Nothing Without The Lord

with a sigh you let it go

once and for all,

throwing open the massive locked gates,

allowing entry and exit without charge,

a free concert for all,

with no hope for tomorrow

or the day after;

what else is there?

what more could be left?

squeezing out every little drop,

making more with less,

spreading around the harvest,

like butter on a hot piece of toast,

filling every nook,

saturating every cranny,

choking on the excess,

swallowing the vile,

settling for leftovers;

all the warm moments,

all the fond memories,

nothing in the final analysis,

nothing but dust,

here today,

gone tomorrow;

I have always been one of the “go to” guys,

now I am wasted space,

useless information,

yesterday’s news,

I need a new place to call home;

winter is approaching,

preparations incomplete,

when you’re younger,

you see things through different eyes,

you still have hope,

you still see the world

in terms of possibilities,

not finalities and dead end streets,

you assume the best

without looking for the worst;

now you sit around

waiting for the check to come in the mail,

the roller coaster ride almost finished,

the thrills almost gone,

just one more left,

and it will come soon enough;

it makes you wonder

if you’ll ever stop being afraid again,

but inside you know you will,

because there is One so much greater than you,

calming your fears,

soothing your pain;

America you have nothing,

all your big trucks

and fancy cars,

all your majestic homes,

paid for with blood and borrowed time,

are nothing,

in the end they will rust

and crumble into the ground,

they are nothing

without the LORD.

.

.

All That Matters Now

once I could do things

most people only dream of,

I could run with the wind,

move like a cat,

hit 90 mph fastballs,

I had strength,

I had power,

things most know

nothing about,

I took it for granted,

I thought it would last forever;

now it is all gone;

now I struggle just to move,

I fight for every breath,

I strain to hold on,

I live for the next meal,

my stomach aches with every bite,

I long for the past;

I search for a way out;

life is not fair,

it does not provide justice

one way or the other,

some have more,

some have less,

some have nothing at all,

there is no guarantee,

there is no certainty,

there is no balance;

life is an illusion;

it does not matter now,

it has come,

it has gone,

all that matters now

is what comes next;

all that matters now

is You.

.

.

A Day At The Mall

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.   1 John 2:15-17

He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.   Luke 6:39-40

I look at the latest gadgets,

the coolest toys,

the ultimate possessions;

all I see are things;

pieces of trash,

dead,

useless,

plastic,

lifeless;

my soul yearns for more,

my soul yearns for You;

I have spoken the words

You gave me,

I have shared the truth

You taught me,

I am tired,

I am worn,

there is nothing left,

nothing I desire;

I am ready for what

comes next;

blind guides leading the blind,

in love with the sound

of their own voices,

lost within the illusion,

deceived by their own vanity,

fading fountains of mist,

disappearing clouds of vapor;

here today,

gone tomorrow;

bring me home to You.

.

.

Next

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”   Matthew 14:28-33

one more lesson,

one more obstacle,

one more weakness,

one more time, I begin

to sink below the surface;

once again, You grasp

my hand,

once again, You pull

me from the depths,

once again, You teach me

to overcome,

once again, Your power sets

me free;

the world continues on,

wars and rumors of wars,

death and destruction,

joy and laughter,

greed and self-satisfaction,

vanity and pride;

none of that matters now,

the flesh slowly dies,

only a fading mist,

a disappearing shadow,

I am finished with it all,

there is nothing more

I need,

there is nothing more

I want,

all that matters now is

what comes next,

all that matters now,

is You.

.

.

Driving Miss Lonely

I picked her up at the Charlottesville train station,

mid-seventies, small, frail,

long sleeve jacket and floppy brim hat,

even though it was close to ninety;

I knew she was going to make me

earn my money;

I could feel her disdainful stare from behind the over-sized sun glasses

as I pulled up to the loading area,

I got the impression she wanted to pummel me with her cane

for being two minutes past the scheduled pick-up time,

she stood and waited until I finally got out of the car,

I tried to be cordial as I put her bag in the trunk,

she didn’t say a word as she waited for me to open the door for her,

I assumed she would want to sit in the back,

but when I started to open the rear door she made a

disappointing “oh” sound, indicating she would prefer to sit up front,

so I opened the front door and she got in;

somehow I had become her private chauffer;

once she was satisfied my driving skills were competent

she began talking, I listened,

it was going to be a long ride from Charlottesville to Lexington;

“do you know what my pet peeve is ?” she asked,

before I could reply she answered,

“grammar, people don’t know how to properly write

or speak today, it is a lost art;”

seems she had once been an editor, with a masters degree

in writing, and she was appalled by today’s lack of

education when it came to writing,

she was returning from a trip to Washington D.C.,

where she had visited the holocaust museum,

she told me that she had once visited the home of Anne Frank

in Amsterdam with her ex-husband,

who had been college professor at Washington & Lee,

seems he was a liar, who had cheated on her throughout their marriage,

when the kids were out of the house she told him they were through,

she just couldn’t take it any more,

she told me about her PhD children and her brilliant grandchildren,

I asked if she ever wrote or edited poetry,

a little she replied, but it was ‘personal’ and she would never have it

published;

‘isn’t all poetry personal’ I thought to myself but remained quiet;

she told me she was working on a play,

how writing plays had become her new passion,

that one of her plays had been performed off-Broadway,

when I asked her if she worked with the drama department

at Washington & Lee she scoffed;

“I’ve seen some of their recent works and they weren’t very good,

they used to have an excellent drama department, but its gone

downhill;”

she then proceeded to tell me more details from her entire life,

the messy divorce,

the children she rarely saw,

the grandchildren she barely knew,

listening, I realized she was a tired, bitter, lonely old woman,

with no one in her life but equally tired cab drivers,

and others she managed to turn into her private servants;

when we got to Lexington,

I carried her bag up to her third floor apartment,

she thanked me and gave me a twenty dollar tip;

I think it was much cheaper than therapy.

.

.

Where Now America?

where now

America?

your playgrounds and sandlots

lie empty,

your youth grow tired and disillusioned,

hanging out at the mall,

gathering in clumps and clusters,

wearing hundred dollar rags,

wrapped up in coolness,

struggling to be ghetto,

jaded with knowledge,

dripping with sarcasm;

nobody’s fool;

ice flowing through their veins,

filth dripping from their lips,

incapable of genuine laughter,

void of dreams,

growing old before their time;

farm boys from south jersey,

full of TV bravado and

James Dean machismo,

daddy’s good little girls,

playing MTV hoes,

busy being

trash talking lil bitch wannabes,

joking about

giving blowjobs for a dollar;

generation X,

childhood gone,

innocence lost

forever;

where now

America?

where now?

.

.

Holy Words

caught up in the moment,

lost in the confusion and chaos,

surrounded by a ruthless enemy,

I take shelter in Your protective arms,

within the silence and solitude

of the long black night,

I seek Your righteous counsel;

guide my path O Lord,

direct my wavering hand,

let all who see my life

know the beauty and wonder

of Your marvelous mercy and grace;

do this for Your glory my Lord,

do this for Your mighty name;

who am I,

that You should pour out Your blessings?

who am I,

that You should see my life?

There is a way that seems right to a man,

but in the end it leads to death.   Proverbs 16:25

all my thoughts,

all my knowledge,

all my righteousness,

are but filthy rags

before Your mighty presence;

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways My ways,”

declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are My ways higher than your ways

and My thoughts than your thoughts.”   Isaiah 55:8-9

praise You my precious Lord,

for Your marvelous, glorious light,

for Your holy words of wisdom and truth,

which shine like rare and wondrous pearls.

.

.

Dark Days

Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;   Isaiah 44:24-25

today was a dark day;

rainy and cloudy,

windy and cold;

gloomy and sinister;

it felt like there was

something I needed to do,

but I didn’t know what,

sometimes it feels

as though this is the

story of my life;

dark days and

not knowing what

to do;

I saw a specialist yesterday

about my herniated disk,

he suggested trying a nerve block

to relieve the pain,

he doesn’t know if it will work,

but it beats the alternatives,

more surgery,

so I’m going to go with it;

I watched a show about Hitler

on the military channel,

it was about his rise to power

and the extraordinary events

that made it happen,

it almost seemed supernatural,

which is exactly what it was;

monsters like him

only exist because God allows it;

while watching the thought occurred

that perhaps his whole purpose (Hitler),

was to put the Jewish people

through a great refining trial,

a test,

before being allowed

to return to their ancient homeland,

it made me wonder if perhaps

the whole purpose of America

becoming a nation

almost 200 years earlier,

was to make it possible

for Hitler’s eventual defeat,

and pave the way

for God’s chosen people

to return to their promised land,

just like perhaps,

the purpose of the Roman Empire

was to create the necessary circumstances,

through which a 700 year old prophecy

that the Messiah would die on a tree

could be fulfilled,

and that the news of His resurrection

could be spread through the known world of the time,

by the technology of Roman roads

and transportation systems;

perhaps?

of course, I’m sure

scholars and experts

much wiser than I,

would laugh at such a notion,

but then it wouldn’t be

the first time God has used seemingly

unrelated and unimaginable plans,

to confound the wise and knowledgeable;

would it?

who would have believed

that a rag-tag band of uneducated,

fishermen and peasants,

would confound and confuse

the wise men of their day,

witnessing and testifying

to the greatest event

in the history of mankind?

who could have imagined it?

.

.

Not Even a Sparrow

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.   Luke 12:6-7

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.   John 1:12-13

in the morning

Your voice softly speaks,

telling me not to fear,

bringing peace

to my troubled mind,

removing the chaos and confusion,

lighting up the darkness,

proving that You are real,

reminding me that You see

everything I do,

that not even a sparrow falls

without Your knowledge,

and that I am worth more

than many sparrows;

praise you Lord;

help me overcome

the spiritual darkness,

help me remember

that the arrogance and hypocrisy

of others will pass,

help me turn the other cheek

when I am attacked,

silence my lips before they utter

foolish words of vanity and evil,

teach me to control this flesh,

seeking only self-fulfillment

and self-preservation,

remove anything

that is not of You

let others see You through me;

let me be a son

of the living God.

.

.

A Long Road

I think I am ready,

it has been a long road,

full of humiliation and degradation,

holding back at the hypocrisy,

turning the other cheek to the self-righteous,

babbling of fools,

remaining silent in the face of man-made

knowledge and wisdom;

it has been a long road;

I hear Your voice,

softly calling

in the middle of the night,

asking if I am ready

to let go,

asking if I am ready

to follow;

and yes,

this time I think

I am finally ready;

Lord, stay with me now,

stay with me forever,

reach out and touch me

with Your blessed hand,

heal my wounds,

forgive my transgressions,

open my eyes,

fill me with Your light,

guide my paths,

overflow my cup,

restore my soul;

bring me home to You.

.

.

Power

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. I Corinthians 4:20

Your power is beyond all

this world can comprehend,

like a philosophy or psychology

they try to minimize who You really are,

sweeping You under man-made rugs,

placing You inside man-made boxes,

trying to restrain You with man-made

laws and traditions,

never understanding,

never knowing,

never able to fully acknowledge,

that everything they are,

everything they know,

exists only by Your

unfathomable mercy and grace,

through the unlimited power

of Your Word alone,

that every breath taken is a gift,

which can never be repaid;

through Your power

I am given a taste of a world

free from sin,

a world of love and hope,

stripped of all its suffering and fear;

without hate,

without lust,

without greed;

through Your power

I begin to understand,

through the Holy Spirit

I start to see,

a world which my mind

cannot fully grasp,

an indescribable place

prepared from the beginning

for those who love You,

a world that leaves me humbled,

perfect and pure,

beyond words,

without compare,

a world where I can only

fall down before You

and whisper;

my Lord,

my Master,

my King;

my Everything.

.

.

All That Is Left

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.   John 15:13

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”   John 15:18-19

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.   1 Corinthians 13:1-13

love is not about telling

someone what they

want to hear,

not about being positive,

or keeping your mouth shut,

not happy thoughts or

living in fantasy worlds

which do not exist;

love is telling someone

what they need to hear,

whether it means they

will love you in return

or not,

love is sometimes

struggle and pain,

sometimes sorrow

and tears;

sometimes torture

and death;

the world does not understand

love such as this,

just as it does not understand.

that someday,

when the flesh has withered

and decayed,

when knowledge and wisdom

are gone,

when hope and faith serve no

purpose;

all that will be left

is love.

.

.

Hiding Within Plain Sight

they have become mesmerized

with the violence,

conditioned by the lies;

without feeling,

without joy;

without soul;

I remain silent,

because that is what

I choose;

words never mattered

anyway;

I could not save you;

you were too far gone,

too far along,

too far away;

from a dream

I reach for you,

but you’re not there,

I call out your name,

but you do not hear,

replacing one

without the other,

such an impossible task;

even now,

I hear your voice,

even now,

I see you your face,

even now,

I taste your skin;

a new day dawns,

old memories fade;

no return,

no mercy,

no hanging on;

forgotten memories and

empty futures,

travel down lost

and lonesome paths,

on their way to hidden

valleys,

where even the sun

does not speak;

I am tired of giving

pearls to dogs,

wisdom to swine,

tired of voices that only

know how to speak,

but have never learned

how to listen;

your judgment makes you smaller,

your expressions and excuses,

nothing more than meaningless drivel,

dead-end streets,

you use the cracks and crevices of

distant shores like common

knowledge;

platitudes and artistic differences

only go so far,

sooner or later choices

must be made;

eventually it becomes real,

eventually it slips away;

everything you know,

everything you are,

everything you ever were;

just fading vapor,

dispersing with the wind;

the higher you go,

the farther you fall,

the faster you run,

the bigger the crash.

.

.

No Other

I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.   Isaiah 45:5-7

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.   I Corinthians 4:20

the empty highway looms ahead,

stretching on forever, no end in sight,

destinations unknown, distant and unexplored,

staring mindlessly ahead, missing the thrill of the open road,

missing the isolation of the high mountain trails,

missing the taste of a young girl’s lips,

the breathless excitement in her eyes,

the feel of her quivering anticipation;

understanding things that no longer are;

it does not matter, the past is gone,

the only truth left, shining brightly ahead,

the small, still voice, speaking deeply within,

opening your eyes, revealing things

you could never have imagined,

incomprehensible things, things of beauty, things of truth,

knowledge for which words have no expression,

leaving you humbled and in awe;

God is power,

forming the light, creating darkness,

bringing prosperity, allowing disaster,

not bold, foolish talk, not man-made traditions,

not a better way of living, not a philosophy,

far beyond anything our limited minds can comprehend,

healing the sick, giving sight to the blind,

raising the dead to life;

God is power.

.

.

The Time Draws Near

lost in the darkness,

I lie awake, tossing and turning,

frightened and confused,

unsure of the thoughts and emotions,

unable to understand or comprehend,

as this dying body of flesh

slowly grows weary and fails,

betrayed by instincts and hungers,

destroyed by the intoxicating poisons

it so desperately craves;

the time draws near,

the day is at hand,

soon the morning sun will dawn,

all things shall be revealed;

the light of Your  glorious presence

grows brighter,

the power of Your touch

strengthens and renews,

everything changes,

everything fades;

You are all I need,

You are all there is;

lead me through this wilderness,

let Your righteousness be my guide,

let Your glory shine for all to see,

let Your holy will be done;

allow me to serve You all my days,

for in You I shall find my deliverance,

in You I shall rise from the dark,

through You I shall overcome;

You who are my Lord,

You who are my King,

You who are my Everything.

.

.

Deliver Me

within nighttime dreams,

I walk in cold, forsaken places,

dark, dead lost places,

far beyond the reach of hope;

I listen to the suffering,

I hear the sorrow,

I feel the pain,

I know the emptiness;

they are places through which

I have walked before;

when I awake,

You are there,

standing by my side,

never letting go,

never walking away,

healing me,

renewing me,

blessing me

when I deserve nothing,

forgiving me

when I can not forgive myself,

reminding me that without You

I can never overcome;

deliver me O Lord,

from dark, dead places,

lost and forgotten places,

hidden within the shadows of dreams,

take away the emptiness

as only You can;

hold me now,

bathe me in Your light,

fill me with Your love,

surround me with Your glory,

let me belong to You forever;

my Savior,

my King,

my God;

my Everything.

.

.

I Thirst

I thirst O Lord,

for Your wisdom and knowledge,

I hunger for Your love and peace,

I live O Lord,

for Your truth and light,

I seek Your mercy and grace;

Your words

lie resting within my soul,

like rare and precious jewels,

perfect in every way,

shining brilliant and bright,

worth more than all the wealth

this world has to offer,

providing depth and understanding

beyond my limited comprehension,

opening my blinded eyes,

bringing new vision and hope;

deliver me O Lord,

from the evil of this eternal night,

hold my hand until the end,

help me rise above the moment,

free me from the enemy’s traps and snares,

guide my journey along these dark

and treacherous paths,

forgive my trespasses,

see past my weakness,

allow me to be a witness

to Your never ending glory,

let my lips praise

Your righteous and holy name;

to You do I belong,

in You shall I remain;

my Lord,

my King,

my Savior,

my God,

my Everything;

I thirst O Lord

for You.

.

.

In The End

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”  Luke 20:17-18

when I was 18 I was the real deal,

the high school, jock, superstar,

the golden boy

with the golden touch,

class president,

everything to everyone;

it was an image

I spent most of my adolescent years

Perfecting;

I could have married the hometown girl,

bought a house in my parents neighborhood,

spent the next 30 or 40 years

making a comfortable living,

gathering after work at the local bar

with all the other hometown boys,

living off old press clippings

and exaggerated sexual conquests,

collecting interest on Friday night touchdowns

and Saturday morning hangovers;

instead I did everything I could

to kill who and what I was,

I wandered,

I searched,

I smoked,

I drank,

I snorted,

I embarrassed,

I lied,

I deceived,

I failed;

I burned every bridge,

I slept with whores,

I broke man-made laws

and spiritual taboos,

I sinned against man,

I sinned against God;

but in the end

I was still here,

stuck in the same skin,

unable to escape,

unable to change,

unable to be anything

but what I was,

trapped by the truth

living inside;

in the end,

I became exactly

what I was destined to be,

and You were still there;

knocking,

whispering,

waiting;

in the end,

You put Your arms around me,

quietly whispering;

“Don’t be afraid, just believe”;

forgiving the beatings,

forgiving the humiliation,

forgiving the suffering,

forgiving the pain,

forgiving the torture,

forgiving the isolation,

endured by You;

for the evil committed by me;

in the end,

You forgave the sins

of a world not worthy

to kiss the dust beneath Your feet;

in the end,

You shined Your light before me,

and my eyes were blind no more;

in the end,

I will stand before the throne of Your glory

and the joy shall be forever.

.

.

Knowledge of God

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.   Romans 11:33-36

wandering alone,

destroyed by the moment,

overcome by the magnitude,

afraid of the consequences;

eternally gone;

I have fallen short,

I have been less,

I have not been

all that You created

me to be;

I don’t comprehend the reason,

I can’t explain the why,

I only know through You

it will all work out

in the end;

without suffering and pain

there would be no relief,

without sadness and sorrow

there would be no happiness and joy,

without darkness and evil

there would be no light and righteousness;

and without You,

there would be no hope;

thank you Lord,

rebuke me when I am wrong,

discipline me as a beloved son,

praise Your holy name forever,

to You belongs the glory;

to You shall I belong

forever.

.

.

He is There

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Romans 8:38-39

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”   Revelation 21:1-4

the time draws near,

the journey almost at an end,

home is just beyond the distant horizon,

lying only a heartbeat away,

and I am ready;

He is there waiting,

ready to make all things new,

removing the darkness,

wiping away every tear;

the pain will pass,

the doubt will be removed,

the suffering will be no more,

the night will be turned to day,

the joy shall be forever;

He is there waiting,

ready to make all things new,

removing the darkness,

wiping away every tear;

the words fade away,

time passes like a dream in the night,

these prison walls crumble into the dust,

all things will be as intended,

all things will be made right;

He is there waiting,

ready to make all things new,

removing the darkness,

wiping away every tear.

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Up Here

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.   II Timothy 3:1-5

up here I hear your voice

whispering through the early morning silence,

up here I am never alone,

up here You walk with me;

comforting me,

carrying me,

guiding me,

protecting me;

down there,

You are reduced to a psychology,

a feel-good philosophy,

a self-improvement technique,

a better way of life,

blaspheming Your name,

making a mockery of Your kingdom,

denying the power;

forever looking but never seeing,

forever listening but never hearing;

You are so much more,

far beyond all that our limited minds

can comprehend,

more than anyone can fathom,

giver of life,

creator of all things;

the Great I Am,

the holy King of the universe,

the Alpha and the Omega;

Everything.

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Floodwaters

the world is dying,

I am dying,

death has become an only friend,

the final sanctuary,

in a life no longer

worth living;

each day begins anew,

each day ends,

the breeze continues to blow,

the rivers continue to flow,

the morning sun arrives

right on time;

for every season there is a purpose,

for every question there is an answer;

I see the ugliness lying

just below the surface,

the self-serving hypocrisy,

the incomplete falsehoods,

the insincere agendas,

they do not fool me;

not even for a moment;

the time begins at last,

the hour is at hand,

the children of men are no more,

their monuments of glory

crumble before the wind,

the bitter taste of their demise

lies frozen upon a sea

of silent tongues;

this then is the beginning,

this then is the end;

still they do not listen,

even now their eyes remain blind,

giving in marriage and celebrating

right up to the very end;

surely there is no hope

for ones such as these.

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A Time For Everything

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.  What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him   Ecclesiastes 3:1-14

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Romans 8:37-38

in the early morning silence,

You softly speak,

revealing mysteries and truths

I cannot fathom,

surpassing all my understanding;

Your ways are not my ways,

Your thoughts are not my thoughts,

You are the vine,

I am just the branch;

all my ideas,

all my words,

are nothing without You;

there is a time for everything,

a time to be born,

a time to die,

everything You do

endures forever,

nothing can be added to it,

nothing can be taken from it,

death does not end it;

nothing shall separate us

from Your love.

.

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Champions

how can there be;

right or wrong,

good or bad,

yes and no;

every breath is unique,

every voice a beacon

by which the truth

might call;

judgment a foreign

army,

occupying a land

not of its own;

the morning begins

just as it left,

the breaking day looming ahead,

the trail bending and

unclear,

moving forward

with unsettled uncertainty;

there is very little choice;

illusion remains,

weaving its way into

the fabric of the myth,

mystery hovers like

a descending bird,

with death lying in wait;

mourning the only light

ever known;

I watch these children,

they have more than what

could be considered

humanly possible,

giants in a forest

of dwarfs,

victors in a

world of defeat;

champions amidst

the obscurity.

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Adonai

The LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb. The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. He will drink from a brook along the way, and so he will lift his head high.   Psalm 110:1-7

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.   John 1:1-5

Adonai;

above You there is no other,

You are the beginning,

You are the end,

You are all there is;

Adonai;

You stretch out Your hand,

the raging winds become calm,

You speak and by Your words alone,

a universe is created;

Adonai;

You are truth,

You are light,

You are righteousness,

You are holy;

Adonai;

before You do I fall,

through You am I redeemed,

by Your will do I stand,

through Your love am I saved;

Adonai;

forgive my foolishness,

rebuke me as a Father rebukes a son,

fill me with Your truth and love,

teach me Your righteous ways;

Adonai;

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