Liturgical Declaration: Guarding Against Unequal Yoking
By: Michael David Simmons
Call to Worship
Leader: Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
People: That the King of Glory may come in! (Psalm 24:7)
Leader: In 1972, the gates were opened to China.
People: But the yoke was uneven, and the burden was heavy.
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Confession of Imbalance
Leader: A false balance is an abomination to the Lord. (Proverbs 11:1)
People: Yet we traded freely while the scales were tilted.
Leader: We gave technology, we gave openness, we gave trust.
People: And in return, we received domination, censorship, and imbalance.
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Prophetic Warning
Leader: Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 6:14)
People: For what fellowship has light with darkness?
Leader: America’s small government innocence was met with ancient authority.
People: Innocence without wisdom became vulnerability.
Leader: Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees. (Isaiah 10:1)
People: For oppression was written into the terms of exchange.
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Declaration of Freedom
Leader: For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)
People: We will not bow to domination. We will guard our openness with wisdom.
Leader: We will preserve cultural integrity.
People: We will demand mutuality in exchange.
Leader: We will be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:16)
People: Innocence with wisdom, openness with discernment.
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Closing Benediction
Leader: The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; He utters His voice, the earth melts. (Psalm 46:6)
People: The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Leader: Let America learn from the imbalance.
People: Let us walk in freedom, discernment, and truth.
Leader: Amen.
People: Amen.