Thursday, December 8, 2016

Today's Hymn
We hail you as our Savior, Lord,
our refuge and our great reward;
without your grace we waste away
like flowers that wither and decay.

Stretch forth your hand; our health restore,
and make us rise to fall no more.
O let your face upon us shine
and fill the world with love divine.

Charles Coffin’s “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry” (tune: Winchester New)
trans. John Chandler
from Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal

Reflection
These words call to mind a mother or father with their hand outstretched towards their child, and the child reaches out to them at the same time. The parent is there to guide the child into the world, keep them safe from harm, to teach them how to walk, and to do all of this out of love. At the same time, as the child reaches out to its parent, it does so out of the need for contact, guidance, safety, love, and to learn.

Anticipation at a moment such as this can become anxious if the child is reaching for the parent’s hand but the parent is not yet close enough to grasp the tiny hand. They reach, not only out of want, but out of need to be in contact with the one who loves them more than they can ever comprehend. As soon as their hands meet, the child and parent both relax and rest in the comfort of their embrace.

As we wait for a new morning, let us find rest and comfort in the embrace that Christ gives us, knowing that we rest in an unconditional love that we can never comprehend.

Prayer
God of anticipation and all things new, as we rest in your unconditional love, help us to hold the hands of one another. Allow us to sit in anticipation together, so that we might help to comfort one another as we wait. With the coming of Christ, allow us to outstretch our hand towards your love as we outstretch our other one towards one another. Amen.

Written by Shelley Donaldson, Senior High Youth Coordinator

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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