Food for the Wilderness
Daily Devotion
April 28, 2020
Michael Fuchs
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Last Sunday, we heard the story of Jesus meeting two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Even before they had recognized who he was, the two disciples did not want to him to leave their presence. Luke 24:29 records the disciples imploring Jesus, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”
Those words with their sense of longing and urgency, combined with a depiction of evening, have been an inspiration for many artists and musicians. Josef Rheinberger, a 19th century German composer and organist, wrote a particularly poignant setting of this text. The music for a cappella choir captures the inherent beauty of the disciples’ words and feelings. There is an inescapable longing present in the music, that I think can only be reflective of the disciples’ desire to be with their Savior, even though they do not recognize him. The piece ends with a beautiful descending melodic line as the sun sets and the day draws to a close.
Bleib’ bei uns, denn es will Abend werden, Remain with us, for it will be evening und der Tag hat sich geneiget. and the day has drawn to a close.