Rewrites and Remixes

This past Sunday, we shared two rewrites or remixes from Scripture. One by Tom Wassink and the other by Luke Wassink. Enjoy!

Revelations Remixed - by Tom Wassink

Then I saw a brilliantly sun-drenched world, for behold! the shadow of Covid had passed away. I saw the Holy City, the new Iowa City, coming down out of heaven! I could see handshakes and hugs and noon-time full contact basketball in the South Fieldhouse Gym. There were no more masks or gloves or sudden veerings off the forest path into poison ivy as strangers approached. Grocery store aisles were once again bi-directional. Children were laughing and crashing and tumbling in playgrounds newly released from their nasty orange plastic safety netting. Hospitals and their workers were healed from their traumas.

And church, ahh church. The greeters were greeting, the bagels were steaming, the children were romping, and we were singing--together, full-throated, to and with Jesus, no longer wondering how far do my aerosolized droplets go? And we smiled as we passed each other on the way to and from the communion table.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "I am sick and tired of this mask! My dwelling place is amongst my gathered people, and I will dwell with them! In closeness and friendship! They will be my people and I will be with them and be their God. And I will, personally, wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more dying or mourning or distance or fear, for the old order of things has passed away, and the new has come.

Psalm 77 for Kids - by Luke Wassink

I yell “God, help me!”
I want God to hear me.

When I am sad, I look for God.
At night I stretch out my hands to God,
And I am sad.

God, I remember you, and I am sad.
I am so sad I can’t sleep,
And it is hard for me to even talk.
I lay awake at night,
And remember the songs I used to sing to God.

I wonder “Will God ever help me?
Does God love me anymore?
Did God forget to be kind to me?”

Then I think “I should try to remember things God has done for me.
I remember all the amazing things you have done, God.
I will keep thinking about the things you have done”

You do amazing things, and everyone sees.
You use your strong arms to help me.

Even the water wriggles when it sees you, God.
The clouds pour down rain water.
Thunder booms,
And lightning is the arrows from your bow.
You make a way to walk through the sea,
Even when the water is very deep.

You show us where to go, like we are a flock of sheep.
You send your friends Moses and Aaron to help us.