Tested

Tested, o God, tested;

That is the state of my sitting now.

Tested to worship with those whose eyes

Cannot see the time is short beneath these skies.

In Unity, o God, we must sing;

As one, our hearts we must bring.

Tested, o God, tested;

That is the state of my praising now.

Tested to worship with those whose minds

Cannot know the price they must pay till Christ finds

Our Unity, o God, has turned vain;

As one, our hearts all seem strained.

Tested, o God, tested;

That is the state of our worship now.

Tested to praise You with self-made worth.

Cannot my mind remove itself from this earth?

In Unity, o God, let me join

As one, though from diff'ring loins,

With those who praise in true

The true God, eternally You,

As now we break our tradition

To come to You in true contrition,

Before a Savior who has bought

And won after He and death fought

For our hopeless, unredemptive state.

Our God, You are truly great.

Tested, o God, tested;

That is the state of Unity now.

-Austin Ward

10/8/06