Failure

We do not like to fail

and yet we do.

All of us to a degree,
some more honest about it
than others.

Some find the failure
attracts their continued attention,

others dig deep burial pits
to hide their failures in.

It is a common past time for mankind.

We fail often
and sometimes seem stubborn
to learn from the simplest of lessons,
returning anew
to the place of our failure,
with a winsome wish
that this time it will be different.

Of course it is not
and failure becomes our friend,
the only one
we can truly rely on
to turn up,
as we try to forge forward.

Failure seems to choose us
as if we had won
some sick life lottery,
that is stacked against to us to ever succeed.

A history of failure
becomes a future of failure,

as night follows day,
although the days are very short
and the nights unreasonably long.

Does this pitiful pattern have to persist
or can we somehow be free?

There is One who is faithful to
forgive me of all my failures
and show me a different way.

If only I can agree to receive
this forgiveness,

extend it to others,

and learn to forgive

myself

when I fail.

Choose

I need to choose

but I'm scared.

I want to trust

but I don't.

I've been hurt,
and I don't want to be
in that painful place again.

I want to choose,
to fully give in to your love,
but what if you don't love me
as much as I hope you do.

I have decided to choose.

I've been wrestling too long,
and I'm tired
and lonely
behind my barricade
of reasons,
that do not
seem reasonable any more.

You chose to give your life for me at the Cross.

Lord, I choose to give my life to you.

Wonder

I wonder

at your Creation.

It's beauty. It's groaning.

I wonder at your love for me.

It is so complete,
not limited by my understanding,
or my ability to receive it yet.

I wonder why I struggle
to believe the absolute truth
of miraculous death defeating,
life giving resurrection power.

I wonder why I care so much
for that which does not last.

I could continually invest
in the eternal.

I am full of wonder at your death,
that you Creator God
would willingly die
at the hands of your Creation.

I wonder at

Forgiveness,

Grace,

Salvation,

Redemption,

and other words with meanings
so rich and deep
I must not hurry past them,

but ponder,

and allow myself

to be filled with wonder.

Art of Exploration

Afternoon light on restless water,

shadows cast by small children

investigating this expanse of shell, seaweed and sand.

A young boy diligently carries a spadeful of sand across the beach

depositing it for his own good reason some distance away.

He is of course dreaming of building and conquest,

and rightly so for this is his inheritance

in the wider scheme of things,

and his actions privately comprehended

will move towards more tangible outcomes in later life.

He shows determination to explore,

to cross river boundaries and climb mountains

in his imagination

as he navigates this new found beach.

As adults we often lose the art of exploration

as we settle for our narrow familiar worlds,

and wander not beyond the commonplace

of our own seemingly stable lives.

Running out of Time

Death 

is not the end of life,

but

the beginning of something new.

So let it be that wonderful invitation,

the wedding feast of Bride and Bridegroom,

and rejoicing in eternal life.

Don't let it be

left

to our last moment,

to turn to Jesus.

His saving grace

is there for us now.

His love reaches out.

His pierced hands declare

our debt has been paid.

Release others and be released,

from every burden and weary weight,

that would compress the life out of us.

Be set free in Jesus' name,

and live forever with God.

Heaven calls us home,

with accompanying angelic celebration.

But if we haven't replied to the invite yet,

we are running out of time.