“Speak To The Storm ” (Matt. 8:23-27;6:7ff; Mk.4:35f; Lk.8:22f;2 Cor.10:4f; Eph.6:10-18)Jerusalem Bible Series - Matt.10 sub-series][Pandemic Series] [Sun Tsu First Half Re-Write – #2:8B]
As rain came down in torrents,
And that, round after round,
An anger rose within me –
Floodwaters on the ground –Were rising, just like last time.
Despite my walls of stone;
“Speak to the storm” came to me,
Out there behind my home.We won’t until we’re angry,
Frustrated to the brim,
And then we will start lashing
With words – our patience thin.And then the storm is over,
Whatever type it is;
Our enemy’s not people,
In landscape, home, or biz.I’ve heard such tales aforetime
For clergy “safe” are seen
As ears to hear such stories
Of battles there have been.But Sun Tsu’s right – it’s anger
Which triggers action keen,
As Holy Spirit goads us
To battle-acts begin.But we ignore the weapons
Christ places in our hands,
Like words we speak in anger,
In home or distant lands.But we withhold our statements,
Expletives, and advice,
For in the long-run, progress
Depends on “Being nice”.But times arise for each one
Who lives here on God’s earth,
When evil gets beyond us
Attacking all we’re worth.And that’s when battle rages –
Our anguish and our pain
Then overcome our niceness
To lash out in the rain.It’s then we take offensive
To seize from enemy
The goods which he has stolen
From blokes like you and me.I well recall that ditty
Sung by that healer-guy –
“I took back what he’d stolen
From me beneath the sky –“I walked into his campsite,
Strode up and snatched my goods,
And children of God’s promise –
Christ’s strength he understood.”For that’s the role I’m playing
In days of Jubilee –
Ka-boom! I’m freeing prisoners
where trapped – Christ sets them free.But it’s not us that frees them,
It’s Spirit’s potent acts;
The enemy’s not people,
It’s satan and his acts.There’s people now imprisoned
Behind his walls of greed,
And selfishness, and power,
By which he meets his need.And us? We dance, he fiddles
Until we’ve had enough;
Then, battle can get ugly
As we take back our stuff.Lord, I note Spirit’s actions
In this regard today –
To make us angry, greedy,
But not in satan’s way –But rather, rage for others
Against unnumbered foes,
Desiring wealth ill-gotten
By satan, heaven knows.Lord, in this last pandemic
I’m sure folks’ rage is high,
As they see needless suffering
And have grandparents die.For people side with satan
And all his evil ways
That they might gain advantage
Through evil games he plays.“Deliver us from evil”;
“Lift off temptation’s hand”;
That we might live tomorrow
In these and distant lands.Thanks Lord for this.
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