By Rudyard Kipling
This is a poem of humility before God by men who may have offended him by their pride and actions. It is a plea for mercy. Rudyard Kipling had mixed emotions about the British Empire. On one hand, he was proud of it, but on the other hand Kipling had seen some of the cruel and thoughtless things Britain had done in India. America too is on a roll of pride and arrogance inspired by a leader who is bold with pride and self-exaltation.
Hate and rage abound on all sides, and every man and news agency are liars. No filthy sin is too vile to be exalted. Murder, war, and blasphemy are the new normal. Twitter is full and running over with profane hate and the challenge to out-do one another and wound all who come near. There are no innocent bystanders. All who are involved have their fists in God's face daring him to enter the circus and blow another Sodom to Hell.
All the while, the nation seems to have a death wish as they compete with one another to hate America and see how fast they can blast the nation into ashes and trash.
And, the alleged church is a slop hog Slough of Despond competing to see how big a fart they can make on Sunday morning. Thousands go to the church asking for sound Bible teaching, and the prostitute church gives them a turd.
This poem seems to me to be needed now.
God of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle line,
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget— lest we forget!
The tumult and the shouting dies;
The Captains and the Kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
Far-called our navies melt away;
On dune and headland sinks the fire:
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard,
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding calls not Thee to guard,
For frantic boast and foolish word—
Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Ezekiel 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
29 I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.
