Daily Worship

Conversations with God

January 02, 2015 0 0

Isaiah 9:2-7

2 The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
    you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,
    the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
    will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and for ever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

God, my strength, my Saviour
come save me, set me free,
God, my hope, my Deliverer
lift me up, put a new heart in me. 

Lord, I am afraid.
Will this violence never end?
My neighbours have gone, I don’t know where.
My cousin was taken and not been seen.
Will I be next?
Why do the men of violence prosper?
Why don’t you tear the sky apart
and rain down vengeance?
Why must there be war and fighting?
All I want is a quiet life
and a chance to live in peace.
My children need to go to school,
the fields need planted if we are to eat next year,
I need to go to market to buy and sell,
the wounded need to be cared for,
the dead need to be buried and honoured,
but there is no peace,
and we cannot sing your songs any more.

My Child,
I long with you for the bloodstained boots 
to be burnt in the fire,
I yearn for time to sit and cradle hope
like a new-born child
a time will come for reckoning and for justice,
a time for peace and rebuilding,
keep faith for I will never leave you,
I too have suffered the blows of angry men,
I have triumphed over evil.