God Bless America

Dear Lord,

We're still hoping we'll wake up.
We're still hoping we'll open a sleepy eye
and think, "What a horrible dream."

But we won't, will we, Father?
What we saw was not a dream.
Planes did gouge towers.
Flames did consume our fortress.

People did perish.
It was no dream and,
dear Father, we are sad.

There is a ballet dancer
who will no longer dance,

and a doctor
who will no longer heal.

A church
has lost her priest,
a classroom
is minus a teacher.
Cora ran a food pantry.
Paige was a counselor,

and Dana, dearest Father,
Dana was only three years old.
(Who held her in those final moments?)

We are sad, Father.

For as the innocent are buried,
our innocence is buried as well.

We thought we were safe.

Perhaps we should have known better.
But we didn't.

And so we come to You.
We don't ask You for help;

We beg You for it.

We don't request it;

We implore it!
We know what You can do.
We've read the accounts.

We've pondered the stories and now we plead,

"Do it again, Lord. Do it again."

Remember Joseph?
You rescued him from the pit.

You can do the same for us.
Do it again, Lord.

Remember the Hebrews in Egypt?
You protected their children
from the angel of death.

We have children too, Lord.

Do it again.

And Sarah?
Remember her prayers?
You heard them.

Joshua? Remember his fears?
You inspired him.
The women at the tomb?
You resurrected their hope.

The doubts of Thomas?
You took them away.

Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

You changed Daniel

from a captive
into a king's counselor.

You took Peter the
fisherman
and made him Peter an apostle.

Because of You,
David went from leading sheep
to leading armies.
Do it again, Lord.

For we need counselors today, Lord.

We need apostles.
We need leaders.

Do it again, dear Lord.

Most of all,

do again what You did at Calvary.

What we saw here last Tuesday,
You saw there that Friday.

Innocence slaughtered.
Goodness murdered.
Mothers weeping.
Evil dancing.

Just as the smoke
eclipsed our morning,

so the darkness fell on Your Son.

Just as our towers were shattered,
the very Tower of Eternity was pierced.

And by dusk,
heaven's sweetest song
was silent,
buried behind a rock.

But You did not waver,
O Lord. You did not waver.

After three days in a dark hole,

You rolled the rock and rumbled the earth

and turned the darkest Friday
into the brightest Sunday.

Do it again, Lord.

Grant us a September Easter.

We thank You,
dear Father,
for these hours of unity.

Christians are praying with Jews.

Republicans are standing with Democrats.

Skin colors have been covered
by the ash of burning buildings.

We thank You
for these hours of unity.

And we thank You
for these hours of prayer.

The Enemy sought to bring us to our knees
and succeeded.

He had no idea, however,
that we would kneel before You.

And he has no idea what You can do.

Let Your mercy
be upon our President,
Vice President,
and their families.

Grant to those who lead us
wisdom beyond their years and experience.

Have mercy upon the souls
who have departed
and the wounded who remain.

Give us grace
that we might forgive
and faith that we might believe.

And look kindly upon Your church.
For two thousand years

You've used her to heal a hurting world.

Do it again, Lord Do it again!

Through Christ, Amen.