Meditative Poems

Child of Faith's Father


"God sends rams
to all Abrahams,
or at least
to my Isaac and me,"
So I laugh, giddily
at God's feast.


Genesis 22
Romans 4:16


April 9, 2012





Why do you deny me good, O God?

For a friend

I have earnestly sought your face

                  through all of my yearning,

And all my desires are open before you.

Why is my longing unsatisfied?

I said to myself, “I will not pursue this gift as other men,

      Lusting after all they see,

      Heedless of your will,

                  and of its cost to me”—

How long will my petitions rise in vain?

I have prayed day and night,

      Tolerating no evil thought,

      Seeking Your will in everything,

      Prepared for selfless love,

And because of my desire,

                  observing the fruit of your Spirit within me.

Why do You ignore my prayers,

                  my prayers and my sincerity of heart?

I said, “Surely my purpose is to glorify God,

      Surely my praises would only increase

                  if God would answer my request.

I am weary and downtrodden

For  my flesh and my enemies

      afford me no rest,

And every day,

      I struggle for my life!

Yet I bring no case against God

                  on account of these things,

For I know that it is for man

                  to accept the lot God has given.

But could not the Lord Almighty,

                  full of compassion,

grant me this one request?

Why do you deny me good, O my God?

I said, “I will give in to God, although He denies me,

For He created me,

    Sustains me,

    And is altogether righteous.

Although I did not understand,

I trusted and prayed for His peace.

Yet my enemy attacked me,

    Even in the house of prayer,

My heart was torn again,

And found no peace,

    Even in the house of God.

How long, O Lord?

How long until You send me Peace

    transcending understanding,

And the Joy

    that You have promised Your worshippers?

Yet I will praise God!

For His steadfast love endures forever,

    And his righteous plans are beyond compare!

Even though He leads me into the valley of death,

Still I will praise my God,

For He rescued my life

    from early death,

My body,

    from early decay,

And my soul          

    from the pit – forever!

Surely God is my Desire,

    My Lover and my Friend.

Surely God will provide for me,

    And lead me in His ways.

Halleluiah to the God loves me

more than a thousand men!

Spring 2010

Blood Like Bleach

I met God today

in the shower.

No.

I drank his blood today,

blood like bleach

falling hot

over my wet-hanging hair,

naked body,

Stood beneath to

catch a heady draft

that turns my guts to snow,

polishes my bones,

and thrums out.

Spring 2010






Like Dew


Run in the morning before it's light,
And pray past every door.


Like a spirit of the morning,
Like a sprite dropping dew,


The passing unnoticed,
But fanning the flame
Under every roof.


Not knowing the names,
But to pray where we've trod,
The passing will whisper each
Closer to God.


Fall 2007

Reach

Walk among the trees of spring,

And ponder their budding hope.

And like them, stand, reaching palms spread

For the sun to touch.

Walk among the trees of summer,

And ponder their wide-leafed joy.

And like them, stand, reaching palms spread

For the sun to touch.

Walk among the trees of autumn,

As they see the cold winter before them,

And the sun seems far,

And ponder their fallen glory.

But do not let fall your own leaves.

Reach, though you don't feel the sun.

And in the autumn of your heart,

As you see the cold winter before you,

Still stand before the throne of heaven,

Reaching heart spread

For the son to touch.

Fall 2007