We Have the Ear of God in Prayer

On Sunday, the opening hymn at my church was "Today Your Mercy Calls Us."  Given this past week, with the rioting overseas and the death of Christopher Stevens, Ambassador to Libya (a friend and colleague of a Navy family from my homeschool group who served in Tunisia for a time), I know I have been feeling like the world is just a little out of control.  A friend from Florida also feels that way.  In fact, I believe her words were, "There is no hope for society!"  It is easy and tempting to think that sometimes, especially if and when we focus too much on the physical world, the world this side of heaven, the world that is still under the Fall.  But as another hymn reminds us:

[Our] hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.

Sunday's hymn, especially the last verse, prompts us to recall that when life seems against us, as individuals or as a country, we have the ear of God, our Father, through Christ, our Savior.

"What should we do without him when heart and eye run o'er?"

Today Your mercy calls us
To wash away our sin.
However great our trespass,
Whatever we have been,
However long from mercy
Our hearts have turned away,
Your precious blood can wash us
And make us clean today.

Today Your gate is open,
And all who enter in
Shall find a Father's welcom
And pardon for their sin.
The past shall be forgotten,
A present joy be giv'n,
A future grace be promised,
A glorious crown in heav'n.

Today our Father calls us;
His Holy Spirit waits;
His blessed angels gather
Around the heav'nly gates.
No question will be asked us
How often we have come;
Although we oft have wandered,
It is our Father's home.

O all embracing Mercy,
O ever open door,
What should we do without You
When heart and eye run o'er?
When all things seem against us,
To drive us to despair,
We know one gate is open,
One ear will hear our prayer.  Amen.

Note:  The video is from one of the Lutheran churches in my college town, Mankato, MN.