Beauty for brokenness, hope for despair

Beauty for brokenness, hope for despair,
Lord, in your suffering world this is our prayer.
Bread for the children, justice, joy, peace,
sunrise to sunset your kingdom increase.

2. Shelter for fragile lives, cures for their ills,
work for the craftsmen, trade for their skills,
land for the dispossessed, rights for the weak,
voices to plead the cause of those who can’t speak.

God of the poor, friend of the weak,
give us compassion we pray:
melt our cold hearts,
let tears fall like rain;
come, change our love
from a spark to a flame.

3. Refuge from cruel wars, havens from fear,
cities for sanctuary, freedoms to share,
peace to the killing fields, scorched earth to green,
Christ for the bitterness, his cross for the pain.

4. Rest for the ravaged earth, oceans and streams,
plundered and poisoned, our future, our dreams,
Lord end our madness, carelessness, greed,
make us content with the things that we need.

God of the poor…

5. Lighten our darkness, breathe on this flame
until your justice burns brightly again,
until the nations learn of your ways,
seek your salvation and bring you their praise.

God of the poor…