and give “us” this day our daily bread, because prayer is something we do together with and for each other. This faith that is mine is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8), and it needs to be fed to remain healthy and strong. The hymn says that “My faith... ‘looks up to Thee’. Indeed, my faith is looking for nourishment like a baby bird who sits in its nest with mouth wide open, looking to its mother to feed it. Yes, my faith looks up to God who gives this faith to me. My faith needs me to be put in those places that will allow God to feed it, such as God’s Word, and worship, and this is my responsibility. When my faith gets aligned with God, it sees God’s Son, the Lamb of Calvary, the sacrificial lamb who came to earth to take my sins upon Himself so that I might be forgiven and saved. This Lamb of Calvary is indeed my Savior divine. And with faith in my Savior, I ask Him to now hear me while I pray, asking Him to take all my sin away. My prayer can be prayed with absolute confidence because Jesus has already come, already suffered, already died, already risen from the dead to proclaim the victory over my sin and death. Yes, I am forgiven!  And now, because of this undeserved gift of grace, my prayer is “oh let me from this day be wholly Thine!”  I am going to need help with that, because I find it very easy to fall back into sin over and over again; But dear Lamb of God, Savior divine, help me from this day forward to give my whole self to you in love and thankfulness for Your grace and mercy in my life. 

  Well, that is a quick walk through verse 1 of one hymn.  There are 635 more hymns in the Lutheran Service Book, and thousands of verses to choose from for a quick, simple, thought provoking devotion. I hope you find rich blessing in these hymn verses as you take time to read and meditate on them.