Skip to main content

Embrace - a poem


In the time of dryness and drought
What could I give you Lord
What could I offer
I am already empty
My hands are all filthy and wounded
My sores are deep and have distorted me
My pockets are empty and torn
I come empty handed and ashamed.

I see people looking at me with eyes of contempt
Useless and wasteful, I am labelled
They close their eyes and nose upon the sight
As I walk to the Father dejected
As I tried my heavy steps ashamed
Nothing to give; nothing to offer
People on either side of the road
In their pompous dresses and richest gifts to the Father

Whereas I come with torn dresses and crushed spirit
With dirty rags and disgusting hands
Smelly feet and downcast eyes
Nothing have I; yet I kept walking
Despite pointing fingers and jeering eyes
Despite harsh and painful words
I dragged myself along
Not sure how I would face Him.

The Father runs to meet me
In His richest and finest garments
He embraced me; says He is glad I am here
Kisses me on my forehead and mine eyes
Says He is excited and proud of me
I lifted my wounded filthy hands
Empty; dejected; dry; ashamed
But He greets me with a smile

Not a contemptuous laughter
Not a sarcastic smile, as was filled in the rest of the hall
But a contentful one: says that's not what I want
But this; and He lifts me up with joy and mirth
And embraces again this sinful self
And in His embrace; I felt complete
What have I done, O Lord to love me, I asked
I didn't have anything to give.

It is not what you can offer dear
I have loved you not seeing what you will bring
I have loved you not seeing how many souls you will win
I have loved you not foreseeing you would love back
I have loved you as you are
I was walking with you, when your heart was heavy
I was carrying you when you couldn't trod
I was cleansing your wounds, when you were filthy

I was always there, when you felt alone and helpless
For I did not leave you alone
Because I am passionately in love with you
And I want to spend eternity with you
That is why, in your lostness and you helplessness
I came to save you; and that is why you are here now
I don't want anything or any gifts or any good work
That you can or cannot offer.

I want you
And then I found myself again in His embrace
Healed, cleansed, filled, made complete
Content - For eternity is mine; to be in this embrace 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thresh

Micah:4:12 That He is gathering them together To be beaten up and trampled Like sheaved of grain on a threshing floor.  The Lord gathers together to beat and trample. Oh! Isn't it mean? How can a loving God allow this?  He is supposed to be our fortress and our refuge. He is expected to protect. He should in fact gather to bless. Not to trample. Not to beat up.  Oh! I am bleeding. Doesn't He see it? My tears have gone waste?  The query that came to the bard's mind, as he was pondering whether God is good or cruel, a blessing God or a naive entity is this - What is blessing? How do you define blessing?  Very often the word blessing is linked to - all would go well.  Well that is true in one angle. But the problem is man is tuned to think only finitely. All would definitely go well - for sure. God speaks about eternity. Not about the riches we inherit. But about character. About transforming into the image of Christ. About abundant life.  And this threshing is the

The Holy Temple

Micah:1:5 Where is the center of idolatory on Judah?  In Jerusalem; it's capital.  The very place which was supposed to be kept sacred and holy, has now been defiled and become the very center of desecration. Fully polluted and corrupted. Why should He not be wrathful?  The heart of holiness; which was supposed to be the throne of the most High God with all His richness and glory has been befouled and debased.  The very heart dear bard - which is supposed to be the temple of the most Holy God, what all do you entertain? Confines the king to a corner in your quiet times and church and bible study. As if you give charity and satisfy Him and then you do whatever you want, the rest of the time.  You think you can fool around with His holiness? This is one chant that goes up in heaven for eternity - Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty. Oh! Don't nullify it with your fancies.  He is serious about His holiness. And that is why sin had to be tackled with. Not just brushed

Delight

Ps:147:11 The Lord's delight is in those who fear Him If you delight in Him, He will delight in you. Oh! Is it like tit for tat?  No dear bard! He has already delighted in you. He has loved you while you were still His enemies. You are mine He declares. You are His signet ring, He proclaims.  Not because you fear Him. Not because He foreknew you would fear Him. But because He loves. Hosea was asked to marry a harlot and he continued to love her despite her unfaithfulness. Just like He continues to delight in you oh! Bard despite your persistance and adamancy. Oh! What love. Where else can you find such love.  Image credit:  https://butternutbakeryblog.com/moist-chocolate-cake/

Keep your promise forever

Ps:146:6 He keeps every promise forever.  Everyone loves promises. It is even more beautiful when the promise is fulfilled.  God is a God of promises and He is faithful. What He promises He always fulfills. Not even one goes wayward.  There is no doubt about the general promises He makes in the Bible. One by one we see them fulfilled through the story of Israel and early church.  There are enough and more personal promises which are staring at you face on. He is faithful to fulfill all of them too forever. It is upto us to believe and live a peaceful life trusting in the One who called us. Rather than like a high tension wire, ready to snap.  Can we believe - He will take care. He is enough. He is sufficient. He is faithful. He never changes. He will not sleep nor will He slumber. He keeps His promises forever. Amen.  Image credit:  https://everydaypower.com/promise-quotes/

When you don't have anything else to do......

In the fish's belly Jonah was there for three days and three nights. In that dark place, he could only look to God. He could not run away, which he was so specialized in. He couldn't do anything else which he was an expert. He couldn't do anything he wanted to desperately do. All he could do was to sit in God's presence.  Sometimes God places you in circumstances where you can only pray. You can do nothing else. And at that time, please pray. Do not try to do anything else. Even if you do not feel like praying, that is the time when you are supposed to. Helpless as you are, you can open up to your Father. Words do not matter at that time. Even a drop of tear is enough. You might not be a prolific pray-er. But remember the Father is always listening.  Image credit:  https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/man-praying-on-knees

What are we supposed to do Lord?

Micah 6 V:3 What have I done to you?  What have I done to make you tired of me?  V:5 Don't you remember, my people?  When I the Lord did everything I could To teach you about my faithfulness.  V:6 What can we bring to the Lord?  What kind of offerings should we give Him?  V:8 This is what He requires of you.  To do what is right, to love mercy And to walk humbly with your God.  This is the only thing you're supposed to do Oh! bard. Only thing He requires of you. Not to accomplish great things for Him. Not to conquer nations for Him. If that is your calling, well yes, do it. But more important for Him is this. Very simple thing He expects of you.  To do what is right. According to His heart. According to His standards.  To love mercy. To deny all self righteousness and self centeredness, be filled with compassiin and consider others better than yourself.  To walk humbly with your God, denyinh your own self. To keep aside all your pride. To love each other more than y

RRRR

Obadiah 20-21 As Edom receives all punishments, Israel is blessed. Israel is chosen to come back from exile. From the ends of the earth, they are called back into God's bosom.  They -  Return Resettle Rescued Rule Not because they repented and came back to the Lord. Even before they repented, He paved the way back. The door was already kept open for coming back. The choice had to be made though for them to actually return, to resettle, to be rescued, to rule. They had to make that choice. Yet the road was already set to accept them back. There was no uncertainty whether God would allow.  The cross has already paved the way, the ship has already been set for return, for bringing them back. But I have to board the ship. If I don't, the loss is all mine. The ship with all its aboard passengers will sail to the  promised shore, for sure.  Jesus is calling- to return, to resettle, to be rescued and to rule. Will you accept?  Image credit:  https://www.wsj.com/articles/cr