Prisoner of the Glass House

“Don’t throw stones” said the sage so well

“If in a house made of glass you dwell”

But a different tale I think he’d tell

If he’d been raised in my crystal hell.

WHERE…

I never felt a breath of wind

No rain, no snow, no sleet

Not even a pebble to stub my toe

No grass to stain my feet.

What secret sin could I commit

In this prison where every inch is lit

And the world can see every time I spit?

While an inch away my inquisitors sit

Peering into my prison of glass.

Prisoners all, through the walls we stare

Quick to judge and unable to share

With our hearts concealed and our actions bare

In our spotless palace of glass.

So our deeds eschew what our minds embrace

We dare not go where our feelings race

Shouting ‘TRUTH’, a path of lies we trace

And ‘holy’ we call the best poker face

In this twisted dungeon of glass.

Kept alone by walls we dare not break

Enslaved by chains that we will not shake

Entombing our hearts where the will not break

Immune to the love that we try to fake

Frozen fast in our cell blocks of glass.

In this sterile world, with its pristine curse

My charade grew better and my heart grew worse

Long prayers poured forth from a soul half dead,

My heart dreams crash round me, their wings made of lead.

But I helped build this prison myself.

Yet through our halls one man walked free

Blemished past laid bare for us all to see

Free to hug and to laugh, get annoyed, even cry

If this life was human, then zombie was I.

And TRAPPED in this prison of glass!

Of the touch of his God I heard him tell

And it tossed a rock through my crystal cell

A rock called hope touched my vacant shell

While around our heads, in shards it fell,

That hideous prison of glass!

So I told him my life’s tale in all its woe

Fear slave of the God I didn’t know

Choking back the emotion I couldn’t show

Dreaming of places I dared not go…

Yes, THIS was my prison of glass!

My ‘God’ was a bully who’d take me to task

His, a gentleman friend– whom I’d only need ask

And choking up sobs that for years I’d held bound

I begged ‘Him’ for whatever this friend of mine found.

And I felt rushing LIFE where before– only glass!

I sob, I laugh, I babble thanks

As walls collapse of rage and angst

My God– no more in black and white

In vivid colors, warmth and light.

My prison’s shattered– I have flown.

And if as we walk through this earthly veil

At an unseen wall you see me quail…

Rejoice when that relic I finally pass through.

To my newest found freedom raise your glass (or two).

For a ruin is all that remains today

Of my hideous prison of glass!

And if one day as I’ve left these shards

I meet one trapped in his house of cards

Then joy from my broken heart I’ll show

And a rock through his glass prison wall I’ll throw.

That the God who is LOVE

We can feel, we can know

I was once past feeling,

I know,

I Know!

Micah Kohler —7/21-8/09

You Never Let Go

"When clouds veil the sun, and disaster comes

Oh, my soul, oh, my soul

When waters rise, and hope takes flight

Oh, my soul, oh, my soul

Ever faithful, ever true

You, I know, You never let go

You never let go,

You never let go,

You never let go, You never let go,

You never let go

When clouds brought rain, and disaster came

Oh, my soul, oh, my soul

When waters rose, and hope had flown,

Oh, my soul, oh, my soul

Ever faithful, ever true

You I know, You never let go

You never let go

You never let go

You never let go, You never let go,

You never let go

Oh, my soul overflows

Oh, what Love, oh, what Love

Oh, my soul fills with Hope

Perfect Love that never lets go

In Joy and Pain, in sun and rain

You're the same, You never let go

In Joy and Pain, sun and rain

You're the same, You never let go

You never let go, You never let go."

- David Crowder

I Will Rise

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb"

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

- Chris Tomlin

The Kingdom of God

O world invisible, we view thee,
O world intangible, we touch thee,
O world unknowable, we know thee,
Inapprehensible, we clutch thee!

Does the fish soar to find the ocean,
The eagle plunge to find the air--
That we ask of the stars in motion
If they have rumour of thee there?

Not where the wheeling systems darken,
And our benumbed conceiving soars!--
The drift of pinions, would we hearken,
Beats at our own clay-shuttered doors.

The angels keep their ancient places;--
Turn but a stone, and start a wing!
'Tis ye, 'tis your estranged faces,
That miss the many-splendoured thing.

But (when so sad thou canst not sadder)
Cry;--and upon thy so sore loss
Shall shine the traffic of Jacob's ladder
Pitched betwixt Heaven and Charing Cross.

Yea, in the night, my Soul, my daughter,
Cry,--clinging Heaven by the hems;
And lo, Christ walking on the water
Not of Gennesareth, but Thames!

- Francis Thompson

God finds us where we are.

(Genesis 32:24-28; Matthew 14:25-29)

Carried to the Table

Wounded and forsaken
I was shattered by the fall
Broken and forgotten
Feeling lost and all alone
Summoned by the King
Into the Master’s courts
Lifted by the Savior
And cradled in His arms

I was carried to the table
Seated where I don’t belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His Love
And I don’t see my brokenness anymore
When I’m seated at the table of the Lord
I’m carried to the table
The table of the Lord
Fighting thoughts of fear
And wondering why He called my name
Am I good enough to share this cup
This world has left me lame
Even in my weakness
The Savior called my name
In His Holy presence
I’m healed and unashamed

I was carried to the table

Seated where I don't belong

Carried to the table

Swept away by His Love

And I don't see my brokenness anymore

When I am seated at the table of the Lord

I'm carried to the table

The table of the Lord.

 

You carried me, my God
You carried me!

Searcher of Spirits

Searcher of spirits,

Try Thou my reins and heart;

Cleanse Thou my inwards part -

Turn, overturn, and turn.

Wood, hay and stubble see

Now spread out before Thee;

Burn, burn.

Worker in gardens,

Dig around my hidden root,

Let branch, leaf, bud and fruit

Respond in quickening life.

Seek out the canker there -

Cut out and do not spare

Thy knife.

Savior of sinners,

Out of the depths I cry,

"Perfect me or I die -

Perfect me, O Patient One";

In Thy revealing light

I stand confessed - outright

Undone.

O to be Holy!

Thou wilt not say to me nay

Who movest me to pray;

"Enable to endure."

Spiritual cleansing Fire,

Fulfill my heart's desire;

Make pure.

- Amy Carmichael

Seek the LORD

"Seek the LORD while he may be found; Call upon him while he is near." Isaiah 55:6

My current Bible study in the book of Isaiah has now landed me in the 54th and 55th chapters of Isaiah. These chapters are full of beautiful words which paint soul-shattering promises of God's everlasting LOVE.

The question on my study of this verse asked: "How does one seek and call on the Lord?"

I didn't really like this question - perhaps it is too simple sounding, too direct. The first one-word answer that popped into my head was, "Prayer." But that is too easy. There must be more to the answer. I thought of the verses about salvation found in Romans 10:

"For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved...For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:10, 13

But I realized that these verses, do not answer the question. They only expound of the need of man to call upon God for salvation.

So how does one call upon God?

I thought that maybe the answer would be in the word. Maybe God made it clear what He meant in the word He used. So I looked up the Hebrew word used in this Isaiah passage for "Call."

And I was amazed.

In this world and age of technology and instant communication, the English word "call" does not carry much weight. The casual use of cellphones, laptops, Ipods and pagers doesn't leave much room to the imagination. But this Hebrew word fills in the gaps. The literal meaning is something in the sense of "accosting someone." To follow, pursue...frantically, loudly, desperately.

My mind went instantly to the story of the blind beggar found in Luke 18:35-43.

This beggar called upon Jesus from the dusty, dirty alley in which he sat - inhabiting every sense of the Hebrew word found in Isaiah 55:6.

He called out to Jesus while He was near and passing by...this beggar who was overcome with a debilitating condition. All of his life he had felt the warmth of sunshine, and never seen the brilliance of it's light. He had heard voices, angry and annoyed, but never seen the smile of a stranger. He was hopeless...helpless. Yet, here was One who could help him. One whose fame he had heard of.

And he had one chance.

Creating a din, this man did everything he could to get Jesus' attention. All around him, crowds of people tried to silence him - rebuking him for his annoyance and his disrespect. But not caring what others thought or felt or said, this man screamed and yelled and called for Jesus. He accosted him, knowing he may never find this Man again, if he did not get His attention now. For here was help and salvation and healing. He could not let it pass him by.

And Jesus stopped.

He did meet this man's need.

He brought healing and help and salvation.

And sunshine and a smile.

Because that's what He wants to do. He wants us to need Him desperately - to realize that we have a need that only He can meet - a disease only He can heal. And He knows when we realize that...nothing in hell or earth can stop us from seeking Him...calling to Him. To throw ourselves at His feet in rest and worship.

Even apart from salvation, He still wants to meet those needs. Those everyday battles that rip and gnaw and wound. That threaten with encroaching darkness and blindness. To shut out sunshine and joy. But He is here. To carry those sorrows He has already carried and our oppression for which He was already afflicted. He wants us to know what He means to carry a light, easy burden. To live the abundant life He suffered for.

And He is there. Passing by...

Accost Him.

"For a brief moments I deserted you, but with GREAT COMPASSION I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with EVERLASTING LOVE I will have COMPASSION ON YOU," says the LORD, your REDEEMER.

Isaiah 54:7-8

The Voice of Truth

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of POWER and of LOVE and of a SOUND MIND."
II Timothy 1:7

Pray for Japan

Is your heart breaking? A catastrophic earthquake has struck Japan.


Please, pray for the people of Japan...

The Gift

"Let them thank the LORD for His steadfast LOVE, for His wondrous works to the children of man!

For He SATISFIES the longing soul, and the longing soul He fills with GOOD THINGS."

Psalm 107:8-9

"For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the GIFT of God, which is in you through the laying on of hands, for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of POWER and LOVE and self-control."

II Timothy 1:6-7

"Every GOOD GIFT and every PERFECT GIFT is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

James 1:17

"More than that we REJOICE in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces PATIENCE, and PATIENCE produces character, and character produces HOPE, and HOPE does not put us to shame, because the LOVE of God has been poured into our hearts through the HOLY SPIRIT who has been GIVEN TO US."

Romans 5:3-5

"Truly, truly I say to you, you will weep and lament but the world will REJOICE. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into JOY. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour is come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will REJOICE, and no one will take your JOY from you. In that day, you will ask nothing of Me. Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in My Name, He will give it to you. Until now, you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your JOY may be full."

John 16:20-24