Easter 5 | 1 John 3:18-24 (with Nick Locke)

Opening Song:
Loving Kind by Antoine Bradford

Lyrics:
It's been awhile since I felt You near to me,
And all I hold is the vagueness of Your memory
Why did I roam so far from You oh Lord,
I had You right inside the center of my heart, and I took it for granted but

You always stayed by my side, and You always answered my cry
And when I fall You catch me
Cause You are the Loving Kind

So take me into Your loving arms again,
Cause I'm so tired of dancin' with my sin
Why did I roam so far from You oh Lord,
I had You right inside the center of my heart and I took it for granted but

You always stayed by my side, and You always answered my cry
And when I fall You catch me
Cause You are the Loving Kind

Passage:
18 Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.

19 This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and will reassure our hearts before him 20 whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows all things.

21 Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive whatever we ask from him because we keep his commands and do what is pleasing in his sight. 23 Now this is his command: that we believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps his commands remains in him, and he in him. And the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he has given us.

-- 1 John 3:18-4:24 (CSB)

Musical Reflection:
Bless the Lord, My Soul by Jacques Berthier

Reflection Notes:
A contribution to the Taizé tradition, this tune by Berthier provides a reverent foundation for the text: “Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s holy name. Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.”

Prayer: