Daily Devotion – November 22, 2021 – Linda G Tenneson

Eternal Father, Strong to Save

1 Eternal Father, strong to save,
whose arm has bound the restless wave,
who bade the mighty ocean deep
its own appointed limits keep:
oh, hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

2 O Savior, whose almighty word
the winds and waves submissive heard,
who walked upon the foaming deep,
and calm amid the storm didst sleep:
oh, hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

3 O Holy Spirit, who didst brood
upon the chaos dark and rude,
and bid its angry tumult cease,
and give, for wild confusion, peace:
oh, hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

4 O Trinity of love and pow’r,
all trav’lers guard in danger’s hour
from rock and tempest, fire and foe,
protect them wheresoe’er they go;
thus evermore shall rise to thee
glad hymns and praise from land and sea.

Devotion

When I retired from one career—twenty years of service in the US Navy—and embarked on my second career as an ordained minister, this was one of the hymns I chose for my ordination service. It honored my previous career and had words that I have prayed many times in my life. There is also a wall hanging that I bought as a kit and embroidered that says, “Dear God, be good to me; the sea is so wide, and my boat is so small.” These words of prayer for salvation are what I needed and all of us need all the times of our lives. Sometimes circumstances cause us to feel like we are in a small boat in a raging sea, and those are the times we need reminders that God is with us. We have hope that he will calm the waters and bring us safely to shore.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help us to remember that you are with us, at all times and in all places, and that we are never separated from you. Amen.