Psalm 2020/21 – How Long Until?
How long, O Lord?
How long until
our lives are no longer disrupted by protocols,
and travel is no longer a burden, a challenge,
the infected no longer gasp for breath,
and breathe their last—
and their loved ones are devastated,
and their bodies are ravished,
and their lungs destroyed by a wild, deadly, raging virus,
one that should have been tamed by now?
How long until
science wins,
and the willful, stubborn, misinformed, misled, foolish, get vaxed—or die—
and treatment or cure slams the door on death?
How long, O Lord?
How long until
we, like lamb before lion, child at hole of asp,
no longer have to fear one another,
and the deadly weapons are laid down,
and the weapons are kept out of the hands of children and youth,
and the weapons are reserved for those trained to use them,
and the weapons are restricted in a land already armed to the teeth,
and the weapons are forged into instruments of peace—
and so are we?
How long, O Lord?
How long until
we stop pumping carbon into the air,
and the icecap no longer melts,
and the waters recede,
and the rain forests are preserved,
and the skyline is no longer brown,
and the lakes and streams are clear,
and habitats are restored,
and this groaning creation erupts with beauty, life, and joy?
How long, O Lord?
How long until the politicians
end the divisiveness,
and restore civility,
and reject the Big Lie,
and stop the repression
of women,
and people of color,
and people who are LGBTQ?,
and the poor, hungry, and homeless,
and anyone else who is not
straight,
white,
male,
and, especially, wealthy,
and stand up for democracy,
and say “no” to lining their pockets,
and say “yes” to serving the republic,
and prefer the common good above their own power?
How long, O Lord?
How long until people of color no longer fear and mistrust
their neighbors,
and the police,
and their employers and co-workers,
and the politicians,
and strangers,
and the bigots and haters?
How long until
their vote is no longer suppressed,
and their economic power and opportunities are no longer limited,
and their people are no longer disproportionately incarcerated,
and their rights are upheld,
and they can jog, sleep, shop, drive, work, play
and live to tell about it,
and diversity is no longer perceived as a threat
but celebrated as an asset?
How long, O Lord?
How long until your beloved, broken church—
broken by political entrenchment,
and a sense of entitlement,
and racial and class divisions,
and apathy,
and intimidation,
and manipulation,
and blaming,
and bullying,
and bondage to tradition
while oblivious to the Great Tradition—
How long until your beloved bride, your church
radiates, beams with her gifted beauty,
and fully reflects your Light,
and values mission above survival,
and celebrates abundance rather than fearing scarcity,
and treats her leaders with respect,
and fully embraces the call to discipleship,
and joyfully tells the story of Jesus,
and rejects the death-dealing values of empire,
and strives tirelessly, passionately, relentlessly for justice and peace?
How long, O Lord?
How long until my cold, hard heart—
hardened by cynicism,
and hardened by disdain for those with whom I disagree,
and hardened by anger at the anti-mask, anti-vaxers,
and hardened by disgust for leaders who mislead,
and hardened by my own, self-centered sinfulness—
How long until that heart
is softened,
and melted,
and molded,
and reshaped,
and transformed
by your love,
and by your mercy,
and by your Spirit?
How long?
How long, O Lord?
How long until
your compassion flows freely,
and your justice prevails,
and your love triumphs,
and “life,” not “death,” is the last word?
How long until
your gentle reign is revealed,
and creation is healed,
and all people kneel,
and your praise is sung,
and your will is done,
and your kingdom comes?
How long, O Lord—until?