Fill Us with the Light of Day!
The much-beloved hymn Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee was written in 1907 by Henry van Dyke. He had been speaking at Williams College in Massachusetts and was inspired by the beauty of the Berkshire Mountains. He later said of the hymn, “These verses are simple expressions of common Christian feelings… hymns of today may be sung by people who know the thought of the age and are not afraid that any truth of science will destroy religion, or any revolution on earth overthrow the Kingdom of Heaven.”
I love the majestic verses of the hymn, and I also appreciate van Dyke’s thoughts. I agree that the more we understand the complexities of the world through science or observation, the deeper our love and respect of our Creator should be.
Today, our prayer will be the first verse of this beautiful hymn. Let us pray: Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love. Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness. Drive the dark of doubt away. Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day! Amen.
Daily Message Author: Joe Albright
Rev. Joe Albright is a graduate of Flagler College and Columbia Theological Seminary. Together, he and his wife Robbie have five children. He loves spending time on the ocean and especially enjoys surfing and fishing. Before entering the ministry, Joe taught high school Spanish in Cape Hatteras North Carolina and Lawrence Tavern, Jamaica. He has pastored churches in Sarasota and Jacksonville, Florida and is currently serving Trinity Presbyterian Church in Palm Coast. Full Bio “I believe deeply in the power of the Gospel to bring hope, love, and new life. I have seen firsthand how this beautiful ministry of hope has touched people’s lives. It gives me great joy to serve Dial Hope as Lead Pastor.”
