A Modern Psalm - Intervene.

God,

In the beginning, you created all that is with your very word.
The mother and father of humanity turned away the friendship you had with them, choosing to listen to the Darkness.

You intervened - you made a space for their redemption even in their disobedience to you.

The world became a very dark place, each man and woman following their own desires. This death and destruction caused you deep sorrow; you decided to destroy the destroyers.

You intervened - you found one family on earth who loved you and spared them in the midst of the Flood.

Your chosen nation, a society descended from the men you spoke with personally, was under the terrible oppression of a foreign king, forced into slavery.

You intervened - you turned the heart of a dark king to release your people.

The whole earth had come under the oppression of an even darker king, a world in bondage to a prince thrown from your very throne.

You intervened - you inserted yourself into the course of human history to break the sinister hold that the Dark King had on the world, re-establishing the Holy Order you set down at creation...

...that we would be companions with you.

And here we are today. We find ourselves struggling under the bondage that we've fallen victim to. In many cases they are things we've had no choice in - circumstances, heritage, abuse. In many more they are things we have wandered into knowing better.

You have called us, warning us and we didn't hear you. You have loved us and we've loved others, other things more than you. You have reached out to touch us and we have turned away.

Have mercy on us.

We have sought the things that bring us comfort and happiness more than you who bring us health and joy. We have fought hard for our freedom to worship you in our own way and ignored your invitation to join you.

Will you forgive us?

Like our ancient brothers and sisters, we have fallen to temptation; we have been conquered and given over to slavery. We can't escape without you.

We can't escape without you.

We don't know why you have made yourself available to us, to help us get out of the situations that we put ourselves in. All we know is that you have given us permission to ask. And so we ask now. Rescue us. Show up. We have no choice but to be humbled by you.

Be our escape.

Lead us from this wilderness. Give us the help we need to climb out of the deep valleys of sadness and regret. May we recognize it as you. Give us the clarity to follow your very heartbeat that you have put in all of us.

May you be our strength, for we have no strength.
May you be powerful, for we have no power.
May you give us wisdom, for there is none apart from you.
Most of all, may we love as you have loved us.
May we know your love.
May we see your love in our lives.
May we be perfect - being that which you have created us to be.
May you intervene.

We ask all this in the name of the Father,
through the Son,
by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.