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With eyes apprised by the urgency of Heaven, with lungs in harmony; with hands contrite—no fear, no fright—we raise our humble plea.

Christ in your mercy, enslave every malice, transform every heartache to glee. Rain mercy upon us; Beloved, conform us, to Heaven’s harmony.

All virtue and valor, bestow on our way. Consign all contempt to the flame. Be thou my vision—freed from its prison—with hope confess, proclaim.

Christ in your mercy, enslave every malice, transform every heartache to glee. Rain mercy upon us; Beloved, conform us, to Heaven’s harmony.

In grace let us linger, content to remember that life can’t be had on the cheap. Extravagant splendor, lived in surrender, to the bountiful harvest complete.

Christ in your mercy, enslave every malice, transform every heartache to glee. Rain mercy upon us; Beloved, conform us, to Heaven’s harmony.

©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org.

The Radiance of Day is my light and salvation.
No threat can entrap me, no terror encroach.

The Sovereign’s my full-armored haven, safe harbor.
No storm can o’erwhelm me, no gale can prevail.

Though foes clamor ’round, bitter fright falls in torrents,
thy Sheltering Hand’s dense defense doth surround me.

Cast me not, Gentle Savior, into grief’s ruin and ravage;
for thy countenance only, I aspire and desire.

O Beauteous One, with rainbow adorned, insurrection,
resurrection, pure affection thy attire.

With relished delight all attest this confession:
The goodness of God brims the land of the living.

I dare lift my head ’bove the raucous assemblage;
with joy serenading, Thy praises resound!

Be strong, oh my heart, with courage impart; neither leave
nor depart ’til by Mercy embraced.

©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org. Inspired by Psalm 27.

The great and mighty judge had no use for God,
neither for people, save the few with favors to grant
or flattery to display.

Widow woman, widow woman,
     face bathed in tears.

Least of the judge’s concerns were the pitiful pleas
of those with no standing in the courtrooms of the mighty.

Widow woman, widow woman,
     choking back her fears.

Confound this pesky woman!
Grant her justice just to shut her up!

Widow woman, widow woman,
     you done worn that ol’ judge out.

Will not the Judge of judges hear?
Hear and respond? Respond and redeem?
Will persevering faith be found on the earth?

Widow woman, widow woman,
     time to sing and shout!

©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org. Inspired by Luke 18:1-8.

Where there is no vision, the people perish.

Where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint.

Without revelation, people run wild.

Without divine guidance, the people are scattered.

May we seek your guidance, O Wisdom Divine, as eagerly as the infant seeks the breast of nourishment.

Give us a yearning for your revelation, O Blessed One, as passionately as the thirsty seek water.

Give us ears itching for your prophetic Word, as ardently as the lover pines for the beloved’s voice.

Give us fearless eyes for uncompromised vision, amid the fog of war and marketing deceit.

Restore every voice silenced by weight of woe and threat of misery, that songs of joy outlast and outlive every grief-stricken aria.

©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org. Inspired by Proverbs 29:18.

When we are asked—Who are you?—what shall we say?

We are followers of Jesus who believe that doing justice and loving mercy are intimately tied to walking humbly with God.

And if asked—What is you mission?—how do we respond?

Our mission is to nurture spiritual formation in ways that support prophetic and redemptive work in the world.

And what do these things look like?

In the Prophet Isaiah’s vision, one day wolf and lamb, leopard and calf, cow and bear, child and viper, shall rest fearlessly in each other’s presence.

And this is why we long to know God, because acquaintance with the Beloved brings health and healing to the earth.

“They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org. Using language from the Circle of Mercy Congregation’s vision and mission statement, along with language from Isaiah 11

All who dwell in the dell of the Blessed Embrace shall raise anthems of joy and grace.

My fortress, my shield, by mercy concealed: O Shelter, my shiv’ring displace.

The Protector uncovers the snare of the fowler and snatches from ravaging claws. ’Neath Redemption’s wide wings every heart soars and sings, every voice, every hand, shouts applause!

The terrors of night shall stalk you no longer, nor the arrows that fly by day. The pestilent shadows no longer encroach, nor savaging tremors dismay.

Scuttle the fear of wrath’s pure fright, all restive disquiet allay. Confound the vandal of wreckage and ruin, and the prowler lurking its prey.

With the Lord now your refuge and holy abode, no evil can track your ascent. For angels hover o’er you, their hands to restore you, when feet stumble hard in lament.

“When you call I will answer,” says Love Everlasting. “Cleave to me and none shall assail.”

Now may honor adorn you, long life befriend you; arrayed in redemption, your future prevail.

©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org. Inspired by Psalm 91.

After trial in the desert, Jesus, being filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Nazareth, his home town, to speak the Word.

Weeping words, feasting words.

He stood in the synagogue, on the Sabbath day, to read from the Prophet Isaiah.

Weeping words, feasting words.

“God’s Spirit is upon me,” he told his listeners.

“God has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. To proclaim release to the captives.”

“To bring recovery of sight to the blind. To let the oppressed go free.”

Weeping words, feasting words.

Circle of Mercy: Are we prepared to be visited by a similar Spirit? To welcome the baptismal Dove in our midst? To have the Word fulfilled in our hearing? For indeed: "The dove doesn't roost on a person who is scared to get hurt.” (Clarence Jordan)

Amen and amen! May it be so. May it be so.

©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org. Inspired by Luke 4:14-19.

Reader 1: And what are our dreams for the future? Are they not reflections of the various dreams recorded in Scripture, spoken by the ancients which, even today, still echo in our hearts?

R2: For we remember God’s promise of repentance after the flood: “I will never again curse the ground of humankind; neither will I ever again destroy every living creature." (Genesis 9:12-15; 8:21-22)

R3: We recall the day when Hannah praised God in these terms: “The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The Lord raises up the poor from the dust; God lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with the rulers and inherit a seat of honor.” (1 Samuel 2: 1-8)

R4: We dream of the day when "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”  (Isaiah 11:3-9)

R5: We long for the day when "every boot of the trampling warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire." (Isaiah 9: 6, 7)

R6: We yearn for the day when even the beasts of the field share in the promise of God’s full providence. “When all shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord." (Joel 2:19-26)

R7: We dream of that time when all nations "shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; none shall make them afraid.” (Micah 4:3-4)

R8: We clap our hands in anticipation for the day when the lame shall be restored, the outcast will be gathered, and God will change their shame into praise. (Zephaniah 3:19)

R9: With eagerness we lean toward the time when the mighty will topple from their thrones, when those of low degree will be exalted, when the hungry will be gather at the banquet table. (Luke 1:51-53)

R10: Our hearts ache for the time when the People of God will again be anointed with the power to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)

R11: We know in our innermost hearts that creation itself waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; that creation itself, which has been groaning in travail, will be set free from its bondage to decay. (Romans 8:19-24)

R12: For we, too, have a dream, a dream of a “new heaven and a new earth,” when all shall see that “ the dwelling of the Lord is with humankind. God will dwell with them, and they shall be God’s people, and the Lord will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)

R13: I, too, have a dream.

ALL: We, too, have a dream.

R14: Today we pledge to infect our young ones with this dream.

ALL: To shout it from the mountaintops.

R15: To ponder it when we rise in the morning, to meditate on it throughout the day, to cherish it in our hearts in the late night hours.

ALL: God give us the strength and the vision to remain faithful to this dream.

©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org.

We travel today with Jesus as he was leaving Caesarea Philippi, in the far northern region of ancient Israel. Named for the Roman Caesar, located in what is now known as the Golan Heights, a site of contention to this day, Syrian land occupied by Israeli allure. Even after these years together, the disciples still imagine Jesus supplanting the great Caesar, scattering Rome’s legions, restoring the glory of Judea’s lost splendor, fulfilling its remembered boast as the capital of nations.

And now this! What is this gibberish about “the Son of Man must suffer,” rejected, kicked to the curb, tracked and targeted by the drones of imperial purpose and religious conceit.

“No!” screams Peter, mouth in gear before his brain engaged.

“Yes!” retorts Jesus, lashing back in harsh rejoinder.

Peter, the one who—just days before—identified Jesus as Messiah, prompting Jesus’ praise, now stands accused: Satan. Confuser. Might we, too, still stand confused?

“If you choose to walk my Way,” Jesus continued, “lay down your claims—which are but chains—pick up the cross, and follow.”

“Those who would bank their lives and barter their souls for short-term profit will end up with big-time loss.”

“Yet those who relinquish, for my sake’s endeavor, will find bountiful treasure, unbounded delight.”

©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org. Inspired by Mark 8:31-18.