No one who drinks will be thirsty again

Anyone who drinks the water that I shall give will never be thirsty again; the water that I shall give will turn into a spring inside him, welling up to eternal life.

Familiar notes from the organ, and the procession begins, cross at the lead, choirs and ministers following.

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder consider all the works Thy hands have made.

I am thrilled by the surrounding voices, loud and exultant. We always sing, but this morning we sing with every fiber of our being. We know these words, we love these words. No murmuring faces buried in the hymnals, but heads lifted, singing strongly.

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, 

I look from face to face, reveling in expressions of heartfelt desire to praise God. I smile back at the looks of joy, sharing in praise.

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then I see you, and I remember your pain; your loss is so near. Yet still, you sing. Not exultantly, like those who surround us. But you sing.  

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;

I am humbled.  You sing.  Death so near, yet you sing.

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

You lower your head and a tear runs down your cheek. Lips move, mouthing the words. No sound emerges. Yet, still you sing.

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee:  
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Tears follow, drops of salty tenderness bubbling forth, each one mingled with living water of Christ. You lift a hand, smearing away the evidence. In pain and in promise, you sing.