A Concord Pastor Comments: Pause for Prayer: SUNDAY 8/18

When I read and listen to the news these days
I can't help but think:
If we ever needed you before, Lord
- we sure do need you now!

We need you in our hearts, Lord,
when we so easily resort to bitterness, prejudice and hatred...

We need you in our speech, Lord,
when insult, inuendo, sarcasm and half-truths
are so often on the tips of our tongues...

We need you in our politics, Lord,
when we so often fail to even try to understand
what truth the other side might speak...

We need you in our thinking, Lord,
when we so often rush mindlessly
to rash judgments based on uninformed opinions...

We need you to guide our discourse and debate, Lord,
beyond simply defending our positions
and towards truth as our only goal...

We need you in Congress, Lord,
and in our courts
and in our voting booths
and in our law enforcement agencies:
all places where we need
the authority of your word and your truth...

We need you, Lord,
we need you to push, prod, nudge, shove and move us
when we fail to speak out, fail to act;
when we're hesitant, fearful, overly cautious,
self-protective, lazy and uninterested
in issues that cry out for our response...

We need you to fill us with a spirit of justice and wisdom,
a spirit of good counsel and understanding,
a spirit of reverence and fortitude
a spirit that helps us to see as you see, Lord,
to love as you love,
to choose as you would choose,
and to serve others as you served us:
fully, freely and with mercy...

If we ever needed you before, Lord,
we sure do need you now!

Don't abandon us, Lord,
don't leave us to our own devices!

Open our eyes and ears and minds and hearts
to you, your presence and the power of your Spirit
moving within us and among us...

If we ever needed you before, Lord,
we sure do need you now!

If we ever needed the Lord before
we sure do need him now! We need him every day and every hour!

We need him in the morning!
We need him in the night!
We need him in the noon day
   when the sun is shining bright!

We need him when we're happy!
We need him when we're sad!
We need him when we're burdened
   just to make our hearts feel glad!

Composer: Thomas A. Dorsey
Vocals: by the cappella group, Take Six