Long Before the World Is Waking

This hymn by the late Herman Stuempfle narrates last Sunday's Gospel lesson, the third resurrection appearance of our Lord to His disciples.

Long before the world is waking,

    Morning mist on Galilee,

From its shore, as dawn is breaking,

    Jesus calls across the sea;

Hails the boat of weary men,

Bids them cast their net again.

So they cast, and all their heaving

    Cannot haul their catch aboard;

John in wonder turns, perceiving,

    Cries aloud, “It is the Lord!”

Peter waits for nothing more,

Plunges in to swim ashore.

Charcoal embers brightly burning,

    Bread and fish upon them laid:

Jesus stands at day’s returning

    In His risen life arrayed,

As of old His friends to greet,

“Here is breakfast; come and eat.”

Christ is risen! Grief and sighing,

    Sins and sorrows, fall behind;

Fear and failure, doubt, denying,

    Full and free forgiveness find.

All the soul’s dark night is past;

Morning breaks in joy at last.

Morning breaks, and Jesus meets us,

    Feeds and comforts, pardons still;

As His faithful friends He greets us,

    Partners of His work and will.

All our days, on ev’ry shore,

Christ is ours forevermore!