Hymn: “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” – William Whiting (1825-1878)
Tune: MELITA
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| Rembrandt - "Storm on the Sea of Galilee" |
Known as the Navy Hymn, this hymn of mariners, seafarers…
especially those involved in the conflict of battle is the kind of song we use
in a service when we highlight the armed forces or perhaps to celebrate one of
our annual national holidays. The fact that most of the stanzas end with “O hear us when we cry to thee for those in
peril on the sea,” limits our using it unless the sermon is centered on one
of the sea-storm New Testament stories.
But this short hymn-line is a valid prayer – on sea or land –
because many of us spend at least part of every day confused about something.
We may not be overwhelmed by confusion on a regular basis, but most of us have
spent enough time there to know that sinking feeling.
Wild confusion
brings to my mind larger, public events that are thrown into turmoil by some
senseless act of an individual or group: school shootings,
the bombing of the Murrah Building, the 9/11 attacks, the Boston Marathon, etc.
Those times of wild confusion cause
people to go running for safety, seeking loved ones who have been involved,
cowering in corners – chaos. In recent days, hurricane-prompted flooding and the fear of yet another land-fall have created wild confusion.
We watch those events unfold on the screens of our
televisions and computers, and we ask “why?” Then most of us immediately in our
own words pray today’s hymn-line.
I remember in the Aladdin story, the merchant chanting
through the street, “New lamps for old. New lamps for old.” – at least that was
in the cartoon version! This is basically what this hymn-line is doing: asking
God to trade peace for confusion… or to replace a dreadful situation with a
tranquil one. “Settle us down, Lord. Things are out of our control.”
There is a peace that only Christ can provide – a peace that
over-rides understanding. When it is achieved in a world situation, a local
uproar, a church conference, or our own personal lack of clarity, one of the
great spiritual miracles comes into play. It is as if the Great Ancient Mariner
stands again at the rear of boat and commands the winds and waves to return to
their calm.
The next time we’re in wild confusion, may we with him speak
peace.
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