Pondering

That lucid moment that parted all the pain behind from all the pain ahead— like God parting the sea and coming through to meet her— shined— brighter than the star, brighter than the angel hosts, brighter than the gleam in shepherds’ eyes. This was no stable— but a palace. These were no shepherds— but princes. […]

I Believe

I believe Christmas matters because the whelming weight of sundown cold as dark presses in on us and reminds our souls why we need the light – I believe Christmas matters because pagans huddled up in huts dead as dark pressured by the prince of deep malevolence need to see the Life – I believe […]

Stronghold

The Lord is my rock; the quake cannot shake Him. The Lord is my tower; the hail cannot break Him. The Lord is my anchor; the seas cannot push Him. The Lord is my sky; the earth cannot squish Him. The Lord is my song; thunder can’t drown Him. The Lord is my flight; lightning […]

It is the Lord

Another night stretched long trying, trying, trying– until finally morning drifted in– cool and bleak– as empty as their nets in the water. … Another command to cast again to fatigue, hunger, failure– words that echoed fantasy– trite and senseless– to experienced fishermen. … But, once more, they let their nets down down down […]

Nails

Smash blows. Snaps of breaking waves. Sharp. Short. Blood sport: BLEED . . . See this! Willing hands? Stretched out– NO demands? Gives death. Claims life for these men ? – – – Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Gethsemanean Dirt

Whatever it had once been, it was now merely dirt— one small sampling of decayed life, groaning after glory— and not the marble men require for the tread of kings. It lay where it fell, gave its last strength to the olive, took the weight and kicks of common feet. And when the Lord came— […]

It Could Have Been Sold

Ruined alabaster and a year’s worth of labor dripping off Jesus‘ feet— wasted— and all while people starve to death! So the loveless look on love and see but fault. But Love knows love— hears the echos of Himself in shattering stone, feels His own heartbeat in oil running down: it is a gift, and […]

If a Grain of Wheat Dies…

This time short time ago these limp wheat fields were lying in cold wind showers and dearth. Where they died silking in with other grains leaving dirt. That grew tall grass, and fed from past the grains around. Not one, not twelve, but unnumbered—fruits of life whirled by angry winds to earth to feed a […]

A Great While

While all the world’s asleep and darkness cloaks in decency Jacob’s calculated sins, and all the jibbering noisiness of Pharisees and unbelief lay still…as calculated death He sits, in mumbled breath catching at the faintest day the sliver-life before the strife and with “Amen” He rises.

To the Shepherds

To the shepherds whose hearts bore some small, fragmented reflection of His own, He came— the good Shepherd, small and swaddled, given in a place where they would be welcome.