Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Psalm 27
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The world's gone mad!
Our God-given reason is overthrown
By our animal craving for blood.
My own desperate prayer for reason
Is stifled by overwhelming fear.
I see only the destruction our madness will bring in its wake -
Misery, poverty, hatred, despair, evil, chaos -
As the 21st century's first decade disintegrates into insane war.
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All that is good - morality, kindness, mercy, patience, compassion,
Self-control, forgiveness, wisdom - seems lost, forsaken.
We reject the Spirit's power to act in our lives,
Exposing humanity's ugly wretchedness without God's grace,
And thus, we have damned ourselves.
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How have we come to this hell?
When did we set out on this "inevitable" path?
Why can we find no other way?
What has blinded us to your grace, O! Holy God?
Where, O! Lord, is your salvation from this mad darkness?
Who but Thee can save us from ourselves?
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I hear you cry out to us, Lord -
"Don't be molded by the world, be metamorphosized!
Let your reasoning be completely, utterly new,
So you can comprehend what is good through my eyes.
Then you'll understand that you need to bless those you hate,
Instead of inciting more evil and anger and hatred
By seeking to repay the evil done against you with more evil.
You can only overcome evil with good.
Goodness is the only weapon that can destroy evil.
It's the only cure for your insanity and unending cycles of hatred and vengeance."
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So few hear you, Lord God.
Yet, in my despair, I hear your words of comfort -
"I am your hope, your salvation, your fortress.
Why are you afraid?
Evil may assail you, lay siege and make war against you,
But it will fail.
I am your shelter from trouble on the high ground.
You will one day walk before your enemies without fear or shame."
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So, Almighty God, Holy Lord,
In the midst of the world's madness, whatever terror is to come,
You are with me.
You say, "seek me," and I do seek Thee.
I will seek your grace amid our human wretchedness and evil
And I will yet live to see your good triumph.
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Now help me to wait for you, Lord God.
Help me to be strong, to not be afraid, in the overwhelming madness,
So I may endure the coming metamorphosis.
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3/3/2003 Trinity Prayer Day for Peace - 3/7/2003
Ongoing War in Afghanistan, Pending War with Iraq
Romans 12:2,14-21
Psalm 27

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