Oxen's Awakening

Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth!
For the LORD has spoken:
"I reared children and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows his master,
the donkey his owner's manger,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand."
Isaiah 1

It's Morning, Jesus
And I the rebel, I the donkey and the ox,
Come before you.
In the covenant yoke I know who you are
In the relationship where you feed, me, tend, me, corral me,
I know your presence
As I live in covenant relationship with you,
You are the owner, and I know you.

Lord, make me as loyal as the ox this morning,
When the dawn awakens him he waits for the masters feeding.
Make me like the donkey.
When the rooster crows, he waits upon the masters approach
To feed him

When the sun is up,
He yields to the yoke
He pulls the plow of purpose
Consenting to his owners purpose.

May I learn, as a man, the consent of the creature
the recognition of who you are.

Forgive us when we are like Israel:
4 Ah, sinful nation,
a people loaded with guilt,
a brood of evildoers,
children given to corruption!
They have forsaken the LORD;
they have spurned the Holy One of Israel
and turned their backs on him.

5 Why should you be beaten anymore?
Why do you persist in rebellion?
Your whole head is injured,
your whole heart afflicted.

6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head
there is no soundness—
only wounds and welts
and open sores,
not cleansed or bandaged
or soothed with oil.

7 Your country is desolate,
your cities burned with fire;
your fields are being stripped by foreigners
right before you,
laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.

Show me reality as you see it, Lord Jesus
And examine my heart, my life, my country,
this morning,
Three personed God!

Amen