Who Can Sound the Depths of Sorrow

Who can sound the depths of sorrow
In the Father heart of God
For the children we’ve rejected
For the lives so deeply scarred
And each light that we’ve extinguished
Has brought darkness to our land
Upon our nation, have mercy Lord

We have scorned the truth You gave us
We have bowed to other lords
We have sacrificed the children
On the altars of our gods
O let truth again shine on us
Let Your holy fear descend
Upon our nation, have mercy Lord

Who can stand before Your anger
Who can face Your piercing eyes
For You love the weak and helpless
And You hear the victims’ cries
Yes You are a God of justice
And Your judgement surely comes
Upon our nation have mercy Lord

Who will stand against the violence
Who will comfort those who mourn
In an age of cruel rejection
Who will build for love a home
Come and shake us into action
Come and melt our hearts of stone
Upon Your people have mercy Lord

Who can sound the depths of mercy
In the Father heart of God
For there is a Man of sorrows
Who for sinners shed His blood
He can heal the wounds of nations
He can wash the guilty clean
Because of Jesus have mercy Lord

Faced with constant images of war, suffering and death it’s often difficult to make an appropriate response. My mind turned to this Graham Kendrick song’

I’m pointed to the God of light, truth and justice, and His response to His suffering world. I remember His father heart, loving the weak and helpless, caring about suffering children, hearing the cries of innocent victims.

I’m given a response: ‘Have mercy, Lord… melt my heart of stone… shake me into action… help me to stand against the violence, comfort the mourning, create a loving home.’

I see again the Man of Sorrows, who understands the suffering world because he became part of it. I still see the darkness, desperation and devastation…

I pray for a deeper appreciation of God’s Father heart of mercy… I pray for Jesus’ empathy, compassion, forgiveness, healing and hope… I pray that I will be shaken into appropriate action.