For the Third Sunday in Lent

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Loving Lord,

 

What a privilege to come to you,

We who are burdened down with

Cares and fears known and unknown,

Eager to find rest in and with YOU,

And learn YOUR light and easy ways!

 

For this we praise YOU and draw near.

 

What delight to enter in, swaddled

Holy in the Glories, ceasing, calming, still.

Waiting ‘til the stirring winds of Spirit rush

Filling time and space with Word that sees,

Probes, pierces, joins together-again well!

 

Again, we praise YOU and draw nearer still.

 

What surprise, then, to hear plaintive pleas,

Urging us to follow, focusing not on self or

Direction but YOU, displacing all concerns

With the following—no, not quite; rather,

Nailing all concerns to the beam YOU bear!

 

Then, we praise YOU and know we are near.

 

What joy that YOUR load makes ours light;

YOUR emptying and extinguishing fills us up;

YOUR “abandonment” joins ours to fashion

Communities of care and healing, that offer

Life for death, joy for sorrow, love for all!

 

We praise YOU, now near enough to be one.

 

What surprise!  Within YOUR calm and rest,

The grace and peace, YOUR cross-bearing

Sweeps us up and drives us out fueled by

Passions, sufferings, and dying for others,

The burdened, crushed, fearful, restless all.

 

We praise YOU, near enough now to be

YOUR Body, in YOUR name, through YOUR

Spirit, Amen!

 

Published by David Kendall

Reverend David W. Kendall, an ordained elder in the Great Plains Conference, was elected to the office of bishop of the Free Methodist Church in May 2005. He serves as overseer of East Michigan, Gateway, Great Plains, Mid-America, North Central, North Michigan, Ohio, Southern Michigan, Wabash, African Area Annual Conferences; and Coordinator of oversight for the World Ministries Center.

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