The business of grace

He goes to the file cabinet,
pulls out the oft used form
and fills in
today’s date and your name
and asks you to sign it.

You read it
and it dawns on you
it’s the same contract
every time.

Not a renewal,
nor a modification of terms,
or anything odd.
It reads:
You Shall be My People, and I Will be Your God.

So you sign it
and
push the paper across the desk.
He hands it to the Witness
who seals it in His blood
and tells you,
“Go, and sin no more.”

Amen.

What Image Might We Find?

To whom, then, can we compare God?
What image might we find to resemble him? Isaiah 40:18 (NLT)

Outside
on a beautiful fall day,
children scream their lungs out,
the mature meditate on a park bench.
Lovers walk hand in hand,
new parents push the buggy.
Smell of food on the grill,
dogs obey their masters,
girls are texting and giggling.
And
theologians inside their rooms
wonder about
man’s potential to be godly.

Inside
on a dreary winter day,
children have cabin fever
the mature have lost their patience.
Lovers are in hand to hand combat,
new parents can’t take another Disney DVD.
Microwave popcorn burning,
dogs forget who’s the alpha male,
girls text and moan.
And
theologians go outside
and wonder about
man’s potential to be godly.

Amen.

God

Throughout the night, He wrestles Jacob,
As well as enters into Joseph’s dreams.

He comes in the storm in Job,
and a whisper with Elijah.

He is the architect for Noah and Solomon.
The building inspector at Babel
and houses built on sand.

He sets the prisoners free.
Embraces the wayward prodigal.
Accepts Judas’ kiss,
along with the strike to the other cheek.

He is the Light of the world
and the fire at Pentecost.

He arrives in a manger
in Bethlehem.
Departs as a sacrifice
at Calvary.
And will return as Host of the First Supper
in New Jerusalem.

He is what our parents warned us about:
“You can’t be everything to all people.”

Amen.