Tuesday, January 20, 2009

I watched President-elect Obama's inauguration today and, I must say, it was a beautiful thing to watch. There were many parts of this inauguration that I found moving, but one part in particular stuck with me. The part I refer to was the closing benediction that was written and delivered by the Reverend Joseph Lowery. Lowery is a Methodist minister who was integral in leading the civil rights movement with Dr.King in the 60's, and this is some of what he said...

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou who has brought us thus far along the way, thou who has by thy might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path, we pray, lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee, lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee. Shadowed beneath thy hand may we forever stand -- true to thee, O God, and true to our native land.

For we know that, Lord, you're able and you're willing to work through faithful leadership to restore stability, mend our brokenness, heal our wounds and deliver us from the exploitation of the poor or the least of these and from favoritism toward the rich, the elite of these.

We thank you for the empowering of thy servant, our 44th president, to inspire our nation to believe that, yes, we can work together to achieve a more perfect union. And while we have sown the seeds of greed -- the wind of greed and corruption, and even as we reap the whirlwind of social and economic disruption, we seek forgiveness and we come in a spirit of unity and solidarity to commit our support to our president by our willingness to make sacrifices, to respect your creation, to turn to each other and not on each other.

And now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance.

And as we leave this mountaintop, help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family. Let us take that power back to our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our temples, our mosques, or wherever we seek your will.

We go now to walk together, children, pledging that we won't get weary in the difficult days ahead. We know you will not leave us alone, with your hands of power and your heart of love.

Help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree, and none shall be afraid; when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right.

Let all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who would have thought that the Second Coming would be televised?

Anonymous said...

Good point peter. I'm very skeptical about all this Obama worship. Regardless of how nice and liberal he seems, he is still the head of the most powerful empire in the world. I prefer to place my hopes elsewhere

Anonymous said...

Obama has been quoted as saying that America is the last great hope for the world. I felt God tell me to take note of the presidential election day for some unknown reason... Truthfully any president or world leader makes me feel very uneasy these days.

The sense in my spirit is the world is in for a very turbulent year.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I felt it necessary to clarify what I meant by quoting Obama... America is not the last great hope of the world. The only hope of the world has always been Jesus. The message of the Gospel of America seems extremely like the Gospel of Rome.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...these are excellent comments, we'll do well to remember that no matter how "hopeful" things look for the Empire, it's still the Empire!

Anonymous said...

What ever is happening in the political areana in Canada or the USA - we need to pray for our leaders. This Obama may be the man to whom God uses to set more of the finer points of His Son - our Lord and Saviour's - return. Or maybe not. If Obama is not the one he certainly is a forerunner of the one who is to come.... setting the world up....

Anonymous said...

On another note - the celebration of this inauguration -- just inmagine what is is going to be like when Jesus is crown KING of the world. I am sure glad I am invited to that inauguration...

Anonymous said...

The Honorable James David Manning has a differnt take on obama. i'm no writer or speaker so i'll show it. Follow the link below to hear his sermon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTp_atr2G9E