David’s Song

Downtrodden I fall, my face

into the earth. Weary

I crawl, desiring strength

but finding none.

For too long have I been

pursued; sought out

like some criminal, though

no wrong have I done.

I wind endlessly down

this unending path, whose

only destination seems,

unjustly, death.

Never have I planned or

even thought in malice

against him, yet he seeks

my final breath.

And though I see that God

has delivered him here,

into my hand, only his cloak

will I smudge.

Seeking mercy I surrender as

he falsely proclaims his

regret; before me he may lie

but not before the Judge.

Let God Arise

Just as the sea, darkness at last will part,

Making way for glory;

Light will burst from sky and from heart

As God completes His story.

“Let God arise,

Let His enemies be scattered.”

Just as the waters, chaos will be still

And yield its place to peace;

God will bring full circle His will;

Death will eternally cease.

“Let God arise,

Let His enemies be scattered.”

Just as the lion, evil will close its mouth

And the Lord’s voice will ring;

His saints and angels and children come forth

To stand in awe and sing:

“Let God arise,

Let His enemies be scattered.

Let God arise,

And let us sing!”

The Voyage, Part II

“Homecoming”

Amidst my hull of broken wood float debris

That meander through the wreckage to gather ‘round me.

Restlessly I struggle to stay above the waves,

As they find rest in the havoc that they gave.

Though somehow I sense some shiver in the wind

That yields itself to whispers that gather me in,

And there in the change of the breeze that shifts

My sails find that breath whereupon they lift;

My mast regains strength and stands once again

By the power of the Spirit that brought in the wind.

I recognize the truth that battered me by storm;

Rueful I find hope where I first was forlorn.

I see now the tide that washed against my hull

Was emptying me of wickedness so I could be made full.

The sea that so violently raged against my mast

Was freeing me from bondage, freeing me at last!

The ravage of the ocean brought waters so unknown

But only that I finally would turn to come back home.

The Voyage, Part I

“Shipwrecked”

Against my hull crash waves in violent throngs,

Leaving not a breath to bemoan the prior calm.

Submerged, my keel is well acquainted with the sea

But never like this has he been seen;

He grants no mercy on my fragile, wooden frame

But reminds me that life is not simply a sailing game.

I’m tossed over squalls that tower my sails

And find no respite from the battering of hail;

This storm cracks loud its lightning and its thunder,

Pulling me slowly but inevitably under.

My deck yearns the sunshine that shone before,

Or to see the flighted bird that overhead soared,

Though there is no anchor to drop down here,

Out in the middle of the ocean, and my fear.

My sails cry to the deluge to cease its falling

But my voice goes unheard; no rescue is calling.

No lighthouse is seen; no blue sky pokes through;

I am alone in night black with ocean blue.

My Utmost Prayer

Dear Lord, you are so far beyond me that I cannot begin to comprehend you.  And yet, you dwell within my soul, closer to me than I am to myself.  Again, I cannot fathom you.  Christ, you love in a way that I cannot fully grasp; I can only ask that you would live through me, to act as you would, to speak as you would, and to love as you would.  Help me to be humble and meek, slow to speak, slow to anger, to cast down my pride, and not to judge, or despise, or boast, lest it be about you and what you have done.  Your mercy is indescribable, the perfect image of your love.  Empower me to take up my cross daily, Lord.  I kneel before you humbly, seeking forgiveness for all that I’ve done, sinning against others, myself, and you.  In humility I accept your forgiveness, moving on with the knowledge that I will never earn or deserve your grace.  It is only by faith.  I profess you as my Lord and Savior.  I promise to seek your face, constantly.  I leave my passions at the cross to follow you fully.  I surrender to you everything that I’ve been blessed with and all of my hopes and plans.  My life is yours, O God.  Guide me on the path that you’ve set for me.  Help me not to be distracted by anything that lies in wait.  I fix my eyes on you and you alone.  Whenever I stumble, recover me.  Protect me from discouragement through your words, Holy Spirit.  Will me to move and act where you lead, unafraid of what will come.  As I said, my life is yours.  Thank you, O Lord, for who you are.  May all praise and honor and glory belong to you forever and ever.  Amen.

Joy Like A Fountain

Dear worry,

I know we’ve been through a lot together. We’re like old friends, grayed by the years that have passed.  And after all this, despite your clinging faithfulness, I’m leaving you.

I would say that I’m sorry, but I’m really not. You’ve stuck with me, I know, but you’ve abused me. You tricked and teased me constantly, always telling lies. But even more than that, you prevented me from light, and truth, and joy. You caged me in, denied me freedom! I can’t believe I let it go on for so long. I was naïve, I was gullible, I was played. But no more!

Please don’t even bother writing back. I know your other monikers: fear, doubt, anxiety… the list of aliases goes on. And I’m done with all of you. I am now freed in Christ, and Christ is freed in me. Light, and love, and joy will pour forth! O the joy that flows!

I am no longer captive to your schemes, for I am set free by grace and love; the free grace of Christ, the redeeming love of God. I wish you the best in your loneliness. Goodbye worry.

 

Dear Jesus,

I’m entirely yours.

Psalm of the Lost

Heavenly Father, my Guide,

            call me when I am lost;

though my feet should wander,

            may I end up at Your cross.

I know the way is narrow

            but I know Your voice is true;

lead me down the path

            that follows straight to You.

My Shepherd, keep me close;

            my Light, shine the way;

my Compass, guide me home;

            my Refuge, be my stay.

Forgive me, Father, when I fall

            and help me to stand again;

that I would return my gaze to You,

            where it always should have been.

I never want to wander,

            but my limited mind does;

so, remind me of Your power;

            remind me of Your blood.

Call me, Father, ‘til I arrive

            at Your heavenly gates above;

guide me into Your arms, O God,

            usher me into Your love.

O This Joy!

This inexplicable joy bursts from within,
And no matter how I try, I cannot keep it in!
It burrows its way through my delicate skin
And throws off the guilt of my prior sin;
This joy warns the devil of Him who arrives
In the depths of my heart, which now will thrive.
He awakens my spirit and wills it to strive,
He indwells my soul; He makes me alive.
There is no sentiment near as strong
As His joy which bounds eternally along,
Breaching my walls in endless throng,
O His joy! O His song!
I, as the stone, was a hardened boy,
Playing sweet but secretly coy,
I was captured by the devil’s ploy
But now my soul is freed by joy.
Lord, my God, You bless me so!
Christ, You wash me white as snow!
Holy Spirit, You overflow!
O this joy that You bestow!

The Greatest Rescue

Trapped in a cave for all of my years,

Seeing only darkness, knowing only fears,

Seeking liberation yet finding no reprieve,

I’ve lost the will to hope, and nearly to believe.

My only companion is one they call loneliness

Though recently I’ve met the one who calls himself hopelessness.

Sopping I huddle in my tears and in my sweat,

I’ve tried to regain courage but haven’t any yet.

The only thoughts I know are borne of darkness and despair;

They come to me, I reckon, because there’s no one there.

Long ago I gave up the tally of the days

That I have been alone down here, submerged in all the haze.

My eyes have grown accustomed to the fringes staring back,

But still the only thing I see is this pressing black.

I’ve lost my sense of hearing to the voices of the night,

My limbs have all grown numb and I’ve lost my sense of sight.

I only crave salvation, for someone to draw near,

Though I wouldn’t know a human voice from the devil’s in my ear.

I feel I’ve come to accept that this is now my home,

This cave that overwhelms me and I are all alone.

I’ve never met the daytime, for all I know is night,

I often sit and wonder what is this thing called light.

Oh how I yearn for the sun to warm my heart

But I’m afraid the sky and I will always be apart.

The only one I’ve ever touched is one they call the ground;

I grope for the hand of another but no one else is found.

I seek a revelation, for some small glimpse of glory,

For something that might actually give substance to my story.

Nonetheless I linger here, withering at the bottom of this well,

I soon predict this sunken hole will burrow straight to hell.

Alone in the darkness I wallow, in permanent dismay,

I deserve this grave I sit in, and here is where I’ll stay.

 

In a whirl of mystery I’m taken, scooped up toward the sky,

In a moment I feel lighter, but confused and wondering why.

My eyes have been re-blinded, but this time not by night,

Now my retinas burn from this brilliant, surging light.

A burden has been removed and lifted from my back,

My heart now has a jump that always before it lacked.

I feel like a wisp or a spirit, carried on glorious wings,

From somewhere inside I holler, from somewhere inside I sing,

Outwardly I cry, in humility and awe

Of the power and the honor and the glory of our God!

The angels blare their trumpets and the heavens shout His praise,

Such a tremor they’re making; such a marvelous noise they raise!

And I’m taken up in the middle of it, joined by millions more,

All proclaiming His name, from their being, from their core.

Everything is frightening, but gloriously so,

I close my eyes in wonder but still I feel the glow.

I feel it bursting forth from the chords within my chest,

Yet it’s radiating outwards and I’ve never felt so blessed.

I’ll never take for granted the grace that I’ve received,

This grace that far surpasses anything I ever believed.

I cannot fathom His forgiveness, cannot comprehend His love,

All I know is that now my soul has been delivered above.

I remember the darkness I dwelt in, the terror that reigned before,

But now I know this King who shall reign for evermore.

He’s rescued me from oblivion, relieved me from that cave

Where I spent those years of my life, deprived and so depraved.

He’s removed me from the black that surrounded entirely my soul,

And returned to me a vigor that makes me full, and whole.

He continues to give me life that thrives and overflows,

He fills me with a peace and joy that no one else could know.

He is the source of wisdom, of love, of hope, of light,

And nothing can stamp out these glories, not even the shadowless night.

I will marvel and sing in His presence, by His mercy, at His feet,

At the throne of grace I’ll bow, and there it’s Christ I’ll meet.

Even though I’m broken, and I’ve spent my days in the dark,

Christ has taken my stripes, and the nails have left their mark,

But nothing could ever conquer the victory He won,

By laying down His life for all because He is God’s Son.

The glory of His rescue will never, on me, be lost,

For He carried my darkness upon Him, and buried it by the cross.

I don’t know the weight of His glory, or even the depth of my fall,

But I certainly know His mercy, the greatest rescue of all!

The Empty Bottle

Coins jingle deep in your pocket

            as you stagger the street alone;

One quick glance inside your locket

            reminds you why you’re so far from home.

You close your eyes to recall her face

            that slips all too rapidly away;

Desperate you cry for some foregone grace

            but, unanswered, you turn on your way.

Refuge you seek in the pub on the corner

            perhaps to drink away all the fears;

Your mind fancies ale or maybe a porter

            but your soul only craves the tears.

The bartender quietly gives his best

            as he slides before you a cold one,

But forty-four more wouldn’t quench in your chest

            what a bullet could do with just one.

Either way, you chug it down,

            “Bottom’s up,” cheers the bartender,

“If only I were,” you mutter with frown,

            seeking no saviour but an ender.

You’re convinced that faith couldn’t bring her back

            for that is what the world has made known;

The more you drink, the more you see black

            and see fade the life of your own.

You find some fulfillment closer to death

            but you still fear what follows after;

Pissed at the world you keep your breath

            forewarned by the devil’s laughter.

There in the bottom of the bottled glass

            you see yourself staring, and sad;

You wonder how long ‘til the pain will pass

            but you figure you’ll always stay mad.

Back in the alley you search for some light

            but nothing seems to satisfy;

Somehow you wish you could join the night

            though even the moon passes you by.

The rest of the world revolves in motion

            while you sit still with your head in your hands;

You long for your recently lost devotion

            but, before you, only loneliness stands.

The darkness envelops your entire being

            the way you wish she could again,

But darkness just covers you, keeps you from seeing

            and holds you where she should have been.

You wonder if blackness will be your only friend

            or if life will refill your frame,

Though perhaps for now, or even ‘til the end,

            you’re willing to stand in the rain.