22. Thursday after Third Sunday in Advent.
Lord, lead us into
the sanctuary of thy word,
and let us abide there alway. Amen.
Isaiah 42, 5-10. Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein; I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the Lord; that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
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Ye who know the Lord and his grace shall bless him and sing praises to his name. We were blind and walked in the darkness of death; our heart served strange gods, loved the creature rather than the creator, was without peace, and yet knew not its own unhappy state. Jesus came, however, and opened our eyes; we, who were blind, now see. He led us out into the clear daylight of grace, set us free from the fetters of idolatry, and taught us to know the only true God. Now we love him, and he gives our heart peace. Our joy is great; things more glorious still await us: “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.” Therefore, sing unto the Lord a new song; that is, give him sincere thanks for a new revelation of his glory, for a new, ever new look into the depths of his grace. For he ever leads us into new regions of his kingdom, into new mansions of his house; more and more we become able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. At times it may seem to us that our knowledge becomes less, instead of more, clear; but every Christian who lives in daily repentance is ever advancing in the wisdom of God, even when he does not, himself, notice it.
Praise God, all his believers; praise him without ceasing; tell his wonders! Satan has no tongue with which to bless and praise God; he wants to tie our tongues also, but his bands are broken asunder, and our tongue loosened. Sing unto the Lord, ye who dwell on the rock of faith; who shall do it, if ye will not? Give God honor with humble heart; sound his praises, that it may be heard over all the earth. Over all the earth, I say. Your song of praise reaches farther, much farther, than the tones of the greatest musical artists. The thanksgiving of God’s people is not heard over all the earth only, but reaches heaven and is precious to the heart of the Lord our God.
Help us to know thee, Lord, and to praise thee with a song ever new, here and forevermore. Give us this grace for Jesus’ sake. Amen.*
I know that my Redeemer lives;
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead,
He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives to bless me with his love,
He lives to plead for me above,
He lives my hungry soul to feed,
He lives to help in time of need.
[TLH 200, LSB 461, ELH 351; listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.