The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah, you who enter these gates to worship the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your doings, and let me dwell with you in this place. Do not trust in these deceptive words: “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.” For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave to your ancestors forever and ever.”
– Jeremiah 7:1-7 NRSVUE
We are safe within these walls.
This is what we tell ourselves.
Inside we are secure, the chosen
people of God. So let us sing
and pray and speak, thankful
for the glory revealed in
The Temple of the Lord,
The Temple of the Lord,
The Temple of the Lord.
But someone cracked a window,
and through the bastard cleft
came sounds to drown
our vain assemblies. For our songs
oppress the stranger. Our prayers
neglect the orphan. And our words
(and silence) do great violence in
The Temple of the Lord,
The Temple of the Lord,
The Temple of the Lord.
Come then, let us cast aside
allegiance to all lesser gods.
Let us now amend our ways
and means. Let us put to death
our violence and our silence,
that once again our God may dwell in
The Temple of the Lord,
The Temple of the Lord,
The Temple of the Lord.
Under Christ’s Mercy,
Pastor Brent