Monday, December 4th “All Who Love and Serve Your City,” v. 1-3
All who love and serve your city, all who bear its daily stress, all who cry for peace and justice, all who curse and all who bless,
In your day of loss and sorrow, in your day of helpless strife, honor, peace, and love retreating, seek the Lord, who is your life.
Risen One, shall yet the city be the city of despair? Come today, our judge, our glory. Be its name “The Lord is there!”– Text: Erik Routley
Those who love and serve their city know their city. How well do you know your city, or the area in which you live your life? This might not be an actual city. Maybe it’s a neighborhood, or a town, or an apartment complex. Do you love it? Do you bear its daily stress? Do you cry for peace and justices in its streets and hallways? Do you find yourself both cursing and blessing this community where you and so many others live their lives? I imagine the answer to all of these questions is a resounding, “yes!” Our neighborhoods are the places where we make our first friends, where we have our first kiss, where we learn, and play, and fight. Our neighborhoods are where we fall in love, raise our families, share meals, and watch each other’s backs. There are gardens in our neighborhoods. There are bones in our neighborhoods. There is turmoil in our neighborhoods. There are peacemakers in our neighborhoods. Do you love and serve your city? Do you know your city? Walk your city today, or take a ride through it, with the words of this hymn in your ears. Keep your eyes wide open because you learn that the Lord is there! Right there in the city you call home.