Well, good morning.
Happy St. Patrick's Day parade for those of you who live in New Haven.
We begin this morning.
I want to tell you something.
Prince of Egypt is my favorite animated movie.
If you haven't seen it, it's the story of Moses in the beginning chapters of Exodus,
told in an expanded and fictionalized way.
And it's not a perfect movie.
It doesn't reflect the whole biblical story in appropriate ways.
But it opens with this amazing song called Deliver Us.
And it depicts the people of Israel in slavery.
And musically and visually, it just shows how downtrodden and how beaten
and how oppressed they are and how deeply they suffer at the cruel hands of their Egyptian taskmasters.
It depicts, I think, well, what Exodus 1, 13 says.
So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter and hard service
in mortar and brick and in all kinds of work in the field.
And in all their work, they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.
And Israel cried out, deliver us.
Lord, deliver us.
And of course, friends, this brings us to the book of Revelation
and our series that we're preaching on this spring, finishing the book of Revelation.
If you remember, the book of Revelation was written to a church at a time when the church was suffering under similar persecution.
Life as a Christian in Rome had become more and more difficult.
The rise of the emperor cult and worship was high, and the cost of abstaining would be significant.
It was not only spiritual persecution, but also economic ostracization.
You would be excluded from the hallways of wealth and power.
And of course, at times, the Roman Empire persecuted Christians mercilessly and terribly.
And so in the first century, as this book was written,
when the people of God were saying, cry, were crying out, deliver us, O Lord.
Of course, friends, we know this as well from Revelation 6, 9 through 11, which we've seen before.
You remember this?
In the midst of the seals, as Jesus is opening the seals,
there's a picture of the saints under the altar crying out, saying,
O sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?
And friends, we know that the people of God have cried out throughout the ages with this same cry,
Lord, deliver us.
Lord, save us.
Lord, will you come and make things right?
Well, today, as we look at Revelation chapters 15 and 16, we see God responding to this cry.
And in it, we see a picture of God's rescue and deliverance,
but also a picture of His judgment on evildoers, on oppressors.
And I will just say this morning and acknowledge some of us will struggle with this.
We don't like a God who judges.
We may struggle with revulsion at the idea that God would judge people,
that God would be fair or good if He judged people,
that a loving God would ever judge people.
And I'm just going to punt.
Go back to Nick's sermon last week,
because he did a great job and spent about 10 or 15 minutes really unpacking this idea.
How do we understand God's judgment and respond to it in a way that makes sense to us?
It's not something that our modern sensibilities easily adopt.
But I'm not going to talk just about judgment this morning
in the sense of just explaining it again and saying this is what God is doing.
This morning, as we look at verses, or at chapters 15 and 16,
I want to ask this question.
How does God want us to respond to the truth of God's judgment?
What does He call us to do, or how does He expect us to respond?
Because remember, this whole book of Revelation was written to churches who were suffering
with a pastoral intent.
There was a goal, there was a hope that this book would minister to people
and cause them to respond in certain ways.
And so that's the question I want to ask as we look at this passage this morning.
We're going to look at Revelations chapter 15 and 16.
If you're following along in the Pew Bibles, it's page 973.
So if you want to turn there, and just to remind you, if you're visiting
or if you forgot from last week, which sometimes happens to us,
chapters 12 through 14, right before this, we saw this picture
that reminded us that the whole world is in a spiritual war,
that there are those who are God's enemies that seek to destroy God's people
and to resist His kingdom and to build their own kingdoms economically, spiritually, politically,
and these stand up in rebellion against and excluding of God,
and that this battle is fierce,
but that in the end, God will have an ultimate victory.
And then we come to chapters 15 and 16,
and as we'll see, it's a picture of judgment where you have seven things.
And we've seen this before, haven't we?
In 6 through 8, we have had seven seals.
In 8 through 11, we've had seven trumpets.
And now we have seven bowls that depict God's response to this cry,
deliver us, God's work of judgment on the earth.
So, the question, how do we respond to God's judgment?
If you're taking notes, here's our outline this morning.
First, we are to celebrate God's response of judgment.
Second, we are to tremble at God's response of judgment.
And thirdly, we are to choose in response to God's judgment.
So, let's look at these passages.
We're going to walk through the passage together.
Hopefully, you will see why I think this is what God is doing
and how He wants us to respond to His Word as we read this chapter.
So, Revelation chapter 15, starting in verse 1.
Let's read this together.
And they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb, saying,
Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.
Who will not fear, O God, and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.
After this, I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness,
and heaven was opened, and out of the sanctuary came
the seven angels with the seven plagues,
clothed in pure bright linen,
with gold sashes around their chests.
And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels
seven golden bowls, full of the wrath of God
who lives forever and ever.
And the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God
and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary
until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
What I want you to see in this first chapter,
this first section that we're looking at today,
is that we are actually called to celebrate
in response to God's judgment.
Why do I say that?
Well, let me walk through the passage, help you see it.
Verse one is kind of an introductory section,
and then two through four is almost like an interlude,
and then five through eight finishes what we see in verse one.
And we see this picture of, in the heavenly temple,
angels carrying bowls.
And in verse one, it says these bowls are the plagues,
which would remind us immediately of Egypt
and God's judgment on Egypt,
where he brought ten plagues
in order to deliver the people of Israel from them, right?
So these bowls are plagues
that then we will see later are full of God's wrath.
Now, we've seen bowls before in Revelation.
Perhaps you haven't remembered this,
so let me remind you.
In Revelation 5,
as we saw this grand picture of the throne room again,
there were bowls.
Jesus takes the scroll,
and it says this,
and when Jesus had taken the scroll,
the four creatures and the 24 elders
fell down before the lamb,
each holding a harp,
and golden bowls full of incense,
which are the prayers of the saints.
The bowls,
which are now coming out of the temple
with full of wrath,
were the bowls that went into the temple,
full of the prayers of the saints of God.
And I believe that the writer is pulling hard
on the imagery of the Exodus
so that we understand what's going on here.
Just as in Exodus,
the people of God cried out,
and God heard their cries
and responded with plagues of judgment
in order to deliver them,
so also we see this picture of,
in response to the prayers of the saints
being lifted up to God
in these golden bowls.
These golden bowls are now coming back
filled with the wrath of God,
the judgment of God
against his enemies.
Why else do I say this?
Because it makes sense of verses 2 through 4.
Because 2 through 4 is a weird interlude
in the middle of this, isn't it?
Unless, as Nancy Guthrie
so helpfully pointed out,
this is a picture
that's like the people of God.
Because you know the story of Exodus, right?
God had delivered his people from slavery.
They were on their way to the Promised Land.
They were going towards the Red Sea.
Pharaoh changed his mind.
He said,
I don't want to let them go.
He sent his army of chariots after them.
They were trapped between the army of Pharaoh
and the Red Sea.
And God miraculously opened a way
through the Red Sea
for the people of God to be delivered.
And then, just as miraculously,
brought the sea back down
when the army of Pharaoh
tried to follow them
through that path of deliverance.
And they were destroyed.
And imagine,
and this is where the movie
does a beautiful picture of this as well.
Imagine the people of God
standing on the shores of the Red Sea
as the detritus from Pharaoh's army
floated to the surface of the Red Sea.
Maybe a cloth here,
something there.
Do you think they said,
wow, God's wrath is really terrible.
I don't know if I really want to believe
in a God who would deliver people like that.
It seems really mean.
No.
Because in Exodus 15,
what they did
is they sang
and they celebrated
because they had cried out to God
and God had answered their prayers.
And He had done so in righteousness
and in goodness.
And He had freed them
from slavery and oppression.
And Moses sang a song of deliverance.
And this is what chapter 15 is about.
The picture of this cry coming up
and then God responding.
But we're meant to hear this story
so that we can take in
what it was that Israel did
when it responded.
Because this is what we see
the saints doing in verse 15.
With the same harps,
with a song of Moses in their mouth,
they sing praises to God.
Now, when I was a new believer
and went off to college
back in the 80s,
there was a praise song
that we used to sing.
I will sing unto the Lord
for He has triumphed gloriously.
The horse and rider
thrown into the sea.
It was really odd to me.
I was a fairly new believer
and I was like,
okay,
the Lord my God,
my strength,
my song
has now become my victory.
Anyway,
I can keep going,
but I won't.
But it's Exodus 15
just put into a 1980s
Maranatha praise chorus
that you could do
in three-part harmony in rounds,
which is really cool.
But it was a celebration
of God being the God
who vindicates.
Look at what they sang
as you see in verses 3 and 4.
Great and amazing are you deeds,
O Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations.
Who will not fear,
O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy
and all nations will come
and worship you
because your righteous acts
have been revealed.
God's judgment
in the eyes of His people
are meant to be seen
as righteous acts
that we celebrate.
Now look,
God does not rejoice
in the death of the wicked.
Right?
We know this in Scripture.
We don't.
So we need to be careful
to not misapply this.
But there is meant to be
in the church
a tone of celebration.
We know that we are aligned
with the God
who will ultimately have
the victory.
And this is a good thing.
And we in the West,
when we sit
in our comfortable churches
without persecution
and without cost
and without suffering,
can wrestle with,
oh, does this seem good?
But I promise you
that if you go to other parts
of the world
where the church
is facing active persecution,
they rejoice
in the judgment of God.
They rejoice
in His suffering.
They know that their suffering
will not last forever
because God will hear
their prayers
and God will respond.
And this
is why we sing, church.
This is why we celebrate.
Because we have a God
who is worth
rejoicing over.
Now look,
there's also time,
there's time in our church
to lament,
to lament about
the brokenness of our world,
to lament about our own sin,
and to confess.
And I don't want to
eradicate that
from the life of our church.
But friends,
maybe we need to sing
a little more loudly
the songs of celebration
and triumph
that God has won the victory.
victory.
But we sing
the song of victory
in the midst of
this age,
not the age to come.
We sing it
when we haven't yet
seen the fullness.
And where we still
need to cry out as well,
God deliver us.
God come in judgment.
Of course,
this is the context
of recognizing
that God
will come in judgment,
is coming in judgment,
has come in judgment
in a fearsome way.
Because this is what
happens in verse 16.
After verse 15,
which is this picture,
right,
of God responding
to the saints,
it is now,
okay,
what happens to those bowls
filled with wrath?
This is what chapter 16
is all about.
So in chapter 16,
we see that we are
to tremble
at God's judgment.
These bowls,
then,
are poured out
sequentially.
The first bowl,
the second bowl,
the third bowl.
Let's read it together,
and then we'll observe.
Then I heard a loud voice
from the temple
telling the seven angels,
go and pour out
on the earth
the seven bowls
of the wrath of God.
So the first angel
went and poured out
his bowl on the earth,
and harmful
and painful sores
came upon the people
who bore the mark
of the beast
and worshipped its image.
The second angel
poured out his bowl
into the sea,
and it became
like the blood
of a corpse,
and every living thing
died that was in the sea.
The third angel
poured out his bowl
into the rivers
and the springs of water,
and they became blood.
And I heard the angel
in charge of the waters
say,
Just are you,
O holy one,
who is and who was,
for you brought
these judgments,
for they have shed
the blood of the saints
and prophets,
and you have given
them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve.
And I heard the altar
saying,
Yes, Lord God,
the Almighty,
true and just
are your judgments.
And the fourth angel
pulled out his bowl
on the sun,
and it was allowed
to scorch the people
with fire.
They were scorched
by the fierce heat,
and they cursed
the name of God
who had power
over these plagues.
They did not repent
and give him glory.
The fifth angel
poured out his bowl
on the throne
of the beast,
and its kingdom
was plunged
into darkness.
People gnawed
their tongues in anguish
and cursed the God
of heaven
for their pain
and sores.
They did not repent
of their deeds.
The sixth angel
poured out his bowl
on the great river Euphrates,
and its waters
were dried up
to prepare the way
for the kings
from the east.
And I saw coming
out of the mouth
of the dragon
and out of the mouth
of the beast
and out of the mouth
of the false prophet
three unclean spirits
like frogs.
They were,
they are demonic
for their demonic spirits
performing signs
who go abroad
to the kings
of the whole world
to assemble them
for battle
on the great day
of God the Almighty.
Behold,
I am coming
like a thief.
Blessed is the one
who stays awake,
keeping his garments on
that he may not
go about naked
and be seen exposed.
And they assembled them
at the place
that in Hebrew
is called Armageddon.
The seventh angel
poured out his bowl
into the air,
and a loud voice
came out of the temple
from the throne
saying,
It is done.
And there were
flashes of lightning,
rumblings,
peals of thunder,
great earthquakes
such as there had
never been since
man was on the earth
so great was that earthquake.
The great city
was split into three parts
and the cities
of the nations fell,
and God remembered
Babylon the great
to make her drain
the cup
of the wine
of the fury
of his wrath.
And every island
fled away
and no mountains
were to be found.
And great hailstones,
about 100 pounds
each,
fell from heaven
on people.
And they cursed God
for the plague of hell
because the plague
was so severe.
So this is a picture
of God pouring out
his wrath.
I want to make
a series of observations
rather than going through them
one by one
and explaining.
I want to make
a series of observations
about the overall effect
of these things.
things.
First is that the judgment
will come on those
who do not worship God.
So we see in the first bowl
those who have
the mark of the beast,
those who do not worship God
but who worship
some other God
or who have the mark
of the beast,
who have set themselves
in the binary
either for God
or against God.
They are in the
against God category.
Those who have worshipped
another God,
those who have
compromised
in order to fit in
with the spirits
of the world,
the economic systems,
the powers,
and not faithfully
stood apart
for the sake of Christ.
So judgments
have come on those
who do not worship God.
They also will come
on all of creation,
both natural and human.
You see the scope of it.
The first one
comes on the earth,
the second one,
the seas,
this third,
the fresh waters,
the fourth,
and we see finally
in the air as well,
we see that there is
this upheaval
of the natural order.
When you get
to the seventh one,
the world itself
seems to be falling apart.
The judgment of God
will be so great
that it will leave
the earth
in a place
where only
the renewal of God
and the recreation
of the world
in the new heavens
and the new earth
could redeem it.
You heard the end
of verse 21.
The plagues
were so severe,
even the natural world
was turned upside down
in this way.
We see in the third bowl
that there is a justice
that is brought
upon those
who persecuted
the church
and God's people.
When you look
at that song
that the angel
in charge of the waters
sing, right,
the waters
that were the lifeblood
of the people
who lived in a dry
and desert area
were turned to blood.
They had nothing
to drink but blood.
Symbolically picturing,
right,
this isn't real.
It wasn't like
all the water
in the Middle East
suddenly turned to blood.
This is a symbol
pointing to the fact
that what they thought
was life
in their persecution
of God's church
now turns to death.
And those who had been
the purveyors of death
now were receiving
that death
in just response.
We see that the powers
that have set themselves up,
the throne of the beast itself,
will be plunged
into darkness
and overthrown.
We see in the sixth bowl
being poured out
the unholy trinity.
If you go back,
this is what we saw
in chapters 12 through 14.
The dragon
and the two beasts,
the one beast
coming from the sea
and then the other beast
which is also here
called the false prophet
coming from the earth.
This unholy trinity
is gathering people
and people have wrestled
a lot with what this means.
They're gathering the kings.
The Euphrates is dried up.
It's probably an image
that's picking on the fact
that the eastern border
of the Roman Empire
was the Euphrates River.
And if that river dried up,
the Parthians would have
a clear road
to invade the Roman Empire.
And that's not what
they were predicting
would happen.
They're saying,
it is like that.
Like the very barrier
that kept you
from your worst enemy
is now going to be dried up
and there is nothing
to hide you.
There is no barrier.
There is no safety for you
in this place.
And it seems that
what's happening
in the midst of that then,
right,
the enemies of God
are gathering
the kingdoms of the earth
to a final battle
against God,
right,
on the great day of God.
The kings of the earth
will gather
under the leadership
of this unholy trinity
and the three spirits,
the unclean spirits
that are like frogs
that would be a stench
to the world
because of their smell.
this is the picture
that we see
in verse six.
And of course,
it ends in Armageddon,
which of course,
we have bad movies about.
We have all sorts of imagery.
What Armageddon,
this picture
of this final battle.
Lots of people
have argued,
have tried to argue,
well,
this is a real place
and this is going to happen
somewhere near
the ancient city
of Megiddo
and on a plane
that we're,
but I don't think
that's actually
what this is.
I think instead
that it's a,
it's another symbol
of a place
because Megiddo
was a place
where the enemies
of God came
and would battle
against Israel
and where this would be.
It was taking this up
as a symbol
to say there will be
a final grand battle.
We don't know
where it will be.
We don't know
when it will be.
Let's not look
for Armageddon
somewhere in the Middle East
but let's recognize
that there will be
a final conflict
that will come
and at the end
as we will see
in chapter 20
there will be
a complete victory
and the enemies
of God
will be defeated.
Another thing
I want to point out
in this
is that the judgments
are total.
If you went back
and you looked through
when you had
seven seals
that were broken
they affected
one quarter
of the earth.
When you had
seven trumpets
that were blown
they affected
one third
of the earth.
And when you come here
when the bowls
are poured out
they are poured out
on the whole earth.
There's no limiting
no restraint.
This is
I believe
what it means
in chapter 15
verse 1
when it says
these are the last
plagues
when the wrath
of God
is finished.
Now we've been
telling you
that we believe
that these are
pictures
that are true
that were true
in the first century
that are true
throughout the church age
and that have
a particular truth
an expression
that will still
yet to come
in the future.
And this is where
we see this
maybe most clearly
because these
plagues
these judgments
seem to be
ratcheting up.
The seals
are bad
the trumpets
are worse
and here the bowls
are the most fierce
and the most extreme
and this is the fullness
the picture
of the fullness
of God's wrath
poured out
in judgment
upon the world
and it will affect all
and it is inescapable.
And I believe
the proper response
is to tremble.
Do you remember
when you were in high school
was there a coach
or a teacher
that you never wanted
to run into
in the hallway
because even if you
weren't doing something wrong
you'd be afraid
that you were going
to get in trouble
because they were
the ones who always came
and brought the rules
and made justice happen.
For me it was
my lacrosse coach
Mr. Diven.
He wasn't in the hallways
very much
but man when you
when you got sideways
with him
it was terrible.
You just did not
want to do that.
Friends
we need to recognize
oh so
so when we have
those people
we tremble
when we see them coming
we start to be afraid.
Oh no I'm in trouble.
Friends this is just a taste.
God's judgment
will be
immeasurably worse
than what Mr. Diven
could have done to me.
And his judgment
is fearsome
and he has
and he is
and he will be
judging the world
and we are to tremble
even as we are
to celebrate it
we are also
to tremble
before his righteous
holy
just
power.
But as we see
these things
coming together
then
it is as
trembling people
that we see
the third response
in this text
because I believe
that the third way
that we are meant
to respond to this text
is to choose.
we can either
curse God
or we can repent
and trust in him.
Now
it may not be obvious
in this
because there is no call
to repentance
in this passage.
There is no clear sense
in fact
if anything
there is more of a fear
but one of the things
you see is that
the judgment of God
clearly
reveals our hearts
and our choice
our decision
of how we will respond
to the God
of the universe.
Right?
We see this
in chapter 16
verse 9
and 11
where it says
and they cursed
God for the plagues
and they did not
repent.
So the judgments
revealed the hearts
of those
who were so hardened
that they would not
respond.
And we see this
of course
with the echoes
of the Exodus story.
Right?
Where God would
bring a plague
and Pharaoh
would repent
and then he changed
his mind.
And then he would
repent
and then he would
harden his heart
again and change
his mind.
And so the echoes
of the Exodus story
come that these
judgments are meant
to call us
to repentance
but also it reveals
the hardness
of our hearts
and how easily
we harden ourselves
against God
and reject him
rather than receive him.
How often we
choose to love
our sin
rather than
repenting of it.
how often
we will love
the world
rather than
God himself.
We also see
this repentance
theme coming
out of chapter 14
that Pastor Nick
preached on last week
which was this
grand reaping
this grand
there were two results
coming out
some will be gathered
to God
for this celebration
and victory
in this new life
and others
will be gathered
for the most
fearsome of judgments.
But I think
verse 15
is the reason
why I think
most clearly
there's a call
to repentance
in this passage.
Did you hear it?
It's so out of step.
It feels like
an interlude.
My Bible
has it in
parentheses
and in red
and almost set apart.
Right?
Why is verse 15
in there?
Jesus saying
behold I come
like a thief.
Why?
It's there to
remind us
that
this promise
of the coming
judgment of God
will come
when we don't
expect it.
It will come
in a surprising
way
at a surprising
time.
And the
undergirding
thought
in that
throughout
the New Testament
is
therefore
today
while it is
still day
today
while you
still have
a choice
today
while you
can still
respond
because you
know
that
hundred
pound
hailstones
haven't yet
rained upon
the earth
and destroyed
everything.
Today
you have a
choice
to turn
again
to him.
And we
know that
this book
was written
to a church
that was
meant to
comfort
them
in the
midst
of the
trials
but also
to call
them
to
holiness
and holy
living
and living
wholehearted
for them.
And just
like there
probably is
today in
those churches
there would
have been
some
who would
have had
to still
think
through
where does
my allegiance
lie?
Do I bear
the mark
of the beast
or do I
bear the name
of Jesus
on my
forehead?
Where do
I stand?
Because at
the end
of the day
the book
of Revelation
reminds us
there are
only two
camps
those who
are in
Christ
and those
who are
not
and those
who are
not in
Christ
will face
this fearsome
judgment
without any
protection.
They will
as it says
in verses
in verse
eight
or nineteen
they will
drink the
cup
of God's
wrath.
But friends
we have
one
who has
drunk
that
cup
of
wrath
for
us.
This is
what
Jesus
has
come
to
do.
Remember
in the
Garden
of
Gethsemane
he asked
to be
spared
this
cup
a cup
that he
did not
deserve
because
he had
no
sin
but he
said
not my
will
but your
will be
done
oh
Lord
and so
he went
to the
cross
and he
suffered
and he
died
bearing
the
penalty
of
our
sins
bearing
the
wrath
of
God
against
unrighteousness
that we
have done
when he
died on
the cross
he did
not shrink
back but
he went
into the
judgment
and bore
it for
us
and when
he did
so the
signs
that we
see at
the end
of the
seventh
bowl
thunder
and lightning
and skies
growing
dark
and the
earth
shaking
this is
what happened
to Jesus
for us
and at
the end
he cried
it is
finished
God
drank
this cup
for us
so that
we won't
have to
on that
day
verse 17
it says
in the
final bowl
it is
done
time
will come
when there
will be
no more
choice
friends
we don't
usually do
this at
Trinity
but
given this
message
I think
it's worth
doing
today
we don't
want to
be
emotional
but we
do want
to say
that the
gospel of
Jesus Christ
calls for
a response
today
is the
day
whom
will you
serve
who
will you
trust
in
will you
confess
that you
are a
sinner
who needs
rescuing
from the
judgment
of God
and that
Jesus has
done all
that you
need
to be
rescued
from that
and if
you confess
those things
today
and put
your trust
for your
spiritual
standing
for God
for forgiveness
of sins
and for new
spiritual life
today can be
the day
that you
will know
and face
the day
of judgment
that's coming
with confidence
and celebration
not in
trembling
and in
fear
I was a little
afraid to do
this because
some people
think the
whole book
of Revelation
is about
you gotta
make a
decision
you gotta
choose
but you
know what
today's
the day
today's
the day
to choose
if you're
here and
you're
wondering
where do
I stand
implore you
today
choose
Christ
so let's
pray together
Lord as we
come together
before you
Lord we
this is a
fearsome
truth
and you
are a
holy God
and Lord we
cry out
deliver us
from our
sin
deliver us
from the
darkness
in our
own
hearts
Lord I
pray for
those now
today who
are here
who have
not trusted
in Jesus
Lord give
them the
grace to
respond to
you
let them
say now
I believe
in Jesus
by his
death on
the cross
he has
saved me
from my
sin
I believe
that
and Lord
for those
who have
wandered
from faith
who have
compromised
and loved
the world
rather than
following
Christ
today Lord
give them
strength
to return
to Christ
in faith
to stand
in the
grace
of Jesus
for all
who have
believed
in him
and Lord
for those
of us
who today
are trusting
in you
Lord fill
our hearts
with a
song
of celebration
that you
are a
just
and holy
God
who has
and will
work your
work of
redemption
for your
glory
and for
our good
today
Lord
let today
be the
day
that we
respond to
you
with clarity
and with
faith
we pray
this in
Jesus name
amen