Tuesday, March 17 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Scripture:

“Suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven.”— 2 Kings 2:11

Hymn Focus:

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

“Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home.”

“I looked over Jordan, and what did I see, coming for to carry me home.”

Lent is a season of honest waiting. We walk through repentance, sorrow, and longing, trusting that God is at work even when the road feels heavy. The spiritual Swing Low, Sweet Chariot gives voice to that deep hope—a hope shaped by suffering, sustained by faith, and oriented toward God’s promised future.

The image of the Jordan River carries powerful meaning. In Scripture, the Jordan marks a boundary between wilderness and promise, between struggle and rest. In the hymn, to “look over Jordan” is to glimpse freedom beyond hardship. Lent invites us to do the same—to name what weighs us down while lifting our eyes toward the promise of deliverance.

The chariot imagery speaks of God’s initiative. Salvation is not something we achieve by effort or endurance alone; it comes as a gift. Lent reminds us that even as we practice self-denial and repentance, we do so trusting in God’s grace, not our strength. God comes to meet us in our weariness.

As we journey toward the cross, this hymn holds together sorrow and hope. Lent acknowledges suffering honestly, but it never lets suffering have the final word. The God who meets us in the waters is the same God who carries us home—through death, through resurrection, and into new life.

Prayer

Delivering God,

When the journey feels long

and the waters seem deep,

help us to trust your presence.

In this Lenten season,

lift our eyes beyond what is seen,

and anchor our hope in your promise of life.

Carry us through every valley,

until we rest in the home you prepare for us.

Amen.