Lord, we pray this day mindful of the sorry confusion of our world. 

Look with mercy upon this generation of your children
    so steeped in misery of their own contriving, 

    so far strayed from your ways 

    and so blinded by passions. 

We pray for the victims of tyranny, 

    that they may resist oppression with courage. 

We pray for wicked and cruel men, 

    whose arrogance reveals to us 

    what the sin of our own hearts is like 

    when it has conceived and brought forth its final fruit.

We pray for ourselves who live in peace and quietness, 

    that we may not regard our good fortune as proof of our virtue, 

    or rest content to have our ease 

    at the price of other men’s sorrow and tribulation.

We pray for all who have some vision of your will, 

    despite the confusions and betrayals of human sin, 

  that they may humbly and resolutely plan for and fashion 

    the foundations of a just peace between men, 

    even while they seek to preserve what is fair and just among us 

    against the threat of malignant powers.

 

Reinhold Niebuhr, 1892-1971, American theologian and professor
The Complete Book of Christian Prayer

 

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“That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, 

    and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society.

 He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. 

He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers 

    and his nails were like birds’ claws.

 

“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. 

My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High 

    and honored the one who lives forever.

His rule is everlasting,
    and his kingdom is eternal.
All the people of the earth
    are nothing compared to him.
He does as he pleases
    among the angels of heaven
    and among the people of the earth.
No one can stop him or say to him,
    ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’

“When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. 

My advisers and nobles sought me out, 

    and I was restored as head of my kingdom, 

    with even greater honor than before.

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. 

All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”