A Prayer for the Refugees

Lord God, be near them as they flee
from terror, death and tyranny
in search of where they might live free.
They’re hopeful and they’re brave.

Like those who fled from Pharaoh’s hand
who trudged through barren sifting sand,
these, too, dream of a promised land
where life can start anew.

From Syria they migrate west.
These huddled masses (tightly pressed)
have little clothing, food or rest.
We watch their plight through tears.

O God, please lead them on their way.
Remind them why they couldn’t stay.
And for their children, Lord, I pray
that You will keep them safe.

And help me know what I can do
to help the helpless loved by You
until their wanderings are through
and dreams are realized.

A tender moment points to a greater opportunity

They did FaceTime with the Pontiff
from the Vatican last week.
It was precious. Did you see it? ‘Twas a first!
Those who chatted were excited
to be chosen and to speak.
And it calls to mind a universal thirst.

Skyping with the Pope was poignant.
But I’m hoping that you know
I can FaceTime with the Father every day.
I don’t need a special hookup
or be chosen from the crowd.
I have the Lord’s attention when I pray.

Direct access is awesome!
Prayer is such a privilege.
I can speak my mind and bare my breaking heart.
For my Father’s not too busy
to attend to what I say.
And He loves to hear me sing “How Great Thou Art.”

So before you cave to envy
wishing you’d FaceTimed the Pope,
take a walk and share your heart with God above.
He is waiting (arms wide open)
to embrace you with His grace
and to whisper you’re the object of His love.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/video/watch-full-abc-news-papal-virtual-audience-english-33518680

A somber reflection on a TV reporter’s death

Breaking news!
Shattered dreams!
Shards that ripped apart news teams.
Anchors mired in the deep
of dark and murky grief.

A reporter
and a cameraman.
A troubled colleague (gun in hand)
robbed them both of years to come
while viewers watched in shock.

Lord, have mercy!
Violence reigns!
Different cities. Different names.
Rampant shootings steal our faith
and kill our hopes for peace.

Breaking news!
Shattered dreams!
Newsmen are the news (it seems).
Headlines haunt us by the hour.
Oh, for some good news!

Contemplating the cultural shift in our nation

I graduated high school in the spring of ’70.
I have great mem’ries of those times back then.
The Jesus People Movement
helped our nation heal from war
and wounds that stole our soul in Vietnam.

But then before I knew it
culture lost its grasp on truth.
We legalized what we’d considered sin.
Abortion, marijuana, same-sex marriage and the right
to freely choose just when our life should end.

We pledged allegiance to our flag
acknowledging God’s name
and even said we trust Him on our money.
But soon it became obvious
to reference God was wrong.
Our culture’s change of mind was hardly funny.

The moral code by which we’d lived
was broken and exposed.
Authoritative truth was deemed absurd.
What’s right and wrong is relative.
No absolutes exist.
This pagan process undermined God’s Word.

It hurts my heart to realize
the seismic shift afoot.
Our holy ground’s been shaken to the core.
We’ve lost our sacred center.
We are spiritually adrift.
We’re on the brink of yet another war.

It’s a holy war that’s waiting
between Evangelicals
and progressives who decry what we declare.
To embrace what we have cherished
as the hallmark of our faith
will result in consequences once thought rare.