Contemporary Psalms

9-1-14

Jeremiah 15:16 and 22:29; Song of Solomon 1-2; Psalm 104; Proverbs 24:15-16;
 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

O earth, earth, earth, hear the Word of the Lord! It has been the joy and rejoicing of my heart. And it still is, today. Today, despite the ravages of savages in Iraq and Syria, despite their sweep of terror over innocents whom they behead, calling them infidels. LORD, forgive the for they know not what they do! Only You can lift the veils of deception and delusional hatred from their blinded eyes and hearts. Only You!

You already told us that such days would come. And so, I pray, like a lily of the valley, under cover, hidden beneath Your banner of Love. Therefore, there is a fragrant aroma wafting as from the bush that is my home -- an aroma of believing prayer... prayer  that believes You can do what we cannot... prayer that knows You also cover the bundle of myrrh who are my beloveds. I bring them  to Your banqueting table and thank You now for covering them with Your Banner of Love.

I know You can do this, because You brought to safety against all odds. And You caused me to hear Your voice, O my Beloved! You came, leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills, and You continue today, looking for the lost who will be found, the beloveds for whom I  pray...  God, I know You can accomplish these salvations because You have done it for me, hard-hearted, stiff-necked, insufferable, wayward and rebellious me. You came and retrieved me from the precipice because of prayers from others, Your people who heard Your voice and heeded. And You heard their prayers. And now I am covered with Your Light as with a garment. Thank You, Father Son and Holy Spirit, for answering the prayers of Your people, and for putting into their hearts whatever needs to be prayed so that You might part the waters and set the captives free.

Thanks to You and the prayers of Your people, I now know that the waters will not return to cover the earth and that I will never fall by calamity into the realms of Eternal Loss, for I am made righteous by You, in whom I live and move and have my being. Therefore, whenever I am judged by You, I am chastened but not condemned with the world. And I believe You when You say that, soon, the rain will be over and gone. Soon Your flowers will appear on the earth. Soon the time of singing will have come and the vines with tender grapes will give a good smell.

O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD! Find His Word and eat it in order that He may become the joy and the rejoicing of your heart! 

Photograph by Jo Chaney.