Tag: World

God still needs prophets – old hymn perhaps for now?

God still needs prophets who will rage,

against discrimination,

who speak God’s words amid despair,

to this and every nation;

who reach again with nail scarred hands,

into the pain we’re feeling,

to hold us when we weep at loss,

who bring a hope of healing.

 

God still needs prophets who will hold

a mirror to our blindness,

to show us, each and everyone,

how hollow is our kindness;

how empty are our words of love

when shrouded in derision,

how clever words can’t justify

unloving indecision.

 

God still needs prophets who ignore

religions that confine us,

who magnify our words of love

through actions to refine us.

May we be prophets through our words

and in our hands of healing,

that others might see Christ in us

while Christ to us revealing.

 

Andrew Pratt 23/11/2008

Words © 2015 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Pleaseinclude any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All widerand any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.

Our borders, our walls mock the faith that we own -Hymn/Poem

Our borders, our walls mock the faith that we own,
denying the Christ that we claim to enthrone,
for Christ is our neigbour to love or reject,
for us to disdain, or to treat with respect.

The justice of God is as real as our flesh,
as real as each life that we drown or refresh;
as active as righteousness seen in the cross,
where love met with hatred while bearing the loss.

And now, in this moment, we need to decide,
our crisis of conscience to love or deride:
to claim that some small print lets us off the hook,
or answer, with courage, Christ’s challenging look?

Andrew Pratt 14/7/2019
Words © 2019 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England, http://www.stainer.co.uk.
Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Tune: ST DEINIO