Whispers of Light and Shadow

Listen not to the shadows that whisper,
Which has said I have cast my heart into 
the abyss

That I have poured myself and beyond into a void unending,
Seeking to fill a cup that could not accept me.

Listen instead to the light that dwells within,
Whose voice says that my heart and soul have lived true and learned.

That in dying to myself I came to see what I knew not existed,
And have become able to love in more ways than I had ever seen.

psalmic viii

I look at all the times I have missed the mark, turned my hand to aid or work, and received scorn. I see the days gone by and the days ahead, knowing my self and capacity, and fear for the future to come.

What burdens lie upon me, little as they could seem to others, feel great and overwhelming. How can I bring about success? How do I fulfill their needs? How can I assure their happiness? I know that these are beyond my ability to ensure.

My strength of will is weak, wavering and undisciplined. A sliver of insight and a wisp of intelligence I am given in a little measure, but what has that brought me? Pride and sloth have rotted my years and left me like a rusted structure, brittle and unreliable.

It is for this reason the Lord breaks me and remakes me, casting me anew. Under heat and pressure are the impurities of the heart and mind removed. In the hands of the master and into His design I entrust myself.

Blessed are those who are shaped by His hands, whose path lead beyond this life into eternity.

psalmic vi

My soul longs to walk in the cool of night and meet You in the peace of darkness

To look out upon the moonlight on the grass fields and hear the rush of water swept aside

 

There is peace in a song of silence, speaking unbound hymns of the heart

A melody cast out into the shadows, formed of feelings remit to Thee

 

Meetings

Let me meet You in the faded nightlights of this concrete jungle.

Let me meet You in the cacophony of work and the busy life.

Let me meet You in the endless streams of cyberspace and the networked universe.

Let me meet You, deep in the longing of the eternal soul and dying flesh.

lifestrings

It is in the looking glass I have come to discover

That the face I bear may not be what truly reflects

For long I have marched to the song of another

So I wonder about such things with some distress

 

I know that I have been set loose from the bonds of doom

And freedom given to sail towards shores of true destiny

But nonetheless I find unable to set my own threads in the loom

For I do not think myself able to chart towards eternity

 

Here and there I catch the faint refrains of the true music

And perhaps for a few steps I cross what is my intended reality

But too quickly I come ensnared and doubt my course in panic

Unanchored, uprooted, I slip into disconnect and depravity

 

I would count this pattern as something utterly hopeless

Were it not for the glimpses of truth in the midst of a mind’s chaos

I have known and been graced with something boundless

From one who knows my smallest joys, my greatest loss

Sailing with the Spirit

I was set to coast upon the winds of fate,
To journey where the tides would carry

Upon such waves, what tales I could create
But the Spirit whispered, ‘Do not tarry’

dirty pen

You lead me into places of goodness

Places I have longed to be in

You set me upon the seats of service

And opportunity You open up for me

 

I take my hand up to do Your task

Yet I falter as I question myself

I am all too well aware of my imperfection

Hesitating from the knowledge of my past

 

How dare I stand here upon this ground?

Surely there are others worthier than I

How can I bring glory to your name?

The dirt and grime of my life cling to me

 

You tell me, ‘I know it all.’

And You bid me to look forward to Your grace

You bid me pick up the broken, dirty pen of my life

And say to me, ‘Now come and write My Story.’

pursuit of a woman

How is a woman of the Lord pursued?

Is she not treasured, like the rarest of gems?

Is she not full of life, like a well-tended garden?

 ~

For the rarest of treasures does man strive,

He works upon the hard rock to search in caverns deep

Seeking the glimmer amidst the darkness, he strains

And in its discovery, takes most care to shine and shape

~

For the life giving and wondrous garden does man toil,

He sows the seeds and prunes, waiting for fruit and flower to grow

The gentle fragrance and beauty of such a place, he gently handles

And in its bloom and season, enjoys the blessed splendor

~

But is not a righteous woman greater than any of these?

For her pure soul is better than even the most precious diamond

And her life’s fruit is more sweet than even the greatest garden

~

How is a woman of the Lord pursued?

Is she not subtle and colorful, like the finest of tapestries?

Is she not majestic, like the greatest of palaces?

~

For the finest of cloth does man weave,

He takes thread upon thread, patiently working the loom

A masterpiece is made from warp and weft, he reaches out

And in its final form, brings awe and delight

 ~

For the greatest of wonders does man build,

He takes stone and brick, laying the vast foundation

Raising it from the ground, he makes plans most intricate

And with its completion, tells a story that echoes down the centuries

~

 But is not a righteous woman greater than any of these?

For her inner beauty does not fade, its color touches a thousand lives

And her majesty gives comfort and succor to a multitude

~

Behold o man! For the most precious of gifts, an incomparable life is given

Like none other on this earth are those we call our sisters in the faith

Indeed, a righteous and loving woman, who is full of grace and love

From the King of Kings is the most precious to be pursued

merely man

In the light of a good day, one might think one’s self strong

I might say to myself, ‘Surely I stand in the Lord, I will not be moved!’

Such fire in the heart may fade, and our thoughts may quickly change

But I am merely man, and the things we see may draw us aside

I turn and behold, my eyes are caught by the glimpse of beauty

Am I so easily snared by the turn of one’s lips? The sparkle and curve of a woman’s eyes?

Such things are but the least of what one might find desireable in a lady

And I am merely a man, how can I stand without You?

My thoughts are caught by the longing for that You have made

But do I not know better? Has not your wisdom instructed me?

And yet so swiftly do I find myself assaulted by thoughts

I am merely man, but in Your Word am I defended

Patience and honor, Lord, the things noble and pure

May I see as You desire, may my thoughts be alike as unto Yours

Like a city with great walls and towers, might I be

For I am merely man, and You are my living God

psalmic (v)

forgive me, that I ebb and flow like the tides

so is my obedience to you

drawing close then turning aside

 

long have I sown in the flesh

these seeds of the self

that would seem to strangle Your fruit

 

but my hope lies in You

He who has promised to work in me

to anchor me in your grace

 

by the light of your wisdom I see

knowing the dross is burnt away

moment by moment I surrender

 

though my heart may worry

Your Word never changes

in its promise I can trust