Higher Things Daily Reflections

February 9, 2010 - Tuesday of Sexagesima

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 11:19-12:9

Daily Lectionary: Job 6:1-13; John 3:1-21

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Let's get something straight. Jesus didn't come into this world to lay the uber-powerful-lightning-blasting-consuming-fire smackdown on people. He came to be weak. Despised. Shamed. Ridiculed. Mocked. Beaten. Killed like a common worthless, human refuse criminal. Think about that. Jesus did lots of amazing things: He healed, walked on water, was transfigured with bright shining glory and so on.

But when Jesus was most powerful for us, when He was saving us, when He was paying for our sins and taking them away, He was weak and the weakest of all. He was nailed to the Cross, bloody and disgusting to look at. And He didn't shine His glory or do anything that LOOKED miraculous. But there He was, taking away the sins of the world. In that weakness, in that shame, God is most powerful because it was at that moment that salvation was accomplished for a sinful world.

So don't expect your life as a Christian to be different! Don't expect, like the TV preachers love to say, that as a Christian you can have wealth and healing and a trouble-free life of victory and success! No, you're going to suffer. You're going to hurt. You're going to be ashamed and in pain.

But when you are, when it's no longer about you and your strength, then remember the good news—that it's exactly at that point that Christ's power is made perfect. When you suffer, He is strong. When you are weak, He is triumphant. That's because He has already overcome this world and its evils, by your Baptism into Jesus, so that whatever seems like weakness and humiliation in this life is really the glory of Christ at work in you. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Why should cross and trial grieve me? Christ is near With His cheer; Never will He leave me. Who can rob me of the heaven That God's Son For me won When His life was given? (LSB 756:1)

February 8, 2010 - Monday of Sexagesima

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Today's Reading: Isaiah 55:10-13

Daily Lectionary: Job 5:1-27; John 2:13-25

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the LORD for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." (Isaiah 55:13)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When man fell into sin, part of the curse upon the creation was that the ground would produce thorns and thistles and make it difficult for the man to dig out his living in the field. Isaiah's prophecy points to a time when that curse is overturned.

On the Cross, Jesus wore a crown of thorns. You can't get more cursed than that. Besides causing excruciating pain, the crown caused, it was also a reminder that Jesus came to wear our curse and the curse of the world. He came to be under that same curse which ultimately ends in death. So He wore thorns and died.

But on that Cross, by taking the curse, the Cross which was a tree of death becomes for us a tree of life. As Isaiah says now it is a cypress or myrtle, instead of thorns and briars. Instead of death, life. Instead of condemnation, forgiveness. Instead of a curse, a blessing. The Son of God hanging on the Cross turns everything upside down and undoes what sinful man brought upon the world.

Now that Cross and the Name of Jesus are an everlasting sign that are not cut off. That means that since Jesus rose from the dead triumphant over sin and death, the Father need never behold our sins again. Now He must see Jesus in us and the Cross over us, the blood covering us and the curse lifted. Because of Jesus, you cannot be cut off from God's kingdom.

That same Name of Jesus is put upon you in Baptism, put into your ears in the preaching, and put upon your lips in the Supper of His body and blood. All are signs and promises of God that you will never be forsaken, because you have gone from cursed to blessed in Christ. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

No more let sin and sorrows grow Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found. (LSB 387:3)

February 7, 2010 - Sexagesima

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Today's Reading: Luke 8:4-15

Daily Lectionary: Job 4:1-21; John 2:1-12

"But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. (Luke 8:15)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. So when the Word is planted it will bear fruit if it falls on a good and noble heart! If that's the case, then it's a wonder anyone bears any fruit, that the Word does anything at all, that anyone becomes and remains a Christian. If it were up to us to prepare our hearts and make them ready for God's Word, then sure, it would be impossible!

Do you have a good heart? Most people think they do. They think that they're not as bad as most people and that they live a good life. That's not the heart that Jesus means. He means a good and noble heart as one which truly fears, loves, and trusts in God and loves to receive His Word. That's you, right? Except on Sunday morning during the sermon when you are squirming for church to be over with, because you have plans later in the day. Or when it's time for bed and ten more minutes is not time for ending your day in prayer, but checking your Facebook or MySpace page one more time.

No, we don't have noble and good hearts. But Jesus does. That's why He tells this parable. He tells this parable to teach us that the only way we will bear fruit is if we have HIS heart. This is not immediately evident from the story itself which is why He says to His hearers, “Let he who has ears to hear, hear!”

It is Christ who has a noble and good heart which bears the fruit of the cross for us, pierced and showering blood and water into the font and the cup to deliver to us the forgiveness of sins and rescues us from birds, thistles and the hot sun of the Devil, the world and our flesh.

By this parable, the Holy Spirit stirs us up to repentance, lest any of those things snatch or destroy the Word of Christ among us and we perish. Instead, by repentance and faith the Spirit turns us into receptive soil that hears the Word of God and receives it and bears fruit, faith in Christ and good works for our neighbor. After all, the Word that does the work. We just receive it and its blessings. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

O God, because You know that we dare not put our trust in anything that we do, mercifully grant that by Your power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Sexagesima)

February 6, 2010 - Saturday of Septuagesima

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Daily Lectionary: Job 3:11-26; John 1:35-51

In God we boast all day long, And praise Your name forever (Psalm 44:8 from the Introit for Sexagesima)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We love to boast and brag about ourselves. We're the smartest or prettiest or the best athlete. Or maybe we even boast negatively as if we're the ugliest or the worst! Cheerful or depressing, somehow we manage to make it all about us!
Tomorrow in the Divine Service, the Holy Spirit will pull our attention off of ourselves and remind us of what it is we boast in the Lord.

We boast in Christ, because He has done all that is necessary for our salvation. While we like to think we can generate some godliness in our hearts or do some good things to make up for our sins, it is Jesus alone who has been born for us, baptized for us, crucified for us, risen for us and by this He saves us.

We boast in what God has done, because in the waters of Holy Baptism He Himself has washed away our sins, marked us with His holy name, claimed us as His own, adopted us as His children, rescued us from the Devil and given to us eternal salvation.

We boast in what Christ has done for us, because by the words of Holy Absolution, we can proudly spit in the Devil's eye and remind him there is no sin that can condemn us: They're forgiven and blotted out!
We boast and brag in Christ, because by having eaten His body and drunk His blood, we can laugh at death, knowing that He is going to raise us from the dead on the Last Day.

We boast and brag in Christ, because He gives us His Word, which outlasts all the silly philosophies of this world and preserves for us the unshakable promises God has for us in Christ.

So go ahead and boast! Brag! Not in yourself, because you aren't all that! Boast and brag in Christ, because He has become all things and done all things for you. For your salvation. And we praise His name forever. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Thy righteousness, O Christ, Alone can cover me; No righteousness avails Save that which is of Thee. To whom save Thee, Who canst alone For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee? (LSB 565:5)

February 5, 2010 - Friday of Septuagesima

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Daily Lectionary: Job 2:1-3:10; John 1:19-34

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You can't get a simpler and clearer confession of who Jesus is than that of St. John the Baptist: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Notice he doesn't say “Behold the latest and greatest Teacher of Self-Improvement!” or “Here He is, the most popular guy you'll ever meet!” or “Behold, the Man who can make God fun!” or even “Behold! The nicest guy you'll ever meet.”

Jesus comes to be one thing: the Lamb. What does the Lamb do? He dies. The sacrifices of the Old Testament were messy affairs. They involved slitting the lamb's throat, draining out the blood and flinging it on the altar, skinning the lamb and burning its meat and entrails. The sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus, is no less brutal. He is slapped around, made fun off, beaten, and whipped with a razor-blade-tipped cat o' nine tails. He is smacked around some more, has a crown of thorns mashed down on His head and is finally crucified and left to die in excruciating pain.

But the point of His being the Lamb isn't so that we can feel sorry for Him, or even get grossed out by the gory details (ever notice how little detail the Scriptures actually give?) No, the point is to recognize that in the Old Testament, when lamb was killed, the Lord was saying, “I'll take that lamb's life in exchange for yours as punishment for your sins.” Now, when Jesus comes, it's the same confession, but for the whole world and for your sins. God the Father takes His Son's life in exchange for yours. Jesus dies to take away the sin of the world. That's what the Lamb does.

And how does that forgiveness become yours? By Baptism, you are sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb of God. By Absolution you are sent away forgiven. At the Lord's Supper you eat and drink the flesh and blood of this Lamb, knowing that by it your sins are taken away. Taking away your sins is why God's Son was a lamb sacrificed for you. That's why we sing in the liturgy: “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.” And He did and still does, richly and daily forgive you all your sins. Because He is the Lamb. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Lamb of God, pure and holy, Who on the cross didst suffer, Even patient and lowly, Thyself to scorn didst offer. All sins Thou borest for us, Else had despair reigned o'er us: Have mercy on us, O Jesus! O Jesus! (LSB 434:1)

February 4, 2010 - Thursday of Septuagesima

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:24—10:5

Daily Lectionary: Job 1:1-22; John 1:1-18

All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:2-4)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. For some reason a lot of people seem to think that people in the Old Testament had a different faith and were saved in a different way than we are now. How wrong! The people of the Old Testament were saved by Christ just as we are saved by Christ. The difference is that where we celebrate the events in Christ's life as His work of salvation, the Israelites lived through events that foreshadowed or pointed ahead to those saving events.

For example, the Israelites were baptized into Moses in the cloud and sea. That was their deliverance from slavery. In the same way Christ was baptized for sinners in the Jordan and from His side on Calvary the stream of water flows into the font of His church in which you were baptized into Christ.

They all ate the same spiritual food, which was the manna and God's Word. Just so, Jesus gave His body and blood as an everlasting and saving meal for the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. They drank of the spiritual Rock—as we heard in Monday's reflection—just as we now drink of Christ's blood which flowed from His side.

The gifts, which the Lord gave the children of Israel, pointed to Christ, their future Savior. The Word and Sacraments which we now enjoy deliver that same Jesus, who has come and done His saving work and now bestows it upon us in His holy gifts.

Your faith is the faith of Moses…and Noah and David and Isaiah and all the rest of the Old Testament saints. That's because both they and you believe in the One Promised Savior. That's Jesus whose coming was foretold in the Old Testament, witnessed in the New Testament, and still saves us today. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

The God of Abr'ham praise, Whose all sufficient grace Shall guide me all my pilgrim days In all my ways. He deigns to call me friend; He calls Himself my God. And He shall save me to the end Through Jesus' blood. (LSB 798:3)

February 3, 2010 - Wednesday of Septuagesima

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 14:1-21; Titus 2:7-3:15

You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.          What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not entice or force away our neighbor's wife, workers, or animals, or turn them against him, but urge them to stay and do their duty. (Tenth Commandment)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. How exactly do you covet another person's…well…people? We do it all the time. You know, when you try to talk to that boy to get him to notice you, instead of your friend he's dating. Or when you start talking behind someone else's back so that your friends think they're not worth hanging out with, but you are. It seems like when we're not the center of attention, we wish we had other people's friends and acquaintances.

Once again, the Tenth Commandment teaches us to be content. Be content with the people the Lord gives us. Be content with your parents; don't wish you had someone else's. Be content with your boyfriend or girlfriend, wife or husband, and don't wish you had someone else's. And so it goes. The people the Lord puts in our lives are the ones we despise and the ones He has not given us are the ones we want.

So, Jesus comes. And He comes not coveting the disciples of the other rabbis or the wives of people He knew. But He did “covet” someone that belonged to someone else—you! You belonged to the Devil, but the Lord so wanted to do His Father's will that by His suffering and death He brought you back to be with God. By His death, Jesus ransoms you and rescues you from the Devil's kingdom and brings you into His kingdom.

Again, and we can never say it enough: It's Jesus' NOT coveting that counts for you. It's Jesus being punished FOR your coveting that saves you. Your Baptism is God's promise that He is content with you, because of what Jesus has done for you. The Word and body and blood of Jesus are God's promise that you need not worry and covert and not be content. For He has indeed given you every good thing in Jesus, far more than you could even ask for or wish. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

“You shall not crave your neighbor's house Nor covet money, goods, or spouse. Pray God He would your neighbor bless As you yourself wish success.” Have mercy, Lord! (LSB 581:10)

February 2, 2010 - The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Our Lord

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Today's Reading: Luke 2:22-40

Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 12:1-13:9; Titus 1:1-2:6

Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. (Luke 2:22)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Law says a sacrifice must be made for the firstborn male to redeem him. This goes back to the time when the Law was given by Moses in remembrance of the firstborn children of Egypt, who were killed by the Angel of Death during the Passover and the firstborn children of Israel, who were spared by the lamb's blood. The law also says that the mother must make an offering of purification. So what does Mary offer? She offered a pair of doves, which was a small but acceptable sacrifice by those who were very poor.

But, Mary is giving up something else here. Unlike any other mother, her firstborn Son IS going to die. And here's the amazing thing: The very child that Mary offers a sacrifice for is the very One who actually cleanses Mary and us from all of our sin! Because Jesus is sinless, it would seem that He doesn't need to undergo the rituals of the Law. But by doing so, He shows that He has come and placed Himself under the Law. And Jesus being under the Law, means that He lives like us, under the Law. But unlike us, He actually does the Law, keeps it, obeys the commandments and fulfills the Law.—our salvation!

But more than just obeying the Law, He takes the punishment of the Law. For what? For our sins. Jesus, in keeping the Law, lives the life we should have lived. Jesus, in dying on the cross under the judgment of the Law, dies the death that we deserved. He lived our life and died our death, so that whether it's about our sinning or about what we deserve for our sins, Jesus has us covered—with His blood!

Mary is purified by the Word made flesh. We are purified by the Word and water of Holy Baptism. Jesus gives His life as the price for our sins and rises from the dead. We eat and drink that body and blood, so that we will rise from the dead. Now you have been purified by the blood of Jesus so that He might present you to the Father on the Last Day as His own children. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

In the arms of her who bore Him, Virgin pure, behold Him lie While His aged saints adore Him Ere in perfect faith they die. Alleluia, alleluia! Lo, the incarnate God Most High! (LSB 519:2)

February 1, 2010 - Monday of Septuagesima

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Today's Reading: Exodus 17:1-7

Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 11:4-17; 2 Timothy 4:1-18

"Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. (Exodus 17:6)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When the Israelites needed water, the Lord provided it for them. When Moses struck the rock with his staff, water gushed out, quenching the thirst of the Israelites. But first they grumbled and complained. They thought God had brought them out of Egypt just to kill them. Here they were, dying of thirst! But God didn't provide for them because they complained. He provided for them because He is their heavenly Father.

St. Paul tells us that the Rock from which the water flowed was Christ. When He comes in the flesh, Jesus, too, is struck—with a spear. It causes blood and water to flow out. Water to wash away our sins. His blood, along with His body in the Sacrament of the Altar, to feed and nourish us in the faith.

We do a lot of complaining in this life, too. Things aren't the way we like. Something bad happened. We don't have what we want. We think God has abandoned us. He doesn't do what we want right now. But He's still our heavenly Father. He still provides for us. He still gives us Christ.

Even to a world that does nothing but despise its Creator, the Father sent His Son into the flesh to carry our sins and bleed and die for them. He was sent to be pierced so that water would flow and wash away our complaining, selfish sins. When Christ was pierced in death, it was to give us life!

When Moses hit the rock, he did so in the presence of the elders of Israel. That way they could see for themselves and tell the children of Israel that it was indeed the Lord who provided for them. Likewise, the Apostle John saw water flow from Jesus, so that he and all the apostles and all pastors since would teach God's people that it is Christ who provides for us and our salvation by being struck for our sins and giving us life. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Life imparting heav'nly manna, Stricken rock with streaming side, Heav'n and earth with loud hosanna Worship You, the Lamb who died, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, Cleansing souls from ev'ry stain; Cleansing souls from ev'ry stain. (LSB 534:4)

January 31, 2010 - Septuagesima

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Today's Reading: Matthew 20:1-16

Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 10:1-11:3; 2 Timothy 3:1-17

Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.'Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' (Matthew 20:14-15)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Your friend made the team, but you didn't. That's not fair. Your boss let you have the day off, but not your co-worker. Too bad for them. Your teacher gave an easier test to your buddy's math class than yours. That's not fair. Your parents let you have a cell phone, but not your little sister. Too bad for her. Have you ever noticed that when things work out well for others, we think it's not fair, but when things work out well for us, it's good for us and too bad for someone else? That's because we're sinners who think we deserve more than others.

When the vineyard owner pays all the workers the same, that's grace. When God gives us not what we deserve, but what Jesus earned for us, that's grace. When the Lord doesn't punish you for your sins, but forgives you and gives you eternal life, that's grace. When we think about it, it's not fair. But usually we think it's not fair, because we deserve better than others. We don't usually think that God is giving us what we don't deserve!

Our sinful nature loves to think it deserves more than others and is upset when others get more than us. But here's the thing: When Christ died on the cross, He paid for everyone's sins. No matter how big. No matter how small. No matter how many. No matter how vile. They were paid for by His blood. It doesn't matter whether you think you're a better or worse person than someone else. We ALL deserve eternal death, but instead are given the same thing—eternal life in Christ! No matter how much a sinner you are, Christ is your Savior.

When the Lord splashes you with water and word at the font, when He absolves you of your sins and when He gives you His own body and blood to eat and drink, He's paying you not what you are owed, but what is a gift from His generous grace and mercy. Don't get upset because He's good! Rather rejoice that you, with every sinner, has had all your sins taken away! In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

O Lord, we implore You favorably to hear the prayers of Your people that we, who are justly punished for our offenses, may be mercifully delivered by Your goodness, for the glory of Your name; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Septuagesima)

January 30, 2010 - Saturday after the Transfiguration

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 9:1-17; 2 Timothy 2:1-26

The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple. (Psalm 18:5-6; from the Introit for Septuagesima)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Sometimes you can really tell when death is stalking you! Bad grades, a bad breakup, parents splitting, friends turning against you, teachers being unfair, losing your job, seeing someone sick or even dying, natural disasters and terrorist attacks and on and on—all of these things remind us that we're not long for this world. All of these things remind us that death is all around us.

So go to church tomorrow! Cry out to the Lord! Tell Him you are surrounded by death in all its forms and you can't take it anymore! Tell Him you don't think you can survive. And know that He hears your prayer. He always has heard that prayer from His people, and He has done something about it!
He hears and answers from His holy temple. Where is His temple? As we heard last week, it's Jesus! He is where God dwells. God hears your cries, because He has heard the cries of His Son on the cross. The Father hears your misery, because He heard the prayer of His Son. And Jesus took away the power of death and the Devil to harm you. By His death for your sins and the shedding of His blood, He has heard and answered our prayers against death.

By your Baptism, of which you will be reminded tomorrow, Christ has rescued you from death. By absolution, which you will hear tomorrow, Christ has taken away anything that can accuse you before God. By His own body and blood, which you will eat and drink tomorrow, Christ lives in you and will raise you from the dead. He has truly heard from His temple, in Christ. Heard and answered. Now death can't get you. It can't have you, because you are Christ's! In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Satan, I defy thee; Death, I now decry thee; Fear, I bid thee cease. World, thou shalt not harm me Nor thy threats alarm me While I sing of peace. God's great power guards ev'ry hour; Earth and all its depths adore Him, Silent bow before Him. (LSB 743:3)

January 29, 2010 - Friday after the Transfiguration

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Today's Reading: 2 Peter 1:16-21

Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 8:1-23; 2 Timothy 1:1-18

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Most people think the Bible is just a bunch of stories, myths and made up writing. Some would ask how we can believe such nonsense. Peter answers that question. He was there! He heard what Jesus preached and he knew it was no mere man who said it, because he was also there on the mountain when the glory of God shone while Jesus was transfigured. He heard Jesus preach. He saw Jesus' glory. He saw Jesus raised from the dead.

Peter tells us that the word is confirmed. It's his eyewitness account proven by Jesus and faithfully handed down in the Holy Scriptures. Heed that word! Pay attention to it! It saves you. It rescues you from darkness by shining the light of God's glory. How does the Bible do this? It delivers Jesus to us.

Against the darkness of sin and death, the light of the Gospel shines. Here the bright beams of Christ's dying and rising for sinners chases away the darkness of our sins. The creeping horror of death stalking us has been overcome by the shining brilliance of Jesus who stands alive even though He was dead. The dark stains of our sins are blotted out by the blood He shed from the cross.

Against the darkness of uncertainty and fear, the light of God's Word points us to the sure promise of our Baptism and Christ's body and blood given us to eat and drink. Against the dark whisperings of the Devil, which lie and say we're not God's children, we have the brilliant testimony of the Father recorded about Jesus and about you: “This is my Beloved Son!”

For the world that walks in darkness, the Bible is a closed book, a collection of foolish nonsense. But for those who have been called, gathered, and enlightened by the Holy Spirit through that very Word, the Bible is the light of Christ rescuing us from all darkness. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

'Tis good, Lord, to be here! Thy glory fills the night; Thy face and garments like the sun, Shine with unborrowed light. (LSB 414:1)