When I was in seminary I had a class from one of the most creative people I’ve ever met—Pastor Herb Brokering. He was the author of the hymn, “Earth and All Stars,” a hymn which reflects his view that the entire created order reflects God’s glory: “Earth and all stars, loud rushing planets, sing to the Lord a new song…Hail, wind and rain, loud blowing snowstorms, … Engines and steel, loud pounding hammers, sing to the Lord a new song …. God has done marvelous things. I, too, will praise him with a new song.” 

In a note to me, Herb emphasized this sense of the unity of all creation. He wrote: “Rolf, we are in a journey of relationships, so we are family. And Christ gives us eyes to see.” The words were next to a bunch of circles with lines tying them all together like a molecule.

I think Herb was onto something. Our lives are more molecular than they are atomic…more corporate than individual. We live in an interdependent universe. We live in families. Our lives depend on a healthy natural world. Our livelihood depends on a healthy joint economy. MY physical health is related to YOUR health and our SOCIETY’S health (think vaccines, clean air and water, masks, social distancing). Relationships are the order of all that exists.

Even God is in relationship: Father, Son, Holy Spirit—the Trinity. This is where we find our encouragement to see God in the world around us. God is present and active everywhere we turn. (Read Psalm 139 to get a feel for this.) And as Pastor Brokering wrote to me, amid it all “Christ gives us eyes to see”—to see color, joy, hope, renewal—even when others don’t.

As we consider God in the world around us during the glorious summer months, even with a pandemic raging around us, I want to share a poem by Pastor Brokering. For my entire ministry it has remained one of my favorites for its encouraging message about an active God amid life’s perils. Notice how Christ is at the center. I pray that it will help you see. (copyright 1979, Herbert F. Brokering, Minneapolis, Winston Press.)

– Rolf Olson, Visitation Pastor

Lord of People On the Way

Herbert Brokering

Lord of people on the way,
Listen as we humbly pray;
Be the road we walk today,
You who called yourself The Way.

When we wander here and there,
On the verge of deep despair,
Drive away the clouds of care,
Make our days both warm and fair. 

Lord, you made the flood go down,
Set the ark upon dry ground,
Made the wretched leper sound,
Sought the sheep till it was found. 

Make your pilgrims wise and brave,
You whose strong arm bent to save
Peter from the wind and wave,
You who conquered death and grave.                 

Lord of people on the way,
Listen as we humbly pray;
Be the road we walk today,
You who called yourself The Way.