Beatitude hymn – In places where there is no church

The Beatitudes are enigmatic – blessings for those who seem least blessed (Luke 6: 17 – 26). I’ve often thought that part of our calling as Christians is to embody and enable those blessings by our love in action. Jesus shows us how. This hymn was inspired by this theme


1	In places where there is no church, 
where hope is hard to find, 
we touch the hands made rough by life 
to seek a common mind.
We go where others would not go, 
perhaps would fear to tread, 
to go beyond our walls and ways 
wherever we are led.


2	Where commerce rules we ply our trade, 
our currency is grace, 
and all we have to offer is 
God's love to fill this place.
In prisons where we sit with those
whom justice has condemned,
we seek to mirror Jesus' love
that fear might have an end.


3	And while a person lives in pain 
a quiet voice can say, 
this time will pass, love holds you still,
we'll see another day.
In searing heat or arctic cold 
where lives are ripped and torn, 
or where a family waits in fear 
we share another dawn.


4	And is it arrogant to say 
we look with Jesus' eyes? 
We seek to see his face in all, 
to hear him in their sighs.
And so our calling is to serve, 
to go where Christ has led, 
go out, go all, go to the world, 
God's people must be fed.


Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2015 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd
Metre: CMD
Tune: WORKING FOR CHRIST (by Camilla Cederholm who I met in Finland – see More than hymns, No.70)