Sunday, August 27, 2023
To my child
Friday, June 9, 2023
Fool of prayer
I hear you, Isaiah
I understand your canned concerns
But I’m not sorry
And I never will be
I don’t care if you’re an actual prophet
Or just courageous like one
I simply will not pray for him, period
I won’t even pray for the man at your right hand
They’re both fools I’ve prayed for before
And I’m finished praying for fools who pray
And pray and pray, and pray and pray
And talk about praying
For others to be warm and filled
Along with blessings from above
For them to experience the love and light of Christ
And other ejaculatory buzzwords of spiritual direction
Fools pray when far more than praying can and should be done by them
Fools expect results by their prayers
They’re fools because of their many prayers
They’re fools because they expect God alone to act, even if its by inaction
Fools also baptize their prayers
With pietistic not-my-will’s but thy-will’s
And doxological refrains
In Jesus’ name
Meanwhile, rapists’ rape
And rape and rape
And never receive justice
But thank God there’s at least one fool out there praying for him by name
Monday, June 5, 2023
3/10/23
That look on your face
Breathless and panicked
With a half-decade behind
Just to start all over
Just to keep life going as it was
Just to focus on new responsibilities
Just to put out new flames
Just to exhaust new strategies
Just to wake up to new joys
Just to bask in new snuggles
Just to love this new little-christ
Tomorrow we break the news
With the other three
With mochi and smartphones
Trusting Grace
At first you dragged us
Against our will and into your life
Irresistibly impelling the I
We were humbled
Then you showered gifts
Washing us with precious promises
Of life, of good, of blessings to come, even protection from prey
We were inspired
So, we did as you commanded
Day after day, studying to preach and pray
Students on mission, on fire without a cage
We persevered
Life happened
Decades passed
We became as gods
Knowing good and evil
Knowing the difference
Between planting corn and strawberries
Curiosity piqued
In our quest of you
Analyzed and perused
Unexamined details sprouted like never before
It was as though, for once, we both reached an impasse
Then we each watched each other's tide
Encroach upon our iconic moat and sand castle
While each of us did nothing
What happened to the One who saved us?
Where did all the power and sovereignty go?
Will you not do for us what we cannot do for ourselves?
Why the silent treatment now?
Nothing but silence, casting doubt
In despair, questioning if you’d ever been there
In loneliness, orphaned and stranded
Why should we care?
A generation of wandering
Around this citadel of sand
And you would not coddle or swaddle us once more
Why not drag us, or woo us, or inspire us again?
Why jettison every word of promise?
Convince us to care, if you dare
Then the seed finally died
Children abandoned their fathers
Servants betrayed their masters
Fruitless branches pruned from the vine
Because juvenility reigned
Only a few learned to increase in likeness and sovereignty
Even fewer took control of this monergistic gift for all
To honor father and mother when they’re no longer needed
And trust this first synergistic word with promise
Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Sacramental Potatoes
These potatoes represent so much to me
They represent what I imagined us to be
From little spuds to flaky skins
To bring together the best there is
The WHOLE of us together in bliss
Then Satan entered and deceived the kids
May the Lord grant such a time again
When we can munch on tots as friends
And laugh about how wrong they were
To question the prophet and cause a stir
Celebrating American Jesus
Must we?
Dress up like candy canes
Consume lots of sweets, meats, and alchoholic treats
Must we?
Open presents one by one in front of all
Even though I brought nothing but myself
And they pretend to know me
Must we?
Pretend to be tightly knit
And write checks for simple services
Insisted for free
Impacted
Another year
Another festive funeral service survived
Christ is born—Glorify him, they don’t say
The three stooges just offer their gifts
While eighteen bystanders pretend to enjoy the show
It’s like they participate to please Herod or Caesar
So I did what I do best
Pray boldly and ask forgiveness later
And pray louder than the fools in the tomb
Even an infected ear can hear the difference