Here I am, Hear Me

Autumn is a quieter time on Black Lake, even when the Camp is filled with the sounds of a guest group. Kayaking and canoeing are still enjoyed, but inner-tubing is not as commonly sought out now that the weather has cooled down significantly. Our neighbors, too, tend to spend less time on the lake now that school and the regular rhythms of life have resumed, so the noises of boat motors are less frequent.

It can be normal to get lost in the return to routine. To let the stillness and quiet that could reign for a moment be pushed aside by the hustle of homework, meetings, meal planning, and the hundreds of things to accomplish before the busy end of year holidays are upon us.

There is an old hymn, attributed across several writers from 1866, 1871, and 1941, which midway through, says this:

Love, that caused us first to be,

Love, that bled upon the tree,

Love, that draws us lovingly:

We beseech thee, hear us.

The litany, spoken across 24 verses, of which the above is verse 5, is a call to God for His listening ear. It is a request made to God which is also often reflected in the Psalms, not in a moment of doubt that God cannot or will not hear us, but to remind ourselves that the answer is yes, yes He will hear us.

Are we letting Him make the same request of us?

Grant us faith to know thee near,

Hail thy grace, thy judgement fear,

And through trial, persevere:

We beseech thee, hear us.

Lead us daily nearer thee

Till at last thy face we see,

Crowned with thine own purity:

We beseech thee, hear us.