Psalm 125 in Post-Modern Madison

An Advent Prayer for God’s Intervention

Those who trust in the Eternal One
are like the Wisconsin River,
confident in their current,
but consistent and insistent.

As the hills of the Driftless area stand steady in their rolling ridges,
so the Divine supports her people,
from this time on and evermore.

For the reach of invasive injustice will be too short
to wrestle and uproot the native rhizomes of shalom,
so that the native rhizomes will not be beguiled,
becoming aggressive and violently-minded.

Reward Goodness and Truth, O Holy One,
to those who seek goodness and truth,
and to those who are overlooked by earthly powers.

But those who seek to dominate and oppress,
the Divine Name will lead out
in the shackles they constructed for others.

Peace be upon Turtle Island!

[A post-modern postscript:
And those who vacillate
between seeking goodness and seeking to dominate,
Eternal One, redirect with Mercy.]

Originally published in the 2020 Advent Devotional by Madison and Milwaukee Mennonite Churches.