Creation Will Be At Peace

It’s a promise that’s hard to remember in days like these. What a horrible week. The murder of George Floyd followed the horrible murders of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and so many others! So much pain, and frustration and seemingly little justice… What do we do? That’s what my child has been asking. I’m not sure what to do other than pray, and if there is an opportunity to join in a peaceful protest we will go. The hymn of comfort tonight is an anthem that my mom (Anna Laura Page) wrote a long time ago (with text by J. Paul Williams). We thought that it was appropriate for this week. We feel peace when we listen to it, and hope you will too. It’s a setting of Isaiah 11:6-9:

The wolf will live with the lamb,
    the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling^[a] together;
    and a little child will lead them.
⁷ The cow will feed with the bear,
    their young will lie down together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
⁸ The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
    and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
⁹ They will neither harm nor destroy
    on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

I actually sang this anthem to Wren as her lullaby when she was a baby. I want her to know the peace that we will find in the Holy Mountain of the Lord. I also want her to grow to be a peace-maker in times like the ones we are living through now. I can’t explain to her the hate and racism that has led us to the events we are watching unfold, but I can offer her an understanding that we are called to work as agents of reconciliation. Showing Christ’s love to others – and that is much stronger than the hate we are seeing now. So playing this piece tonight is her offering of peace. (Thanks Nonnie for helping us record your amazing anthem!)

Text:

In the holy mountain of the Lord all war and strife will cease;
in the holy mountain of the Lord creation will be at peace.

In the holy mountain of the Lord all war and strife will cease;
In the holy mountain of the Lord creation will be at peace.

The wolf will lie down with the lamb, the cow and bear will feed,
their young will play together; a little child will lead, a little child will lead.

In the holy mountain of the Lord all war and strife will cease;
In the holy mountain of the Lord creation will be at peace.

The leopard and goat will graze, the lion will feed on straw.
They will war no more, they will war no more; a child will lead them all,
will lead them all.

In the holy mountain of the Lord all war and strife will cease;
In the holy mountain of the Lord creation will be at peace,
Creation will be at peace.

Words by J. Paul Williams

Words by J. Paul Williams/Music by Anna Laura Page.  © Copyright 1992 by Jubilate Music Group, LLC.  All Rights Reserved.  Used by Permission.