Daily Devotion – June 6, 2020 – The Rev. Sandee D. Kosmo
This devotion is from Luther Seminary’s “God Pause,” linked here: https://www.luthersem.edu/godpause/
“Creator Spirit, Heavenly Dove” (ELW 577)
1 Creator Spirit, heavenly dove, descend upon us from above;
with graces manifold restore your creatures as they were before.
2 To you, the Comforter, we cry; to you, the gift of God most high,
true fount of life, the fire of love, the soul’s anointing from above.
3 In you, with graces sevenfold, we God’s almighty hand behold;
while you with tongues of fire proclaim to all the world God’s holy name.
4 Your light to every sense impart, and shed your love in every heart;
your own unfailing might supply to strengthen our infirmity.
5 Keep far from us our cruel foe, and peace from your own hand bestow;
upheld by you, our strength and guide, no evil can our steps betide.
6 Teach us to know the Father, Son, and you, of both, to be but one;
that through the ages all along your praise may be our endless song.
7 Praise to your eternal merit,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Devotion
This hymn, especially verse 6, is perfect for Trinity Sunday. Martin Luther’s translation was based on an eighth-century Latin hymn, “Veni, Creator Spiritus.” The verse that especially strikes me is the prayer to “restore God’s creatures as they were before.” In other words, we pray that God will bring about a new creation, restored to the way it was at the beginning—a beginning like that with our Creator in those seven days of Genesis 1.
As we pray that God will shed light on our every sense and instill love in every heart, we are reminded of how important it is to understand the range of manifold graces of God, bestowed upon us in the Trinity: the Creator, Redeemer, and Spirit, three manifestations of the one God.
Prayer
Triune God, we see your love from your creating acts, to sending your own Son, to leaving us with the constant hovering of your Spirit with us. May we be ever mindful of your love through the ages, and especially now. Stay with us, guide us, and make your compassionate love our endless song. In the name of the Trinity. Amen.
