One of the theses of the course I am in this week at Beeson Divinity School (with Dr. Doug Webster) is this: spiritual growth arises from tension. I’ll unpack that a bit more at another time.
But this evening, as I was praying through the Divine Hours liturgy for today’s Vespers, a hymn (that I have never heard) caught my attention and seemed worth sharing. You will get some idea of the tensions involved in Christian obedience and Christian spiritual formation from the words of this hymn.
You, Lord, Are Both Lamb and Shepherd
You, Lord are both lamb and shepherd / You Lord are both prince and slave / You, peace-maker and sword-bringer / Of the way you took and gave. / You, the everlasting instant / You whom we both scorn and crave.
You, who walk each day beside us, / Sit in power at God’s side / You who preach a way that’s narrow, / Have a love that reaches wide. / You, the everlasting instant / You who are our pilgrim guide.
Clothed in light upon the mountain / Stripped of might upon the cross / Shining in eternal glory / Beggared by a soldier’s toss. / You, the everlasting instant / You who are our gift and cost.
Worthy is our earthly Jesus / Worthy is our cosmic Christ / Worthy your defeat and victory / Worthy still your peace and strife / You, the everlasting instant / You who are our death and life.
