Good morning.
My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church,
and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today.
A special welcome if you're new or visiting with us.
We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats,
but because we're following Jesus together as one community.
And as we follow Jesus together, we've become convinced that there's no one so good,
they don't need God's grace, and no one so bad that they can't have it,
which is why we come back week after week to hear what God has to say to us in His Word.
We're continuing our study in the book of Judges.
In fact, we're coming near to the very end of it.
We just have a few Sundays left in this book,
and you'll remember that the book of Judges is about a number of things.
It's about the need for constant renewal and revival among God's people.
It's about the need for a faithful and true king,
a king who can do what no human can do,
which is to change the hearts of men.
It's about the power of Spirit-filled leadership,
and it's about God's mercy to hard-hearted people,
people like you and me.
Last week, we finished chapter 18,
and in finishing that chapter, we finished the story of Micah.
You'll remember that his story did not end well.
The people of Dan came,
and they stole the idols that he had spent so much money and energy on.
And not only did they steal his idols,
they also hired away the Levite that he was so proud to have in his house.
And so we saw that in the end,
idols can't save,
they can't deliver,
they can't protect.
In the end,
idols will always break your heart.
That was a story for Micah,
the story for us as well,
that the worship of the true God
is the only safe worship.
We turn now to Judges chapter 19,
which continues the downward spiral
that we've been in for some time.
And this chapter is arguably the most tragic,
the most violent,
the most gruesome story in the entire Bible.
There are 66 chapters in the Bible,
39 in the Old Testament,
27 in the New Testament,
and there are nearly 1,200 chapters in the Bible.
And I would submit to you this morning
that this chapter,
of almost 1,200 chapters,
is in fact the worst of all.
And that's what we're told at the very end.
The last verse,
verse 30 of chapter 19,
says this,
such a thing has never happened
or been seen
from the day that the people of Israel
came up out of the land of Egypt
until this day.
And so as we come to
what is a tragic and gruesome story,
it's important to recognize
that perhaps for many of us
it may stir up all sorts of things
inside of us.
Things that we've seen
or experienced
or heard about.
And it may be difficult
to listen to
for a variety of reasons
that have nothing to do
with the passage itself.
And so I just want to remind us
as we come together,
as maybe things are stirred up
inside of you,
that God is still with you
in that moment.
That His word is good.
That we can trust
that He'll use it.
We can trust
that His grace
is enough.
So we come now
to a sober story
that reminds us,
shows us,
warns us
about what happens
when everyone does
what's right
in their own eyes.
And so with that,
I invite you to turn with me
to Judges chapter 19.
You can turn in your Bible,
you can turn on your phone,
you can turn in your worship guide.
No matter where you turn,
remember that this is God's word.
And God tells us
that His word
is more precious than gold,
even the finest gold,
and it's sweeter than honey,
even honey that comes straight
from the honeycomb.
And so that's why we read now
Judges chapter 19,
starting in verse 1.
In those days,
when there was no king
in Israel,
a certain Levite
was sojourning
in the remote parts
of the hill country
of Ephraim,
who took to himself
a concubine
from Bethlehem
in Judah.
And his concubine
was unfaithful to him,
and she went away
from him
to her father's house
at Bethlehem
in Judah,
and was there
for some four months.
Then her husband arose
and went after her
to speak kindly to her
and bring her back.
He had with him
his servant
and a couple of donkeys,
and she brought him
into her father's house.
And when the girl's father
saw him,
he came with joy
to meet him.
And his father-in-law,
the girl's father,
made him stay,
and he remained
with him three days.
So they ate and drank
and spent the night there.
And on the fourth day,
they arose early
in the morning,
and he prepared to go.
But the girl's father
said to his son-in-law,
Strengthen your heart
with a morsel of bread,
and after that,
you may go.
Verse 6.
So the two of them
sat and ate
and drank together.
And the girl's father
said to the man,
Be pleased to spend the night
and let your heart
be merry.
And when the man
rose up to go,
his father-in-law
pressed him
till he spent the night
there again.
And on the fifth day,
he arose early
in the morning
to depart.
And the girl's father
said,
Strengthen your heart
and wait
until the day declines.
So they ate
both of them.
And when the man
and his concubine
and his servant
rose up to depart
his father-in-law,
the girl's father
said to him,
Behold,
now the day
has waned
toward evening.
Please spend the night.
Behold,
the day draws
to its close.
Lodge here
and let your heart
be merry.
And tomorrow
you shall arise
early in the morning
for your journey
and go home.
Verse 10.
But the man
would not spend the night.
He rose up
and departed
and arrived
opposite Jebus,
that is Jerusalem.
He had with him
a couple of saddled donkeys
and his concubine
was with him.
When they were near Jebus,
the day was nearly over
and the servant
said to his master,
Come now,
let us turn aside
to the city
of the Jebusites
and spend the night
in it.
And his master
said to him,
We will not turn aside
into the city
of foreigners
who do not belong
to the people of Israel,
but we will pass on
to Gibeah.
And he said
to his young man,
Come and let us
draw near
to one of these places
and spend the night
at Gibeah
or at Ramah.
So they passed on
and went on their way.
And the sun
went down on them
near Gibeah
which belongs
to Benjamin.
And they turned aside
there to go in
and spend the night
at Gibeah.
And he went in
and sat down
in the open square
of the city
for no one
took them into his house
to spend the night.
Verse 16,
And behold,
an old man
was coming from his work
in the field
at evening.
The man was from
the hill country
of Ephraim
and he was sojourning
in Gibeah.
The men of the place
were Benjaminites.
And he lifted up
his eyes
and saw the traveler
in the open square
of the city.
And the old man said,
Where are you going?
And where do you come from?
And he said to him,
We are passing
from Bethlehem
in Judah
to the remote parts
of the hill country
of Ephraim
from which I come.
I went to Bethlehem
in Judah
and I am going
to the house
of the Lord
but no one
has taken me
into his house.
We have straw
and feed
for our donkeys
with bread
and wine
for me
and your female servant
and the young man
with your servants.
There is no lack
of anything.
And the old man said,
Peace be to you.
I will care
for all your wants.
Only do not spend
the night
in the square.
So he brought him
into his house
and gave the donkeys
feed
and they washed
their feet
and ate
and drank.
Verse 22.
As they were making
their hearts merry,
behold the men
of the city,
worthless fellows,
surrounded the house
beating on the door
and they said
to the old man,
the master of the house,
bring out the man
who came into your house
that we may know him.
And the man,
the master of the house
went out to them
and said to them,
No, my brothers,
do not act so wickedly.
Since this man
has come into my house,
do not do this vile thing.
Behold,
here are my virgin daughter
and his concubine.
Let me bring them out now.
Now,
violate them
and do with them
what seems good to you.
But against this man
do not do this outrageous thing.
But the men
would not listen to him.
So the man seized his concubine
and made her go out to them.
And they knew her
and abused her
all night
until the morning.
And as the dawn began to break,
they let her go.
And as morning appeared,
the woman came
and fell down
at the door
of the man's house
where her master was
until it was light.
Verse 27.
And her master
rose up in the morning
and when he opened
the doors of the house
and went out
to go on his way,
behold,
there was his concubine
lying at the door
of the house
with her hands
on the threshold.
He said to her,
Get up,
let us be going.
But there was no answer.
Then he put her
on the donkey
and the man rose up
and went away
to his home.
And when he entered
his house,
he took a knife
and taking hold
of his concubine,
he divided her
limb by limb
into twelve pieces
and sent her
throughout all
the territory
of Israel.
And all who saw
it said,
Such a thing
has never happened
or been seen
from the day
that the people
of Israel
came up
out of the land
of Egypt
until this day.
Consider it,
take counsel,
and speak.
I invite you
to pray with me
as we come
to this portion
of God's word.
Our Father in heaven,
we do praise you
and thank you
that your word
is good
and good for us,
that it's for our good
and for your glory.
And we ask
that you would help us
this morning
as we come
to an especially
challenging passage,
that you remind us
of your presence
with us,
you encourage us
with your love
for what's right
and just,
you'd use this passage
to challenge us,
to encourage us.
Most of all,
you'd remind us
of Jesus,
that we would see him
for who he is.
We'd know his mercy
and his grace
and his love,
that we would not do
what's right
in our own eyes,
but that we would
follow him
and trust him
as our king.
We ask these things
in his mighty name.
Amen.
You may notice
some similarities
from last week
as we start out
once again
with a story
about a Levite,
a different Levite
than the one we saw
in chapters 17 and 18.
And we find out
immediately
that this Levite
takes a concubine
to himself.
In verse 2,
we find out
that the concubine,
as we're told,
is unfaithful to him.
It's unclear,
however,
what exactly
that means.
It could mean
that she was
with another man.
It could simply mean
that she went away
from him.
That could be
what it means
for her to be unfaithful,
that she left
to go back
to her father's house.
Regardless of what's happening,
we see in verses 2 and 3,
there's a time
that elapsed
of four months
and then finally
this man decides,
hey,
it's time for me
to go and pursue
this woman
to bring her back
so she's no longer
at her father's house.
Then we counter
this moment,
verses 4 through 10,
there is this
arm-wrestling match
between the husband,
the Levite,
and his father-in-law
about how long
exactly he's going
to stay.
He's pressed
over and over again
just to stay
another day,
enjoy another meal
with us.
And I don't want you
to miss the details here.
In verse 4,
we're told that
this father-in-law
has great joy
that this Levite
has finally
come back to him.
We're not told
how the concubine
feels about the fact
that he's come back.
There's a deafening
silence there.
Verses 9 through 10
become significant
because in all of this
pressure and negotiation
about how long
he's going to stay
at their house,
when he finally
has to draw a boundary
and say,
you know what,
we have to move on,
it doesn't happen
until the evening.
It is less than ideal
that he's traveling
at this time.
It's going to end up
putting him
in a bad position
later on.
And so he
and his gang,
his troop,
decide to move out.
It's time to continue
towards their destination.
And it makes sense
for them,
especially since
it's so late
in the day,
to stop at this
city of Jebus,
which is going to later
become the city
of Jerusalem.
But the Levite says,
look, I don't want
to stay here.
This is the land
of foreigners.
Let's go on
a little bit further
so that we can be
with God's people.
Let's go to Gibeah
or Ramah.
Why?
Well, the assumption
here is that
if they go
and they stay
with Israelites,
they are going
to receive
the hospitality,
the welcome,
the safety
that's not going
to be available
in a Canaanite city.
Of course,
the Canaanites
are crazy, right?
That's where something
bad might happen.
Let's go to where
it's safe.
Let's travel
just a little bit more
so we can be
with our own people.
We can feel
a little bit
of a shiver here
with him
in verse 14.
They're arriving
at this city
as the sun
is going down.
Again,
there's a lack
of wisdom here.
It's not strategic.
The ideal situation
would be for them
to arrive
when the sun
is out, right?
They're going
to have plenty
of time
to settle
themselves,
find a place
of safety,
identify a good
host.
And it's here
in the next verse
that this story
takes an ominous
turn.
He doesn't go
to Jebus.
That's where
the Canaanites
live.
He goes to
Gibeah.
That's where
the Israelites
are.
And yet,
he went in
and sat down
in the open
square of the city
for no one
took them
into his house
to spend
the night.
So we know
something's off.
This is not
playing out
the way
that the Levite
had planned.
He tells the man
who comes up later
the same thing.
Verse 18,
no one has taken me
into his house.
And it's scandalous.
It's not just scandalous
that no one
has taken him in.
It's even worse
than that.
Verse 19,
he says,
look,
we even brought
our own food.
Why would someone
not want to take
them in?
Well,
maybe they're
concerned about
the expense,
right?
Maybe they're
concerned,
hey,
we don't actually
have the resources
to take care
of this guest.
And yet,
even that is
not a legitimate
objection.
No,
we brought
our own wine.
We brought
our own food.
All we need
is a safe
place to stay.
it's not
going to cost
you anything.
And yet,
there they are.
They're trapped
in the square
of the city.
Thankfully,
this old man
from the hill
country of Ephraim
is sojourning.
He comes along
and he says,
look,
you can stay
with me.
And here we hit
another ominous
warning.
Verse 20,
whatever you do,
don't stay
in the square.
You may have
thought you
were in
friendly territory.
Nothing could
be further
from the case,
the truth.
You may have
thought that
you were
being wise
by staying
away from
the Canaanites,
but in fact,
you have walked
into another
dangerous
situation.
What begins
as a couple
ominous warnings
turns into
complete disaster
for these
travelers.
In verses
22 and 23,
these worthless
men come
and what
they want
to do
is to
violate
this Levite
who has
come to
visit.
And instead,
there's this
offer made.
Hey,
let's compromise,
guys.
Verse 24,
here are my
virgin daughter
and his
concubine.
How about
we leave
the Levite
alone?
You can
take them
instead.
And don't
miss the
irony that's
going on
here.
As their
offer,
they act
as if
this is
completely
normal.
Verse 23,
you know,
we don't want
you to be
wicked.
Don't
do this
vile
thing.
Verse 24,
don't do
this outrageous
thing.
Let's not
do something
crazy,
right?
Don't
take the
leap.
Let's
do something
totally
normal,
okay?
How about
you just
take the
concubine
of my
daughter
instead?
Like,
that will
be a
reasonable
thing
for you
to do.
And this
is meant
to remind
us just
like how
ridiculous
things have
become
in Israel.
It sounds
like they're
not willing
to compromise
and so the
Levite decides
to take action
into his own
hands.
You guys
won't make
a deal
with me?
Well,
I'm just
going to
shove my
concubine
out the
door.
She can
be with
you.
We're
going to
be safe
inside.
We'll
figure this
out later.
What happens
later needs
no explanation
outside of the
verses themselves.
Verse 25,
they knew
her and
abused her
all night
until the
morning.
Verse 27,
she staggers
back with
her hands
on the
threshold.
So close,
so far.
You might
think at
this point
that things
couldn't get
worse,
but in
fact they
do.
We begin
to realize
why the
father-in-law
experienced
great joy
when the
Levite
returned
and the
concubine
did not.
And in
fact,
there's a
hint there.
If we read
between the
lines,
we begin
to understand
why it
is maybe
that she
ran away
from this
Levite.
Verses
27 and
28,
he walks
out,
sees her
at the
door,
acts as
if nothing's
happened,
and just
tells her,
hey, it's
time for
us to
get up.
And then
as if
she has
not been
violated
enough,
he
desecrates
her body
and cuts
her into
12 different
pieces.
And if
you're left
speechless,
that is the
point.
Verse 30
here sums
it up.
Such a
thing has
never happened
or been
seen from
the day
that the
people of
Israel
came up
out of
the land
of Egypt
until this
day.
God's
people are
worse than
the pagans.
Their
cities,
city of
Gibeah,
is more
dangerous than
Jebus.
There is
no longer
any distinction
between the
people that
God has
chosen and
the nations
around them.
And that
raises the
question for
us of what
do we do
with this
story?
Why is
such a
speechless
event in
the Bible?
Why is
Judges 21
chapters
instead of
18 chapters?
This story,
by the way,
is going to
continue in
chapters 19
and 20.
Some of it
is a recurring
theme that
we've seen
before in
previous weeks.
There is
something upside
down about
Israel.
This man
avoids a
pagan city
thinking Israel
is safe.
Instead,
he ends up
being warned
about how
dangerous the
public square
is.
Any Israelite
should receive
welcome and
hospitality.
In fact,
not even any
Israelite,
any sojourner,
any traveler
should be
welcomed in
for safety,
and yet the
man who
brings his
own food
can't even
find a place
to stay.
And men
should be
sacrificing
themselves for
women.
They should
not have
women
sacrificed
for men.
And so
the theme
of things
being turned
inside out
in the
book of
Judges
continues.
Here in
this chapter
though,
we take
another
step.
There is
a deeper
point.
There's a
greater heart
issue at
play here.
There's a
more sober
warning.
You may
remember all
the way back
in chapter
17,
we heard
this phrase
for the
first time,
in those
days there
was no
king in
Israel.
Everyone
did what
was right
in his
own
eyes.
And how
does this
chapter start
out?
Chapter 19,
verse 1,
in those
days when
there was
no king
in Israel.
Which is
meant to
call up for
us what
we've already
learned.
And the
author of
Judges is
telling us
this.
this is
what happens
when everyone
does what
is right
in their
own eyes.
You want
to know
what selfishness
creates?
You want
to know
what autonomy
leads to?
It doesn't
lead to a
little discomfort.
It doesn't
lead to a
few bad
moments.
No,
it leads
to the
worst
moments.
It doesn't
make society
a little
dysfunctional.
No,
it destroys
society.
It doesn't
make things
a little
twisted.
No,
it breaks
them.
This is
what happens,
Israelites,
when our
time and
our money
and our
sexuality
and our
politics
are all
about
us.
It may
not lead
to that
tomorrow.
It may
not lead
there next
week.
It will
lead there
one day.
There's an
unveiling
here.
Judges is
telling us,
look,
this is what
it really
looks like.
This is what
you're really
doing.
this is
where it
leads.
When
everything is
about me
and mine.
When people
do what is
right in their
own eyes,
when they
pursue their
own interests
above everything
else,
at the end
of the day,
people are
destroyed and
torn apart.
torn apart
and destroyed
in metaphorical
and psychological
ways.
They're
destroyed and
torn apart
in physical
ways.
Why is
there no
hospitality in
this story?
There's no
hospitality because
everyone is
doing what is
right in their
own eyes.
And what does
hospitality take?
it takes
sacrifice.
It takes
inconvenience.
It takes
resources.
Why do the
Levite and
his guest,
instead of
facing these
men head
on,
instead of
sacrificing
themselves,
why do they
offer the
women in
the story?
Because they're
going to do
what is right
in their own
eyes.
They're going
to do what's
best for
them,
which is to
maintain male
dignity above
everything else.
Why doesn't
the Levite
care about
what has
happened to
his concubine?
Because all
the Levite cares
about is what
is right in
his own
eyes.
It takes
work to
lay down
your interests
for the sake
of someone
else.
It can
hurt to
actually care
about what
happens to
people who
are close
to you.
Of course,
the narrative
hints but
never states
this is
exactly why
she ran
back to
her father's
house.
We can go
even further
back in the
book of
Judges.
This is not
the first
time we've
heard the
phrase of
doing what's
right in
our eyes.
Do you
remember where
we first
saw it?
The very
beginning of
the book
of Samson.
Remember,
he pursues a
pagan woman
despite his
parents'
warnings.
Why?
He tells
them,
get her for
me.
She is
right in
my eyes.
And of
course,
we're not
surprised then
the way
Samson's
story plays
out as he
uses and
abuses the
people around
him.
What happens
when people
do what's
right in
their own
eyes?
Well,
Judges
tells us,
shows us
who it
is that
gets to
pay the
bill.
It's the
most vulnerable
who are
most used
and abused.
Remember,
all the way
back to
Jethpah,
Jethpah
wasn't
sacrificed.
His
daughter was.
women pay
more than
men.
Children
pay more
than
adults.
That's
what's
happening in
our country
right now
in many
ways.
And
sojourners
and travelers
pay more
than permanent
residents and
citizens.
This is
where it
all ends.
This is
where human
selfishness
leads.
This is
what rebellion
against God
creates.
And Judges
wants us
to have
no
illusions.
This is
how sin
plays out
in the
world.
In fact,
the breakdown
of hospitality
and the
violence that
we see in
this passage
are two
sides
of the
same coin.
there's
a reason
these
things
go
together
because
they
actually
have
the
same
root
at
play.
You
cannot
have a
beautiful
community
and also
demand
what is
most
convenient
for you.
human
flourishing
and
autonomy
and
individualism
cannot
coexist.
exist.
You can
worship God
or you
can worship
yourself.
You can
do what
is right
in your
eyes
or you
can do
what is
right
in God's
eyes.
Remember
what we
talked about
with Micah,
Judges
chapter 17
and 18.
The worship
of the
true God
is the
only
safe
worship.
you
cannot
have it
both
ways.
The
extremes
of this
story
reveal
something
for us
that is
also
true
about
the
normal
everyday
occurrences
of
selfishness
in
humanity.
This
is how
ugly
autonomy
is.
This
is how
gross
and
disgusting
it is
when we
insist on
our own
way above
all else.
This
is where
the human
heart
lives.
This
is how
degrading
and
dehumanizing
it all
is.
Not
just for
the world
out there
but for
the church
in here.
there is
a reason
that our
main
characters
the last
two
stories
have been
Levites.
And that
is to
remind us
even the
religious
leaders
were
corrupt.
God's
people
do not
get a
pass
as God
examines
the
selfishness
and the
self-centeredness
of this
world.
This
is not
something
where they
get to
show and
look at
the world
outside
and say
man
isn't
it
really
bad
out
there.
No
judges
is pushing
the reader
the Christian
reader to
say man
and it's
also bad
in here.
It may
not be the
same in
degree
it is the
same
in kind.
Now you
might say
wow that
sounds really
extreme.
Aren't you
exaggerating a
little bit
right?
This is an
extreme story
of course
this is not
what is
happening
in our
lives
our world
day to
day.
and I
would
submit to
you that
if that's
what you
think
your eyes
are not
open.
These
extremes
play out
in our
world
day after
day.
They play
out in
geopolitical
situations
that are
happening
right now.
They play
out day
by day
in a
sex
industry
that
pretends
that things
are legal
and consensual.
they play
out in
less extreme
ways
every day
in the
indignities
that we
impose on
others
and we
experience
ourselves
when we
insist
on what's
right for
us.
That our
convenience
is what
matters more
than anything
else.
Remember
Judges is
about the
need for
constant
renewal
and revival
among God's
people.
It's about
the need
for a
true
and faithful
king.
A king
who can
do what
no human
can do
which is
to change
the hearts
of men.
Look with
me on
page 10
of your
worship
guide.
It says
this,
from the
Garden of
Eden
humanity's
fundamental
rebellion
against God
has been
a rebellion
of autonomy.
Adam
and Eve
were given
a clear
law
and chose
to become
a law
unto
themselves.
The
history
of humanity
has followed
this
example.
And so
once again
Judges pushes
us,
reminds us,
shows us
how extreme
the problem
is so that
we understand
how powerful
the solution
must be.
There is
only
one
way
out.
There is
only one
solution
to the
selfishness
and self-centeredness
of the
world,
not only
the world
out there,
but the
world
in here.
The
opposite
of doing
what's
right in
your own
eyes
is
following
and trusting
and obeying
Jesus
as king.
remember,
there are
only
two
choices.
We talked
about this
in the
gospel of
Mark,
Mark chapter
8.
Jesus
says,
who do
you say
that I
am?
Am I
the king
or not?
There are
two ways
that you
can take
this.
You can
follow
and obey
me.
You can
do what's
right in
your own
eyes.
One
will end
in joy,
the other
ends
in tragedy.
There's
only one
power
strong
enough
to save
the world
from itself.
We see
in Judges
chapter 19
that the
powerful
sacrifice
the weak.
When
Jesus,
the true
king,
comes,
we see
the powerful
being sacrificed
for the
weak.
That's
the hope
of Israel
in this
passage.
Verse 1,
there was no
king in
Israel.
Things will
not change
until there's
the true
king in
Israel.
Things will
not change
until there
is one
strong enough
to save
the world
from itself.
So what
do we do?
We bow
before the
true king
who never
did what
was right
in his
own eyes.
We choose
him and
his ways
over our
own
individualism
and autonomy.
We trust
in him.
We wait
for him.
We hope
for him.
We've
never had
a communion
hymn
before.
That's a
hymn of
lament.
But we're
going to
do it
today.
You can
look on
verse 11
of your
worship guide.
This is a
song grieving
the brokenness
of the world
and looking
forward to
what is to
come.
And what
does it
tell us?
There's a
table coming
where the
poor are
not going
to be
marginalized
and sacrificed
for the
sake of
the
powerful.
No,
the poor
are honored
guests.
The weary
wanderers are
not going
to have to
worry about
what's going
to happen
in the
square of
the city.
No,
they're going
to come
in and
find rest.
People are
not going
to be seeking
what's right
in their
own eyes.
No,
they're going
to have a
chorus where
all voices
join as
one in
songs of
celebration
that all
our wars
are done.
They have
told us of
a city where
all death
will be
undone and
all our
tearful mourning
gives way to
healing song.
That's our
hope and that's
our only hope
and it is
true because
of Jesus.
Let's pray.
our father
in heaven,
we do
praise you
and thank
you that
your word
challenges
us,
it clarifies
things for
us and
gives us
great hope.
We ask
that you
would remind
us of both
things.
You'd remind
us of the
darkness and
brokenness of
the world
and our
own role
and complicity
in it.
You'd also
remind us of
the great hope
that we have
in Jesus
Christ,
the one who
did not do
what was right
in his own
eyes,
but came
to redeem
and save
and rescue
his people.
We ask
that our
hope and
our trust
would be
in him
above all
else and
we ask
these things
in his
name.
Amen.