Month: April 2015

Love exists

Before, and after, pain.

Sometimes, I don’t know he’s here.

Sometimes, I don’t feel him.

But, he is.

He surrounds me, he fills

My mind with thoughts,

And my lungs with breath,

And keeps my heart beating.

He helps me to keep going,

No matter how hard life seems.

He gives me comfort,

When there is no comfort.

He holds my hand,

When I am all alone.

I wait on him, sometimes,

For what seems like forever,

But, what I don’t realize,

Is that he has been here all the time,

Just waiting for me to say his name.

Thank you, Jesus.

Religion.  Who needs it?

I do, and you do, apparently,

But, perhaps, not for the reasons

You might think.

We create institutions

To organize, control,

Gain power over others,

And their money.

To gain commitments

Of time and energy,

To funnel resources

To causes and beliefs

That we care about.

But does all that stuff

Really matter to God?

Wouldn’t he rather

We just love and accept each other,

And get on with living

A life of love?

Do we have to build,

And collect, and instigate?

Why don’t we just

Keep it simple?

Let’s just love each other.

Perhaps, we do gain something

From our religion.

We learn truth,

And we receive grace,

At least, theoretically.

But if we don’t put it

Into practice, what good is it?

Grace abounds,

Though we don’t deserve it.

God loves us,

No matter the sin.

Sometimes, what we do

Seems beyond forgiveness.

The pain we cause

Can be extreme.

But it is all the same

To the loving Father.

He cannot stay angry

With his beloved children.

He loves us too much.

He wants to be close to us,

To be a part of our lives.

This is for what he created us.

His love is everlasting,

As far as the east is from the west.

Deeper than the oceans,

Higher than the tallest mountain.

It encircles the universe.

So, come and embrace his gift to you.

The gift is himself.

Come, and be loved.

Deep down

My heart wears a frown,

My soul crawls around,

Weeping in ashes,

Clawing the ground,

Not making a sound.

Can you feel

The blade made of steel,

Stabbing my soul?

Yes, that’s how I feel.

How I want, so much

For Jesus to heal

These wounds that bleed me.

And so I kneel

At God’s alter of love,

For a holy meal

Hoping to be touched

By something real.

Is God here with me?

I hope he will say,

“I love you today.

“I have heard you pray.

“I will always stay

“Very close to you,

“When you are afraid.

“So please ask me anything.

“I will hear what you say,

“Every day.

“So take your burdens,

“At my feet you can lay

“Them down to stay.”

I know he’s with me,

Even though my pain

Is as wide as the sea.

I hope to be

What he wants me to be.

So many worries, you see.

I want to be free.

So, here I stay,

On my knees.