You Promised

Can you hear me groaning
As I pull against this heavy chain?
Do you remember me, Lord?
I’m the one you heard moaning
Down here on Berry Lane.
Did you forget about me, Lord?
Looks like you did.
I can’t say that I’m surprised.
You aren’t the first to break their word
To me.
But once I looked into your eyes
I expected something better – you know?
Really thought you might come back
To get me.

You promised me.
You promised me.
I knew this would happen.
I told you this would happen,
But you said, “No. You can
Trust me, I promise. I promise you.”
But where are you now?
I miss you.

Do you see me walking
Alone here on this desert plane?
Do you want to see me, Love?
Or were you really just fooling
Around when you said my name
Like you loved it.
I can’t say that I’m surprised.
You aren’t the first to hurt me, Love;
Break me.
But once I looked into your eyes
I expected something different – you know?
Really thought you might come back
To find me.

You promised me.
You promised me.
I knew this would happen.
I told you this would happen,
But you said, “No. You can
Trust me, I promise. I promise you.”
But where are you now?
I miss you.

You promised me.
You promised.

________________________________________________

And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

(Exodus 2:24-25 ESV)

For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.”

(Acts 28:20 ESV)

Your Birthday Blues

Maybe

I should make you dinner,

But you know I can’t cook.

Well I could make pasta

If we just had sauce – I’ll look

In the pantry, I guess.

Yes, well,

I could go to the store,

But, hey, it’s still snowing.

I could order pizza;

But Dominos take too long,

Don’t they?

I know

This might be a winner –

You’ll go crazy for a book.

Don’t even need to ask you

Because, well, there’s that look

You might give me.

Maybe

I could write you a story,

Oh right, just a poem,

But the way this is going

The rhythm will be all wrong.

You see?

Maybe

We should just run away – just go.

We could drive to Colorado again.

I don’t care if it is freezing rain,

Maybe it will turn back to snow

When we get to Amarillo.

Oh no,

Can’t get into this winter;

Been no rainbows in our brook.

No point in even casting –

We’re out of line, lures and hooks

And our tackle’s all a mess.

Sure, we’ll

Talk about getting more

Right after we get the loan,

But you know there is a chance

The bank won’t answer a phone

Call from us.

Maybe

We should run away – just go.

We could drive to Platoro again.

I don’t care if it is freezing rain.

Maybe it will turn back to snow

Once we hit Antonito.

Yes, well,

It’s your birthday once again

So I’m a little blue,

And if there was one thing

I could get you –

Something that’s not the same

I would carry you far away –

To a place that’s running out

Of your particular brand

of pain.

Maybe

We should run away – just go.

We could drive to Ruidoso again.

I don’t care if it is freezing rain.

Maybe it will turn back to snow

Once we reach New Mexico.

I think we could make it.

Don’t you?

_________________________________________________

Started before the birthday, finished a few days late, of course.

Stew of Great Value

Once there was a young servant in the Court

 of the great and mighty Capital,

Who, on his short lunch Break, found

 a rare Pearl in his stew worth Thousands,

So he went and sold all that he had

 and bought the Pot,

And when that first Day was over, he went

 and buried his Future in an

 Abandoned college Field.

But when he went back to the little Town

 to redeem his Hopes,

He didn't have any more Money

With which to buy into that Field so

 Nothing else came of it.

[Times are hard down here

 for the barely-working Man.]

There was a headline on CNN.com yesterday titled, “Officer finds rare pearl in stew worth thousands”

Onan

Onan,
You spilled your love
Upon the ground
Just to keep your brother
Down -
Another murder
In the land
Another family under
Ground.

You
Are a killer – slowly
Starving all the children
The Lord placed in your hands for
Their care;
Lying to their mother
About your good name.
Have you no shame?

Onan,
I am wondering,
Have you no shame?
I’ve got a feeling that
Someday you’re going to get
What’s coming to you.

Onan,
You know this can’t be right –
Holding back your kindness
From the woman you were given to love
For just a little while.
Don’t you know that this night
The widow has the keys to
The Kingdom of heaven in her spirit,
Her unsuspecting smile.

You
could lift their heads - so lowly;
Saving all his children.
You’d rather throw your life away
Than share,
Than give wealth to another’s,
Someone else’s, name.
Have you no shame?

Oh Man,
I am wondering,
Have you no shame?
I’ve got a feeling that
Someday you’re going to get
What’s coming to you.


____________________________

(Genesis 38, Matthew 1:1-17)


Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother's wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. And what he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death also.

(Genesis 38:8-10 ESV)
When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

(Genesis 38:27-30 ESV)

Perez means “the breach”.

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

(Matthew 1:1-17 ESV)

Always in My Way

There are so many roads-
Too many paths for me.
Even worse, I already know
There’s nobody to walk with
That’ll wait on me,
Listen to my story; just talk to me.

Fingers point, “Here’s the way.”
But I can’t follow it, I can’t find it;
Jesus is standing
In my way.
Standing,
Standing,
Standing
In my way.

There are things out here
That I can't bear to see -
People hurt; people live in fear.
It's more than I can deal with
Especially
When they are so dear to me.

“You should have hope”, they say.
But I can’t picture it, I can’t see it;
Jesus is always
In my way.
Always,
Always,
Always
In my way.

Necessary Arrows

Love, your arrows have sunk into me.
They are buried now so deep.
And there was sour poison on them
It’s wearing down this poor vessel,
Etching thin these hard clay walls,
And burning up my heart.

Is all that really necessary?
They say…they say it is.
Those arrows must find
Their purchase.

Love, I don’t want to fear your hand-
Never thought you’d touch this way.
Those sharp points at your fingertips -
Glistening red; caught my eye and All,
Sweetly tearing through my flesh
Just running through my hair.

Is all that really necessary?
Perhaps…perhaps it is.
Your affections are arrayed
Against me.

Love, I have never tried to run from you.
Why do you still hunt me in my sleep?
You seem so intent to go on then
Chasing me when you know I’ll fall,
Gathering all your kind lessons
To drive straight through my heart.

Is that really necessary?
It seems rough…rough sometimes.
It’s not for me to say I
Deserve it.

Love, will you let me take your hand someday?
Will you please hold me tight again – today?
I dream still that I can feel your lips
Brushing mine when there was no law
Between our souls. Happiness
Is having you right here –
Right here.

Is all this really necessary?
Yes, I think it is. I think it is.
It is necessary
For you to love me.

____________________________________________

Vicki’s Valentine

O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath!
For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has come down on me.
(Psalm 38:1-2 ESV)

For the arrows of the Almighty are in me;
my spirit drinks their poison;
the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
(Job 6:4)

Divided Tongues of Fire

On that one occasion, they were sitting all together,
God’s patriots, every now and then overdoing it
In lawful celebration of their godly good nature
And the blessings of their apostolic Jew vocations.
But terrified, they must have surely exclaimed
When the door blew open and a wild wind came inside,
Filled the room to running over,
And set them all on fire.

Flowing rivers of fire
Lit up their solemn faces;
Finally got their attention
Divided tongues of fire
Lifted up their silent voices;
Started charismatic conversations
Divided tongues of fire
Rested on each one there;
Burnt their faithless hearts alive.

On that one occasion, we were praying there together,
Proud zealots, every now and then really believing it,
In anticipation thereof - God’s good nature -
And his patience with our new apostatic nation
But terrified, we were most sorely ashamed
When the spirit broke through and made us look back inside,
Filled our minds and took us over
And set us, each, on fire.

Flowing rivers of fire
Lite up our solemn faces
Finally! Get our attention!
Divided tongues of fire
Lift up our silent voices;
Start some new conversations
Divided tongues of fire
Come rest on each of us here,
Burn our faithless hearts alive.

__________________________________________________

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

(Acts 2:1-4 ESV)