i trembled today at your wrath, Oh Lord.
i watched in fear and disbelief
As our towers came crashing down.
Why do we sit here calling for justice,
Calling to You now in our dark hour,
But whom did we put our trust in before?
we trusted our wealth and our stealth,
our power and might. we exalted ourselves.
Now You've brought low our idols.
i hear Your voice crying in the Scriptures
"Let your money and your armies save you!"
And i weep as i watch the news
my people still are placing their trust in those things
But they cannot save us, only You.
Your justice is sure and swift,
Mighty is Your hand Oh Lord
we forbid your name be spoken
we called good every sort of sin.
When we bothered to come to you, it was with a laundry list
Of wants--and complaints when You broke our toys.
we replaced You, Lord, with empty traditions and ceremonies
we were too busy with our programs to seek You in the Holy Place.
we were indignant when you interrupted our services in Your House.
we loved our ways over Yours.
we give our inheritance to a pretender, calling them by our name,
Not only allowing another to claim our blessing, but praying
On his behalf!
And what do we do in these hours?
we demand you come down and revenge our towers!
Oh surely the Lord is on our side
Oh surely he will take vengeance on those who knocked down
our high places.
fools! Should our Jealous God aid us in our idolatry?
Can we expect his blessing when we have abandoned Him,
Trading the Truth for a lie?
Argue all you want whether God caused our Idols to fall
Or merely allowed it.
Attribute this work to the Enemy if you wish.
It matters not.
The Enemy can't do a thing against us lest God grants it to him.
What is the difference whether God knocked them over
Or merely uncovered us to allow the Enemy to do so?
There is none!
We can cover ourselves up in any way we like
But the stench of our sin still rises high to Heaven
Before our eyes.
Cover yourself my people with ashes and sack cloth,
Prayer and fasting,
Repent and return to the Lord
Only then will He restore His Blessing to this nation
Only then will He go with us into battle to bring justice against our enemies.
i weep before you my people and beseech
thee before Heaven and Earth:
Do not go up into Battle unless the Lord goes with you,
Less you suffer humiliating defeat before the enemies of the Lord.
Tremble my people at the wrath of the Lord,
Weep at the destruction your crimes have brought upon you
Fall to your knees at the swoop of His Hand
Yet as you fear Him, look closer and you would see:
Tears stream violently down His Face in rivers of blood,
The gentleness of His Wrath, the fierceness of His Love.

--Andrea J. Graham