Hand-holding

 

As I have been gathering hymns from the congregation over the last few weeks, one of the hymns that gets mentioned by numerous people is, Precious Lord.  While I have included the words below, this really needs to be sung slowly.  So please take a moment to join your voice with mine as we sing this spiritual together knowing/trusting that in the mystery of God, your voice and mine might be intertwined, even if we are not singing at the exact same time.  That your voice intertwines with Mahalia Jackson who sang this hymn to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  That your voice intertwines with people in our church who have and continue to sing these words.  Let the communal connection of singing reverberate as we join our diverse voices in praying these words:

 

Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn; through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light, Take my hand, pre­cious Lord, Lead me home.

When my way grows drear, Precious Lord, lin­ger near,
When my life is al­most gone, Hear my cry, hear my call,
Hold my hand lest I fall: Take my hand, pre­cious Lord, Lead me home.

When the dark­ness ap­pears and the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone, at the ri­ver I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand: Take my hand, pre­cious Lord, Lead me home.

May God, who takes your hand; may God whose strength is steadying you and sustaining you and surrounding you be felt in real ways today; may God who hears our cries and carries us in an enfolding eternal embrace ~ remind you that you are loved and worthy and precious now and every minute this day. Amen.