This morning some things spilled out of my pen as I was taking some time for myself. Something I had not done in quite some time. This prayer/poem is about what we base our faith on; and how we decide whether to trust a God who makes no guarantees.
Dear God,
So much to live for, so much to die for.
So much inspiration, so much we never see
So many wonders of beauty and light,
so many corners of darkness and night
So many hopeful moments of joy
so many mournful cries of despair.
Your Goodness hangs not on the tally of these
The decision whether You are
Good, True and Beautiful
is not an equation of
all the good minus all the bad
Nor is Your faithfulness
dependent on how our lives play out.
If it were, You would forever be on trial,
with every hurt and every loss
We would resort to doubt and accuse You.
No, the decision to trust you
derives not from any ledger or balance sheet
It derives from the story You gave us.
From the Life You lived here on earth
Your faithfulness shows in Your choice
To leave the place where there is no night
To join us in our darkness.
You have been called by many names,
Names of peace, of might,
Names that give glory, and sight
Names that make promises,
Names that mean more than we can ever say
But I choose to trust You
Because of only two of these:
God brings salvation – Jesus – and
God is with us – Immanuel.
Your promise was never one of
a life without pain or suffering
But one of a life shared, with You
And one of a world redeemed.
You don’t stop or take away our darkness
You enter into it, with us.
You are with us in everything
In all that we say, feel and do.
And in all that we hide,
All that we break and all that we cannot say.
You are with us in all things,
Closer than our very breath
You are with us,
Seeing farther ahead than any of us can
Seeing nothing but Love
Love is patient and kind;
love does not envy or boast;
it is not arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way;
it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing,
but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
Inspiration gathered from
- Prayer in the Night – Tish Harrison Warren
- The Making of Biblical Womanhood – Beth Allison Bar
- Dead Boys Poem – Nightwish
- Shudder before the Beautiful – Nightwish
- 1 Corinthians 13
- Many other lovely people with inspiring conversations and stories.
Faithful Sojourner 