the way of integrity

The news is not good tonight….
our nation is in trouble, they say.

Because
we  [I]
have elected
those without integrity
to
lead and represent
us  [me].

Upon examination
of the state of affairs
in the nation of ME
I wonder if
the representation is more accurate
than I realize.

And I sense the need to
ferret out ALL the

morally deviant
unwashed
evasive
slanderous
misleading
manipulative
deceptive

thoughts . actions . speech
that govern the affairs of my living.

And I hear an invitation
to move away from the border
of the land of Me-dom
to relocate
further into the
heart of the Kingdom of Love

Where the government always rests on His shoulders
and there is no taxation without True Representation.

 

heat of the battle

Somehow, yesterday,
in the heat of the battle,
I turned away.

Scorning the tried
and tRUSTY weapons*
you instructed me to use,

I chose my own,

cheap, black-market imitations
acquired from a vanity fair
store front window,

brought home and hidden
in the closet of my heart,

where the GREATEST battle lies.


*HIS WEAPONS

I Peter 2

 He did not sin or deceive [manipulate]   {v. 22}

He did not retaliate when insulted   {v. 23}

He left his case in the hands of God to judge fairly   {v. 23}

God called you to do good, even if it means suffering.    {v. 21}

I Peter 3

Do what is right without fear of what your husband might do  {v. 6}

Trust God and accept the authority of your husband   {v. 5}

Accept the authority of your husband   {v.1}

 

fellowship of following

March 11, 2012

I do well at following you, Lord—
at a distance.

But, when my intent to follow leads
me into the throes of deep suffering,
I am ashamed to say that, more than not,
I prefer to lag behind
in the outer court
to warm myself in the glow of
safe,
acceptable,
guarded
places.

And, listening to the guards,
I find a million reasons why
a loving God, such as You, would never
want me to have to bear the pain and shame of
identification with You.

Forgive me, Lord…..
for believing the lie…
and denying you…

for, more than anything,
I want to KNOW You….

by learning to follow You

all the way 

into the fellowship…

of Your suffering.