8.07.2011

When talking around God’s table









 







When talking around God’s table
Let’s not act like Cain and Abel.
Your argument should not be a big drama
and please don’t end it with, “Yo mama!”


When discussing around God’s table,
Let your heart and soul be graceful.
In order to be God’s spokesman
Your mind must be faithful and open.

When responding to someone at God’s table
Let not your words be wasteful.
There is a time for your statement.
So be patient, be patient, be patient.


When listening at God’s table
Let your attitude be charitable.
Everyone hasn’t traveled the same road as you,
Listen to the route taken by the girl with the tattoo.


When sitting around God’s table
Understand everyone’s position if you’re able.
Don’t be on Facebook with your iPhone
When someone is making their thoughts known.


When talking around God’s table
Let not your speech be hateful.
And the point you’re trying to sell
Doesn’t improve when you yell.


When debating around God’s table
Do not use stories from your crazy uncle.
If you want the question to have closure
Unite the facts with Scripture.


Have a leader at God’s table.
Someone who can discern fact from fable.
Someone who will let everyone be heard.
Someone who believes:
God first, everyone else second, and he or she third.


At end of the session at God’s table
Does our business return to usual?
Maybe God’s purpose in the end
Was for you to make a new friend.

7.31.2011

A place Mapquest can't find

(1 Kings 19)

God saw Elijah‘s little world falling apart,
and asked
“What are you doing here?"
And
God in His mercy
fed and sheltered Elijah
and
waited as a breeze
waited as a tremor
waited as an inferno
then
repeated His question
in a small voice

“What are you doing here?”



And today
God in His infinite mercy
feeds and shelters His children
who are worrying about
their little worlds falling apart.

And He waits
sometimes as a brook
sometimes as a cloud
sometimes as a flood
and
repeats His question
in a small voice
“What are you doing here?”

7.23.2011

How do you sleep while your bed is burning?


(Deuteronomy 28)


This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you
that I have set before you
life and death, blessings and curses. (Deut. 30:19)





God gave his answer
to his people:
Follow me and be peaceful.
(14 verses of peace, love and understanding.)
or
Be ready to inflicted with My cancer.
(54 verses of pain, hate and misunderstanding.)


There will be blessings when you go in.
There will be blessings when you go out.
There will be blessings for your next of kin.
There will be blessings for all of the devout.


But woe to the one
who places anything ahead of Me or My Son.
This is not a theological abstraction.
This is the real fatal attraction.


You will build your dream house
However, the contractor will move in with your spouse.
Your children will leave the nation.
Your broken heart will lack medication.


You will turn to the gods of the moment.
However, none of them are potent
against My wrath.
Please child, do the math -
I AM the One.

You will borrow from your foes
It’s a matter of time before they foreclose.
In your world, they are the new boss,
They ain’t the same as the old Boss.


First comes drought,
Then follows famine without a doubt.
In a while, you and the old lady
fight to see who eats the baby.


For the rest of your lives
The goal is to survive.
The total strangers you beg from
give you the finger.
(And it ain’t the thumb.)
WELCOME TO THE EXILE!

7.17.2011

Only drowning men can see Him

(Matthew 14:22-33)
 
Peter asked:
“If it’s You,
can I do this too?”
“Come,” He said as the wind blew
And
Out of the boat came apostle from Judah
And ending up standing on aqua firma.


Peter so much wanted to be the ally
of his beloved Rabbi.
Anything the Teacher excelled
was something he wanted do as well.


But the Eleven screamed
“This must a dream!”
Peter heard them through the gales
and realized one little detail:
“I think I’m going to fail!”


Jesus pulled him out
and asked, “Why did you doubt?”
But the Rabbi also learned something that night,
Shortcuts never work out exactly right.