Welcome to “Poetry for the Summer.” Today’s blog is from my book “a slow and sudden God: 40 years of wonder.”
a call to prayer
He calls us here.
He meets us here.
do we hear the calling?
do we notice the Presence?
if we come at all,
let us come expecting
and desperate,
full of passion and anticipation;
convicted of our sin,
convinced of our Savior,
seeking for conversion,
searching for Christ.
humble, but hoping.
afraid, but aggressive.
reverent, but relentless.
name the ones we love.
label the pain we hate.
mention the darkness we despise.
discard the chains that choke us.
admit how hard this is,
but learn that it can be done.
He is here and we draw near.
we bow our heads.
we bend our knees.
we wait for a Power that rides
the breeze that blows
into a room where
questioning seekers become courageous saints.
still human, but more whole.
still frail, but closer to fine.
still stumbling, but then standing:
standing up, standing still, standing for Him, standing forever.
Father, watch over me, us, them.
Doctor, ease this relentless pain.
Savior, rescue me.
take this life, these friends, this land;
caress us all inside Your hand.
hold us in Your palm of knowing,
keep us praying, keep us growing.
keep us, we pray.
