Turesday in The Week of The Festival of The Holy Trinity (06/09/09)

The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

--Psalm 29:4

Thy strong word did cleave the darkness;

At thy speaking it was done.

For created light we thank thee,

While thine ordered seasons run.

Alleluia, alleluia! Praise to Thee who light dost send!

Alleluia, alleluia!

Alleluia without end!

Martin Franzmann's hymn text speaks of the God who speaks. Long before Franzmann took pen to paper, the psalmists -- and all of Scripture along with them -- testified to the same truth: God speaks! And the speaking of God, as Franzmann rightly notes, sends forth gratefulness and praise.

In the twenty-first century, there are more than enough signs that the speaking of God sends forth indifference. In a so-called "post-Christian" and "enlightened" culture, the Word of God seems to be little more than the mystical and mythical writings of a bygone era. Those who read it regularly and gather around it corporately are deemed to be a bit off their rockers.

Even Christians, at times, view Scripture as a kind of smorgasbord. That is, you take what you like -- or what works for you -- and leave the rest alone. Ministers of the Word of God can easily slip into this mode. The Bible becomes little more than a support or brace for the "dynamic" and "relevant" insights they've come up with.

But the Word of God is not a servant of the ministry. It's the other way around. The minister is a servant of the Word. The psalmist is on board for this; the voice of the Lord is described as powerful and full of majesty.

Having heard the powerful and majestic voice of God in the reading and the proclamation of Scripture and in the person and work of the crucified and risen Christ, what shall be our response?

Two additional verses from Franzmann, taken from the same hymn, suggest an answer:

Give us lips to sing thy glory,

Tongues thy mercy to proclaim,

Throats that shout the hope that fills us,

Mouths to speak thy holy name.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

May the light which thou dost send

Fill our songs with alleluias,

Alleluias without end!

God the Father, light-creator,

To thee laud and honor be.

To thee, Light of Light begotten,

Praise be sun eternally.

Holy Spirit, light-revealer,

Glory, glory be to thee.

Mortals, angels, now and ever

Praise the holy Trinity!

PD