But we won't,
will we, Father?
What we saw was not a dream.
Planes did gouge our towers.
Flames did consume our fortress.
People did perish.
It was no dream and,
dear Father,
and we are sad.

There is a ballet dancer who
will no longer dance
and a doctor who
will no longer heal.
A church has
lost her priest,
a classroom is
minus a teacher.
Cora ran
a food pantry.
Paige was
a counselor
And Dana,
dearest Father,
Dana was only
3 years old.
(Who held her
in those final
moments?)

We are sad,
Father.
For as the innocent
are buried,our innocence
is buried as well.
We thought we
were safe.
Perhaps we should
have known better.
But we didn't.

And so we
come to you.
We don't ask
for your help;
we beg you
for it.
We don't request it;
we implore it.
We know what
you can do.
We've read the accounts.
We've pondered
The stories and now
we plead,
Do it again, Lord.
Do it again.

Remember Joseph?
You rescued him
from the pit.
You can do
The same for us.
Do it again, Lord.

Remember the Hebrews
In Egypt?
You protected their children
from the angel of death.
We have
children too, Lord.
Do it again.

And Sarah?
Remember her prayers?
You heard them.
Joshua?
Remember his fears?
You inspired him.
The women at the tomb?
You resurrected their hope.
The doubts of Thomas?
You took them away.
Do it again, Lord.
Do it again.

You changed Daniel
from a captive
into a King's counselor.
You took Peter
The Fisherman
And made him
Peter an Apostle.
Because of you,
David went from
leading sheep,
to leading armies.
Do it again, Lord,
for we need counselors today, Lord.
Do it again.

Most of all,
do again
What you did at Calvary.
What we saw here
on that Tuesday,
you saw there
On that Friday.
Innocence slaughtered.
Goodness murdered.
Mothers weeping.
Evil dancing.
Just as the ash fell
on our
Children,
the darkness fell
on your Son.
Just as our
Towers were shattered,
the very Tower of Eternity
was pierced.

And by dusk,
heaven's sweetest song
was silent,
buried behind a rock.

But you did not waver,
O Lord.
You did not waver.
After three days
in a dark hole,
you rolled the
Rock
And rumbled the earth
And turned
The darkest Friday
Into the brightest Sunday.
Do it again, Lord.
Grant us a September Easter.

We thank you,
Dear Father,
For these hours
Of unity.
Disaster has done
What discussion could not.
Doctrinal fences
Have fallen.
Republicans are standing with Democrats.
Skin colors
Have been covered
by the ash
of the burning buildings.
We thank you
For these hours
of unity!

And we thank you
For these hours
Of prayer.
The Enemy sought
To bring us
To our knees
and succeeded.
He had no idea,
However,
That we would kneel
Before you.
And he has no idea
What you can do.

Let your mercy
Be upon
Our President,
Vice President,
and their families.
Grant to
Those who lead us
Wisdom beyond their years
And experience.
Have mercy upon
The souls who have departed
and the wounded
Who remain.
Give us grace
that we might forgive
And faith that we
might believe.

And look kindly upon your church.
For two thousand years
you've used her
to heal a hurting world.

Do it again, Lord. Do it again.