One of my favorite poet's is a very fine gentleman (who also happens to be a United Methodist Minister) named John Thornburg. He has written many wonderful poems, hymns, and anthem texts that can be found in all of the mainline hymnals. He recently sent out a poem for Advent this year and I asked him if I could post it on my blog. He graciously agreed! I found this poem to be a powerful reminder of my all-too-often complicity with the powers and principalities of this world. Thankfully, God's grace can help us turn from these things and embrace the life God wishes for us. What does it mean to you?
We want the rules to bend our way;
to fight a war but hear no cry,
to overeat and never die,
to burn the fuel but clean the sky.
Dominion is our favorite sport;
to claim whatever we can see,
to dictate our idea of 'free',
to do our business by decree.
We share this attitude with Rome,
with Herod, so emmeshed in lies
he could not fashion how the skies
were filled with wonder and surprise.
The time is ripe to claim the news;
that all is level in God's sight,
that greed is wrong and love is right,
that Christ can put all fear to flight.
Be instant, O Eternal God,
to turn our minds from selfish gain,
to still our hands from causing pain,
to set our minds upon your reign.
--used by permission given from John Thornburg
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