In church this morning, I was really struck by the lyrics to this hymn. Here are my collected thoughts on it.

Awake, Thou Spirit, who didst fire
The watchmen of the Church's youth,
Who faced the Foe's envenomed ire,
Who witnessed day and night Thy truth,
Whose voices loud are ringing still
And bringing hosts to know Thy will.

The watchmen of the Church's youth include such people as Stephen and the Apostles; those who remained steadfast in the Word of God in the face of persecution and apostasy. The line continues down through history to include such figures as Augustine and Hus and Luther and Walther...and many, many more.

Lord, let our earnest prayer be heard,
The prayer Thy Son hath bid us pray;
For, lo, Thy children's hearts are stirred
In ev'ry land in this our day
To cry with fervent soul to Thee,
Oh, help us, Lord! So let it be!

And so, under the watch of those watchmen, the Church's fervent prayer has always been, "Lord, have mercy" and "Come quickly, Lord Jesus." Amen, "So let it be!" So let it be still!

Oh, haste to help ere we are lost!
Send preachers forth, in spirit strong,
Armed with Thy Word, a dauntless host,
Bold to attach the rule of wrong;
Let them the earth for Thee reclaim,
Thy heritage, to know Thy name.

This is the stanza that hit me most. I would venture to guess its because of the situation I currently find myself in. Here's a preacher who wants to be about that noble task. Here's a preacher who wants to continue in the heritage of those ancient watchmen. I wish there were more congregations seeking this, as this stanza had us sing this morning.

And let Thy Word have speedy course,
Thro' ev'ry land be glorified,
Till all the heathen know its force
And fill Thy churches far and wide.
Oh, spread the conquest of Thy Word
And let Thy kingdom come, dear Lord!

And so the hymn ends as beautifully as it begins. Let the Word go forth to the ends of the earth so that the Church is filled with everyone. Let the mouthpieces of God be allowed to fully and properly proclaim this Word of God. And again, there's the prayer, using the familiar words from the Lord's Prayer, "Let thy kingdom come, dear Lord!" Amen, again, "So let it be!"