What a delightful day to get some fresh air.
I step outside and head over to my chair.
But I notice, almost as an afterthought,
that the chair is covered in a mess of black dots.
I move to sit in the next chair in line.
But more scattered black specks and dots, I find.
What about the third chair, way over by the rail?
It has a mess of black specks and dots as well.
In none of the chairs can I sit and rest
without my backside getting covered in a mess.
Perhaps these black dots are fallen debris
from this overhanging cedar tree?
But no, I realize upon reflection,
that this mess is the carnage of bug-light deflection.
I thought bug-lights vaporized bugs into thin air.
I didn’t know they’d leave a mess of carnage everywhere.
I didn’t know bug debris would scatter far and wide
to land on my chairs and cover my back side.
So my chairs on the deck stand empty and bare,
while I search for a place to sit elsewhere.
What an annoying mess of mosquito debris!
I need to get it cleaned up eventually.
Then thunderstorms show up this weekend … how handy!
The rain can wash the chairs … oh won’t that be dandy!
As the rain falls all night … hard and heavy outside,
I think of the zapped mess of bugs that had died.
I think how the carnage from the dark of night,
is similar to the carnage of our country’s current fights.
I think how the mess, spread out over my chairs,
is a lot like the mess we now see spread everywhere.
As the downpouring rain is washing my chairs,
the carnage from fried bugs is no longer there.
I pray God would open the Heavens the same,
to wash away all of our country’s pain.
O God, I pray that You would unleash
Your Church on our land, to rain down peace!
Unleash Your Church, God! Unleash Your Word!
Let it rain down righteousness, as it is heard.
Let it wash like a flood to sweep evil away! …
to put an end to division; to let hate have no say.
Let the cleansing Living Water wash us here!
Let it wash away lies. Let it wash away fear.
Open the Heavens, God! Rain down grace!
Let Your Church show Your love all across this place!
Rain down mercy, God! … through the hands and feet
of Your Church, as they share You with those they meet.
Rain down forgiveness, God! Mend what’s been torn.
Bring unity and healing to our land once more.
Unleash Your Church, God! Let praise rise again!
Let Your people sing in worship all across our land!
God, wash away the carnage from the dark of night.
God, unleash Your Church! Flood our land with Your Light.
God, wash away the mess, spread out everywhere.
God, unleash Your Church to bring Your love and care.
Open the Heavens, God! Let the rain fall!
Wash … … wash … … wash away it all!
By: Amy Hayes
June 2020
