Author: Brian Wren Hymnal: Worship in Song #289 (1996) Meter: 8.8.8.8.8.8 Topics: Living Christ Lyrics: 1 Not only acts of evil will,
But bland routine and good intent,
Can hurt and harass, starve and kill
The outcast and the innocent.
In such a world, and in God's name,
We seek a gospel to proclaim.
2 Our normal, ordinary ways
Of doing business, getting more,
Entrap the poorest in a maze
Of hunger, debt, disease, and war.
In Christ we would make good our claim,
And find a gospel to proclaim.
3 The heart that's given to the Lord
Will pray and work to understand
The ills that sabotage the good
In trade and credit, wealth and land,
And will not turn aside its aim,
A smaller gospel to proclaim.
4 The beauty, bondage, joy and fear
of every billionth being born
are always in God’s eye and ear,
as near as breath, as sharp as thorn,
and we are born again to share
that fierce, impassioned, healing care.
5 And so, in Christ, we drink our fill
of daring, deep, determined love,
and practice to unite the skill
of wily snake and peaceful dove,
as, loving earth in Jesus’ name,
we live the gospel we proclaim. Tune Title: VATER UNSER
Not Only Acts of Evil Will