Major Tim Meyer's Invocation from Milwaukee's Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
They shall come from the east, They shall come from the west,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God;
Both the rich and the poor,
The despised, the distressed,
They'll sit down in the Kingdom of God.
And none will ask what they have been
Provided that their robes are clean;
They shall come from the east, They shall come from the west,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God;
To be met by their Father
And welcomed and blessed,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God.
The black, the white, the dark, the fair,
Your color will not matter there;
They shall come from the east, They shall come from the west,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God;
Out of great tribulation to triumph and rest
They'll sit down in the Kingdom of God.
From every tribe and every race,
All men as brothers shall embrace;
They shall come from the east, They shall come from the west,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God. (John Gowans – Salvation Army General)
Father God, in our quest for Truth and Justice, it often seems like we take one step forward and one step backward. When we fail to set a holy example, we ask for your guidance and forgiveness. Help us to not be discouraged in our efforts to bring truth to light, and to expose and eradicate injustice.
Now be with each person and group participating today. May we be inspired and encouraged as we celebrate the life of the great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We look to the author of his great dream, The Lord Jesus Christ, and it is in his name we pray today. Amen.