Unwelcome

An unwelcome guest
in today's sacred spaces,
too smelly,
    camel hair clothing,
    locust breath,
    matted dried honey.
No pew companion for me.

An unwelcome preacher
in today's high pulpits,
too radical,
    wild eyed fanatic,
    Bible thumper,
    calling out sinners.
No word from God for me.

An unwelcome messenger
in today's religious circles,
too unsophisticated,
    nothing held back,
    in your face,
    up close and personal.
No man of God for me.

An unwelcome servant
in a very long line,
too God focused,
    out of step,
    one message,
    faithful to call.
A front man for Jesus.

(Mark 1:6)

Only Grace

Under the water
    the sunlight fades,
    darkness rises up,
    cold and murky.
    Bouncing on toes,
    flailing, kicking,
    now suspended,
    stretched out.
None of me
    holding me up,
only the water.

Under the water
    earth slips away,
    kingdom draws near,
    first dimly,
    now more clearly
    Holy mystery all around,
    old going, new coming,
    sins forgiven, washed away.
God at work,
    not about me,
just His grace.

   (Mark 1:5)

Under the Water

Under the water,
     but not for good,
     just long enough
     to wash sin away.
Downstream they go,
     never seen again,
     so far, forgotten.
Undeserved, but grace given.

Turning away,
    not just a bit,
    but completely,
    never to turn again.
With face set in stone,
    the old behind,
    the new coming,
Faith now a living choice.

Shaking it off,
    but only the water,
    not the change,
    a new heart now.
In Christ transformed,
    now set apart
    to live like Him.
Not for a moment, but eternity.

(Mark 1:4)

Names

Name him after his father
    they said in the Temple,
    but a name sent by an angel
    from the heavens prevailed.
John would be his name.

Call him prophet or messiah
    they said at the river,
    but one who lived before
    had already given the name,
the voice in the wilderness.

"Great among those born of women"
    said Jesus outside of Nain,
    first known as childhood playmate,
    later faithful servant,
messenger of God.

(Luke 1:59-63, John 1:19-23, Luke 7:28)

Your Time

Time we measure
    in minutes and hours,
    days and weeks.
Still, never content,
     our here and now
     defined by "when" and "if,"
Making watching impossible.

Time You measure
     in ways unknown,
     uncounted moments.
Like an everflowing stream
     You watch,
      paying attention,
Calling us to do the same.

Our measured time,
     like Yours, unnumbered,
     will one day end.
Gathered by eternity,
     and us with it,
     ready or not,
You will come!

(Mark 1:3)
  

Come Quickly

Lord, it's dark 'round here,
     pitch black,
     can't see my hand,
     before my face.
Lord, it's really, really dark,
     what's out there
      makes me afraid.
Are You out there?

Lord, there's no way out,
       trapped, overcome,
       not going to make it,
       giving up,
Lord, forever feeling let down,
       needed You,
       and still do.
Are You coming, Lord?

Lord, nothing's like before,
       nothing left now
       but blind faith,
       un-defendable hope.
Lord, like You said,
       going to wait,
       staying ready, but
Please, Lord, come quickly.

(Mark 13:32-37)

Always the Same

They say, this land
    beneath our feet
    was once, long ago
    the very ocean floor.
Home to Creek and Cherokee,
    roamed by conquering conquistadores,
    settled by cast out English folks,
    served as bloody battlefields,
    filled food laden tables,
    provided final resting places,
Never the same, always changing.

Another says, heaven and earth
    will indeed pass away
    and nothing will be as it was
Except for the Word of God
    which spoke creation into being,
    led Abraham on a great journey,
    changed the world on Mt. Sinai,
    proclaimed a Kingdom not yet seen,
    and told us again and again, "Fear not!"
Always the same, never changing.

(Mark 13:31)