N.P.

van Wyk Louw

II. EKSTASE

Gedagte is ek van Gods vlammende siel,

en woord van Sy mond,
lied van Sy hart se liefde en haat,
en daad van Sy wil.
Hy’t my gedink soos die sterre
en ons geskep na Sy droom,

ons wat die klank van Sy lag is,

van helder weige blydskap.
Ek vloei in HOm, vloei in Sy wydheid
soos ‘n stroom in die oseaan;
en soos geur in die blomme lewe,
leef ek in Hom:
ek is Hy, Hy ek,
grensloos in ewigheid.

JA !
Stef Bos

aan de liefde
komt geen einde
Zij stijgt
boven ons uit
Daalt soms op ons neer
Raakt ons aan
voor even
en soms voor langer
dan wij leven
Maar gaat altijd verder
waar wij stil blijven staan
Al zal ook het licht
In onze ogen
verdwijnen
aan de liefde
komt geen einde
Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth

Your world-forming speech

Light from light

Creation from chaos
Life from death
Joy from sorrow
Hope from despair
Peace from hate
All your gifts, all your love, all your power.
All from your word, fresh from your word,
all gifts of your speech.
We give thanks for your world-forming speech.
Thanks as well for our speech back to you,
the speech of mothers and fathers
who dared to speak
in faith and unfaith
in trust and in distrust
in grateful memory and in high hurt.
We cherish this speech as we trust yours.
Listen this day for the groans and yearnings of your world,
listen to our own songs of joy and our own drudges of death,
and in the midst of our stammering,
speak your clear word of life
in the name of your word come flesh.
Amen.
We are not self-starters

Speaking, acting, life-giving God

the one with the only verbs that can heal and rescue,
We come petitioning one more time,
Seeking your majestic address to us,
asking your powerful action among us,
waiting for your new life toward us.
Your creation teems with bondaged folk
Who have not enough for life,
not enough bread, not enough clothes,
not enough houses, not enough freedom,
not enough dignity, not enough hope.
Your creation teems with bondaged creatures,
great valleys become dumps,
great oceans become dumped pollution,
fish wrapped in dumped oil,
fields at a loss for dumped chemicals
So we pray for creation, that has become a dump,
And for all your people
who have been dumped,
and dumped upon.
Renew your passion for life,
Work your wonders for newness,
Speak your word and let us begin again.
In your powerful presence, we resolve to do our proper work,
But we are not self-starters,
We wait on you to act, in order that we may act.
Show yourself in ways that give us courage and energy and freedom,
that we may care for our neighbors,
love your creation,
praise your name.
We pray in the savaged power of Jesus,
who cared and loved and praised.

Amen.