The Dark, Grim, Dire, Holy Waning Hour (of the world)

The hour of the world is dark, so dark, so dark, my Lord

The masses surge in ignorance of truth; Your living Word

They storm the streets and scorn the freedom You died to atone

They worship the Created Thing with hearts of flint and stone

The hour of the world is grim, so grim, so grim and mean

Where those who ‘put their trust in Him’ are far and few between

The Golden Calf at Mount Sinai now fits into a purse

And makes a mockery of all who cater to its curse

The hour of the world is dire, so dire with apathy

Prophecy is unfolding in startling accuracy

Ah, who will stand the test of all the best we’ve ever known

For faithfulness is something that is never once-and-done

The hour of the world is holy, holy, holy, oh

But many, far too many do not think that it is so

Oh Lord, dear Lord come quickly, but no Lord, dear Lord, delay

For there are far too many who have not yet found the way

The hour of the world is waning, waning, waning, then

Lord, You will reign victorious, forevermore, amen

And some will leave behind life’s worst and some will leave its best

And some will be forever cursed and some forever blessed

© Janet Martin

Matt. 25:31-46

The Sheep and the Goats

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”