Dear
Lord,
I
sit here in the peace and calm of Kettering
Listening
to news about suffering and war,
And
wonder about your plan for the future,
The
conflict, the pain, the tears and more.
How
best to work, for justice, not victory,
Not
triumphant screams, as a battle is won,
For
in strife, there are no winners and losers,
Just
those, left alive, when the fighting is done.
There
are those who've been lucky to finish unwounded,
And
others, whose pain is too hard to bear,
The
former may revel in stories of glory,
Others
grapple with feelings about things they've left there.
I
commend, to your care, both sides in the struggle,
And
pray that you'll help it to come to an end,
That
warriors will meet to resolve all their troubles,
For
in coming together their wounds start to mend.
That
innocent victims be saved by your mercy,
The
guilty, relieved of the pains in their mind,
That
despite all our faults, our mistakes and transgressions,
You
will always be there to save humankind.
For
yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
From
beginning and ever, a world without end,
To
you we offer our praise and allegiance,
For
you are our saviour, our life blood,
Amen
© Stefan Lewis-Fish
(21 March 1999
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