Invocation
Only begotton son of God
come and cleanse this wicked heart
so that you might be pleased to dwell within me.
Come not as the gentle Lamb of God
but as the fierce Lion of Judah;
who with great zeal and passion cleansed the temple.
With your whip of cords
drive out the impurity with me.
Purify and refine that which corrupts this temple.
Transform this corrupt den of thieves
into a pleasing house of prayer
so that I might finally worship in spirit and in truth.
The Knife of My Desire
Give me a creed that’s raw
Unleavened by balance
Unbuffered by civilities
Raw to the bone
A creed that outrages me
Stuns my sensibilities
Galls my good taste
Flays my moderation
A creed that’s ravenous
And implacable and scrapes
Me alive
Give me contusion
Give me a God
Who never apologizes
For anything
Ever
Who soils milky white
Orthodoxies with spit
And wild disregard
A God who has no ear
For my exceptions
Or soothing balms for
My rebellious brow
Or deals to cut
Give me a blade
To fall on
A sweet injury
that finishes me off
for good.
I like that a lot. I heard a lecture on Monday that was very similar. Our Jesus is often very meek and gentle. Yes, he is gentle and loving but is also fierce and ferocious. Yes he is love, but passionate love necessitates hate and anger. A hatred for injustice and false worship and a hatred for pretentious piety. We can have all the right doctrine and perfect our catechism but if it fails to convince us of our worthlessness before a holy God then we have nothing but white washed faith and our Jesus is an idol carved in a convenient non threatening image.
Sick stuff man. Dont u think god beats us up enuf? Howr u feelin these days?
Can I just say “AMEN”?
AC! I enjoyed this a lot. Did you write it? It reminds me of my Catholic upbringing. Are you going to be in Florida next week for the think tank? It should be exciting- GPS technology is changing fast isn’t it? I really need to visit this site more often and not just around this time of year either. See you next week AC.
@Anthro: I guess the best way to describe how I’m doing is to say that I am enduring. Even so, that is not what is important.
You probably remember that passage from your childhood as a Jehovah’s Witness. Don’t let that stop you from grappling with the verse. Its truth transcends your opinion. I’m praying for you my friend.
@Corey: thanks for stopping by. I’ve been reading your blogs since we the links posted on our class site. I love reading your insights and testimonies!
@Todd: I wrote that after hearing a very profound lecture a few weeks ago. My Jesus is often too gentle. I had forgotten just how passionate he can be about my holiness. I’ll see you next week. I hear Orlando is having how weather and thunderstorms!
Aaron I LOVE this! I have been studying John the gospel in a bible study I go to and we just went over the story of Jesus clensing the temple. Now Im still a new christian so chalk it up to inexperience but I never ever ever heard of this side of Jesus. Randy this isn’t about being beat up its about going through the pain that you have to experience to be clensed.
Serena, actually I saw on facebook that you have been going to BSF. That is great! I’m doing John this year as well. Jami has been in BSF on and off for over ten years and has been a children’s leader until just recently when my health started to deteriorate. I’m glad you’re in it. It is exactly where you need to be!