1 Vulnerable God, hear the cries of your people; 2 Lives are the currency spent in war's carnage; 3 We look at people all around
Andrew Pratt, a Methodist Minister, and well-known hymn writer wrote these three songs during the lead-up to the war with Iraq.
1. Vulnerable God, hear the cries of your people (Tune: Star in the East [for USA, suggested by Judith Conrad]; the tune 'Stewardship' can also be used. This is the setting for 'God in his love for us lent us this planet' (Hymns & Psalms 343; Rejoice and Sing 85)
Reflecting on the likelihood of war with Iraq and our part in it. Amended in the light of a critique by Rae Whitney.
Vulnerable God, hear the cries of your people,
cries that are wrung from our hearts filled with pain.
God in your justice give vent to compassion,
healing our hurt, and uplifting again.
God of the cross, you have known crucifixion,
holding your course in the face of disdain.
Now as we suffer, we seek your conviction,
for shoots of life lurk in frost-hardened grain.
Vulnerable God, hear the cries of your people,
those we would slaughter as bombs fall like rain.
Help us to see through our raging and anger,
parents and children whose tears seem in vain.
Great God of love, while such anger consumes us,
grant the perspective that helps us stay sane;
then as we answer the foes who confound us,
through our response may our love be their gain.
Andrew Pratt © Stainer & Bell Ltd. Available for local use by those having a CCL Licence. Administered in the USA by Hope Publishing Company 6/2/2003
2. Lives are the currency spent in war's carnage (Tune: Stewardship, the setting for 'God in his love for us lent us this planet' (Hymns & Psalms 343; Rejoice and Sing 85))
Written during the preparations for war against Iraq when Clare Short, a government minister, accused Prime Minister Blair of being reckless.
Lives are the currency spent in war's carnage,
self-int'rest blinding the people in power.
Reckless decisions are made without wisdom;
God. through your love, hold us back from this hour.
Nation meets nation but language is twisted,
lies clothed as truth, while ill poses as good;
all that now matters, it seems, is the victory
bought through the spilling of innocent blood.
God of the innocent, dying unheeded,
God of Gethsemane, Christ of the cross,
hear the world's pleading, then offer your loving,
hands scarred with nails reach to share in our loss.
Then in our dying, God, bring resurrection,
lift us and save us, renew and forgive;
through devastation where meaning lies broken
bring us new love and a reason to live.
Andrew Pratt © Stainer & Bell Ltd. Available for local use by those having a CCL Licence. Administered in the USA by Hope Publishing Company 14/3/2003
3. We look at people all around (Tune: Dominus regit me, the setting for 'The King of love my shepherd is')
Andrew writes: We had been visiting a playground (in Leyton, East London) which is frequented by people from Pakistan, Turkey, Italy, South America, Eastern Europe and, of course, England. On returning home we heard that UN personnel were being moved out of Iraq and that war was anticipated. This text was then written.
We look at people all around,
our friends from many nations;
some hardly known to us at all,
some known for generations.
The love of God, the bond that binds
us close to one another,
will help us face whatever comes
as sister and as brother.
We do not know what lies ahead
through war or devastation,
we only know what holds our lives
spans ours and every nation.
Your spirit that has brought us near
will help us face derision
as meeting with 'the enemy'
to love is our decision.
That love is stronger than the fear
that sows the seeds of hatred;
a love that we will keep alive
when all else has abated.
Andrew Pratt © Stainer & Bell Ltd. Available for local use by those having a CCL Licence. Administered in the USA by Hope Publishing Company 17/3/2003