Lenten Devotions in Hard Economic Times

TWENTY-FIRST DAY OF LENT 
                   MARCH 12
  
 II Corinthians 5: 18
 
 
Fatigued,
Unable to absorb
Even one more
Shock,
Overburdened muscles misalign,
Bone splinters,
In stress fracture.
 
Fatigued,
Unable to absorb
Even one more
Shock,
Overburdened hearts misalign,
Self snaps,
Community fragments,
Covenant implodes,
In stress fracture.
 
Save us from this distress!
Re-align our capacity
With our reality,
Ease the duress of our duties,
Let our vision
Come to terms with
Yours.
 
You, Who have already
Settled the relationship
Between us,
You, Who constantly
Call us
To settle our relationships
With one another,
Put us
At one with—
Not longer at odds with—
Ourselves,
One another,
And, most basically, 
Elementally,
You.
 
 II Corinthians cited from The Message
commentary in italic