You

Silent mystery past
Eon space You cast
Not location bound
In no place unfound

You are

You need not plan, design nor learn
No thought “occurs” to You
You cannot grow
You cannot risk in hope

You know

No sequence in Your view
No duration
No queue
When and Then eternal Now to You

“I AM”

No small detail escapes Your eyes
No grand scope too wand
You created shape and size
You are within beyond

You pervade

Time and space beneath You
My Measureless Mighty One
Majestic rule Your rightful due
Your choice such painful stun

You reign

From deep within expression flows
Your Mind and Heart and Will it shows
Vast breathed creation splendor
Vast inscribed Word wonder

You speak

No strength defined, no taxing You
No weary strain is found
Your purpose done without a sound
Seen only by so few

You work

You kindly govern earthen lands
Though we lightly grieve You
Hate Your sacred precious Name
Mar Your outstretched Hands

You care

What patience for rash fools
So deep to error prone!
Who mock with head and heart disdain
What they have never known!

You teach

What other Lover
would call and plead
long after purity is defiled
and deaf ears have turned away?

You love

Blind idol fawning chants
Cold self worship in our dark
We fashion a god like ourselves
Shielding Your warm radiance

You weep

You who find the stars impure!
Oh! What grief You must endure!
As we strut in Your presence
and sin!

You suffer

To save us You descend
Yet by us You are ravaged
Your high and holy Heart
made bitter sin full vial

You die

Blending Justice and Mercy
Holiness and Compassion
Purity and Toleration
You conquer Death

You live

With open loving arms You plead
Your table spread
Your own blood shed
No one comes

You select

Rebels drawn of will beyond
So few poor hearts do finally turn
To rest unfettered in Your arms
Elect to feast and love

You conceive

Great mystery of godliness!
Spirit wrestles flesh within
Slowly purging, renewing
Self dying to divine Life

You nourish

In what depthless cross design…
does vicious hateful enemy…
stride permitted through Your door…
to rape and maul Your loved one?

You yield

…. then ….

Shatt’ring fury unfurls
in breathless deaf’ning rage
ripping time and space
to shreds

You come

Quivering filthy defying fools
still hate You
curse You
fight You

You conquer

With blood soaked feet and hands
Your steaming hate at last unveiled
You stride and tread the dregs
of squirming hateful remnants

You crush

Earth and heaven flee Your Face
Yet both are caught and smashed
Mercy now extinct
Consuming terrors blast

You judge

Your fire-capsuled hate
Has Death’s eternal scream
Blackness bound
Forever at Your Feet

You triumph

One Lover throngs
Your Bridegroom songs
Our passion is strong
One we be long

You wed

Revelation 13:7

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Who Are You?

Hello. Pleased to meet you. Who are you?
I do not know.

What do you mean, you “do not know?”
I understood from your introduction and question that you would also like to know my name. I do not know it. Perhaps you really wanted to know who I am, yet asked my name instead. I am not my name. I am who I am by my identity, but I did not think this was the answer that you wanted. Please forgive me if I misjudged your question.

Nonsense! Tell me your name!

I do not know my name, but you may call me, “A.B. Leever.”

I may call you “A.B.,” but that is not your name? I do not understand.
“A.B.” is the name that I am called by now, but that is only temporary. My real name is hidden in God. He has named me, but He has not told me my name yet.

You confound me, Sir! I would simply like to know who you are, I do not wish to be convoluted with all this mumbo jumbo!
My apologies, friend. May I ask you your name?

Hey! Why do you expect that I know my name when you do not know yours?
Perhaps, as is the truth for the vast majority of human beings, the eternal God does not have a name for you. It is quite likely that your earthly name given you by your parents is the only name that you will ever know. Do you know that God has a new name for you?

Well, not for absolutely certain. What does it matter?
It is a subject for another time, perhaps. How would you like to be called?

You may call me, “D.W.”
A pleasure to meet you, D.W. And who are you?

I just told you, A.B. ! I am D.W.!
Well, you are called D.W., but that is not who you are. What is your identity? What makes you, you, D.W.? Is it merely the name given you by your parents? Is it the type of work that you do?  Is it the members of your family? Who are you?

Hmmm. I’ve never given this much thought I suppose. I work in the Church, mostly speaking, a bit of counseling, some administrative stuff. You know, typical minister type.
Yes, I know. So you are primarily identified by your work?

Well, my work could change … that is not really who I am. I am also married and have three children, and I suppose I would still be a husband and a father even if I left the ministry. I suppose I could define my identity in my wife and children.
Yes, I suppose you could. Is this the substance of who you are?

I am not sure. I guess, my wife could leave me and take the kids … she has threatened to a few times … Yet, for now anyway, I suppose these two things, my work and my family, describe what keeps me busy, mostly.
Are you then drawing your identity from what you do?

This does not seem right either, come to think of it. Who am I? I am D.W. Jr., son of D.W. Senior who was a lawyer, who was the son of K.L. a great chemist, and his father was S.T., a famous college president. I could go on if you like. I have an awesome bloodline!
So you are who you are because of your ancestry?

This still seems off. Some people are great regardless of their parents and background, and some are loosers even though they come from great families. Ancestry really doesn’t mean that much. Well, my congregation loves me and they’re always raving about my sermons. I am a great preacher and do a lot of good in the community. I am loved and respected all over town. I guess that makes me significant, doesn’t it? That makes me who I am!
Great people are not always recognized for who they are, and some men are perceived as great because they do not let anyone know who they really are.

Jesus Christ was hated by his own people, was mocked by His own brothers and sisters, was misunderstood by His closest friends, was betrayed by a trusted disciple, and died homeless and alone… being quite largely rejected by the culture and world in which He lived. Doesn’t sound like he would measure up under your idea of greatness, yet I would say He is the most significant Person that ever lived.

Good point. Hmmm. What really does give me significance? What makes me what I am?
I think that is a good question D.W. Who or what gives you identity, D.W.?

Well, God, I suppose.
True enough. And what identity has he given to you D.W.?

I am not sure. How am I different from the next guy, as far as God is concerned?
Must you be unique to have identity, D.W.?

Well, I suppose not. Who are you, A.B.?
I am, essentially, a loved child of the eternal God, who is in love with Him.

I figured you would say something trite like that!
Trite? How so?

It tells me nothing about you! I want to get to know you so I have asked who you are. I want to know something of your background, what you like, what you do not like, where you are headed, what you are about … You know?
I see. And my response, this is not what you are after? It does not tell you who I am?

No, it really doesn’t.
Well, it tells you what and who I love and why I am alive. I am alive both physically and spiritually to be in love with God, and to be actually loving Him in each moment of my existence. This is What and Who I love above all else, and What I will continue to love above all else. Loving Him and being loved by Him is the substance of what I am, it is what drives me inside, it is what motivates all that I think, do and say.

Loving Him does not give me significance, however. Nothing that I can be or do can create or add to my significance. There is only one self-significant Being and that is God. Only He can define and give significance. I have significance because He loves me. Nothing else makes me important or significant, not even my love for Him.

In the eyes of men this is not clear, for men esteem the straw as gold, and the dust as silver. A man thinks he is significant if other men admire him or love him, or if he has great wealth, and he thus takes the love of God as a thing of naught. Yet those things which are highly esteemed among men are abomination in the sight of God. To be admired and loved by sinful men, or to be wealthy, does not give one significance. Only the love of God can do this.

I do think that my statement to you, that I am a loved child of the eternal God and that I am in love with Him, I think that this is all that I can say to you about who I really am.

Well, then, “Loved child of the eternal God, who is in love with Him,” a pleasure to meet you!
Likewise, D.W.

So then, “Loved child of the eternal God, who is in love with Him,” what do you do for a living?
I pray.

Oh no! Not again!!

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Why Does It Matter?

Why do you care that we like you?
Why do you fawn so and dance?
Why are you fearful and blind to
The One Who would be your Romance?

Why do you care what we’re thinking?
We empty ones strutting around?
Sweet odors to cover our stinking
Sweet noises to fill us with sound

Can’t you plain see that we’re mortal?
Just cladden with meat, soul and bone?
Why your deaf ear at the portal?
For Him Who prepares you a home?

Is it you love earthly mire?
Does gold silver glitter appeal?
When all that’s inside you is higher,
Than shrew sots a droolin’ a deal?

Or are you afraid that we’ll smirk?
or secretly laugh in your face?
That we’ll all think you’re some kind of quirk?
Who doesn’t belong in the Race?

Is that why you blush at His name?
To keep in our graces and view?
Are you so afraid of our shame?
Of we the God-haters and crew?

Now you’re a child of the King!
Chosen by Him from our ranks
A son in the care of His working
Adopted in grace… give Him thanks!

What does it matter? you Saint!
Why should you care if we laugh?
Why should you cry in complaint?
When buffeted in His behalf?

So what if you’re never remembered
In our halls of fame here below?
So what if you’re called on to suffer,
So more of your God you will know?

So what if you’re called as a taker
To love Him with all of your heart?
Is that such a waste to your Maker?
What else could you want for your part?

Service for One who needs nothing?
That He has not called you to grind?
A head filled with knowledge for puffing?
When He has eternity’s mind?

God with His own unique purpose
That He has created you for
He’ll let you know when He’s ready
Don’t weary and toss at His door

God’s Life deep within you is pure
And nothing takes Him by surprise
All is determined and sure
So rest… He is perfect and wise.

Loving is quite a high calling
That very few know how to do
Life will be found in love touching
Rooted and grounded and true

So love Him with all of your being
With heart soul and will there be found
Love Him with all of your seeing
And we out of sight who surround

James 4:4

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Tradition

Tradition

Relentless test of time
Undaunted and sublime

Perdition

We’ve blanked so long in this rendition
We’ve clean forgotten why
We’ll claim it’s gotten by

Tradition

Continuing
Whether right or wrong
Just so as it’s long
Can lend you wing

Why think?
Our ancestors did
Their reasons long hid
Just drink!

Clamp questioning!

If wrong we are bound we don’t mind.
So long as to this we are blind.

Stamp championing!

Politician’s buttress
From deep within it chords with pride
And seems to fortress every side
Ma Religion’s mistress

A firm and strong foundation
Have they
Whose way
Trains historic inundation

Since we have claim before
God’s truth is in our store
Who could ask for more…

Stupidity

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Touching

Warm turn within
My spirit yearns in You
Flowing effortlessly
smoothly
Caressing without words
Your lovely unseen Face

No special sight in view
Just being near to You
In deep rich pure heart hold
Unthreatened love enfold

Distraction breaks the train of touch
Gray worldly stay compels
You wait
No farther than my heart

Then some designed and planted scene
Reminds me of your hand
I turn again in love with You
To share the thought You planned

Warmly gentle touching rich
Like nothing earthly sown
Makes lover passions pale and fade
Such intimacy known

Arm in arm, hand in hand
Never alone again
Though I grow careless tired or cold
You’ll always be near Friend

No bitter looks
No pressing words
No disappointed strife
Communion rich implanted Seed

You really are my Life

Colossians 3:4

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If Marriage Was God

We’d build a Wedding building
We’d talk of marriage bliss
We’d church a weekly thrilling
but never with a kiss

Songs and chants would noise the air
and sing our hearts would glee
What worship flows to think a pair
could live in harmony!

After church we’d waddle home
to dwellings far apart
She’s and He’s alone to roam
with wedding craft and art

Dreams of marrying some day…
how awesome it shall be!
The next life filled with marriage gay
for all eternity!

Marriage books would puddle forth
and Marriage converts made
But in our beds the cold wind North
and lovers would be spayed

Studied experts we would bring
to preach the fact well known
that Marriage is the greatest thing…
but scarce would be a home

For children … pretty dolls would do
the facts of life so plain
The gifts of life were for those few
whose ancient faith was slain

Scientists would say with proof
that marriage never was
and secretly we’d live in spoof
but argue just because

Our hearts would yawn in sweet disgust
at honey-mooners’ poise
And steal unchecked forbidden lust
in eunuchs and their joys

Romans 8:6-7

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Hollow

A hollow sun in hollow skies
lights hollow men of hollow eyes.

Hollow words from hollow hearts
strike hollow minds like hollow darts.

Hollow bills in hollow bands
bind hollow wills in hollow lands.

Hollow friends shake hollow hands for
hollow fun from hollow plans.

Hollow schools teach hollow ways
from hollow books to hollow trays.

Hollow souls find hollow peace
in hollow pews and hollow fleece.

Hollow love from hollow girls
leaves hollow boys in hollow swirls.

Hollow pain in hollow beds
leaves hollow scars in hollow heads.

A hollow Heaven and a hollow Hell…
bind hollow spirits in hollow spell.

O Holy God! You are not hollow!
You are solid and deep, and hard to follow

You break my bones and tear my mind
and rend my soul and leave me blind

Words can mean nothing, love is stone cold
All pleasure is empty, my truth cheaply sold

Pinned in a corner, I fight all alone
an Enemy stronger than I’ve ever known.

I scream when I must, the better the louder.
Down comes You Rock … to grind me to powder.

My hollow worm is crushed and fanned:
the hollow rot He cannot stand.

Faithful He is to His own intent,
and none of us ever knew what that meant.
How I wish sometimes He’d relent!

You? add to HIM ? or take away?
Oh hollow fool! Just die away!
Hollow is gone! Hollow is dead!!
My God is alove, and mine He said.

Hebrews 12:6,10

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Amazing

You love me
What could be more amazing
than this!

You … love … me!

I who drip with foulest sin
My darkened path I find so sweet
It pains my flesh to turn to You
To seek Your lovely face
To make love with You

Worldly care distracts with ease
and carnal flickers burn within my breast

While You find the stars impure
because they’ve shown their lights
upon my sin

While You turn with bitter hate from all of me
that e’er was laid upon your Son

and that is
ALL
I would call me …

Yet Your love for me would stretch my mind and heart beyond rebound

If You showed the full of it to me
I could never think or work again
for the longing I would have
to live only in this love of Yours

for me

And yet
even then
I fear
I would be moved
for only me

Your love makes me feel good

Somehow my love for You
for You
Yourself
is often sick and sad

I wrench with painful toil
to draw Your rich sweet words aflow within my mind

My heart
it breaks for want of human love
and will not turn to You with ease
I fear that others will disdain
and toss my comforts far from clenching hands
and so I walk to please them

You

I grieve you lightly,
because You are tender
gentle
patient with me.

Were it not for Your own dear Son
arising in my heart
I would be
a brute beast
made to be taken
and destroyed

Yet

You love me

It is amazing
Truly amazing

Perhaps…

Perhaps…

Perhaps this is yet more amazing…
perhaps the only equal
in awesome vastness

That I could be weak
in love
with You

For You
The altogether LOVELY

You

Who melts the hollow discord in my breast with Your sweet breath

You

Whose beauty makes the finest art a cursed thing

You

Whose wisdom and knowledge
wraps the mind with ecstasy
beyond the wildest dream

You

Whose song with rapture splits the fragile soul beyond repair

You

Who loves espous-ed spirits in eternal whirls of brilliant peace

Relentless happy chase of lovers in a wood
Of songs amid the sun

How You woo and draw this poor dim mortal
with heart-strung cords of fire light!

Ever loving … selfless …

waiting

waiting

waiting

waiting for me
to turn to You!
so You can bless
me with Your love

With one sweet touch You draw my disconnect and fragment from afar
to make me whole in You again

Ah …

if worldlings only knew
what I know

that sex is merely shadow

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Alone

Once upon a sacred time
before there was a she
A he walked through a sacred wood
a sovereign lord and free

The air was splendid, bright and clean
and dew bespangled rose
Sir Brooks caressed his passing feet
rich Fragrance kissed his nose

Man in deep communion sown
to share the Maker’s heart
In wordless oneness love was made
What rich communion start!

All creature names came forth precise
as if he’d always known
Each pair a kind of parenthood
Himself though, stood… alone

The Maker’s hand at work again…
the wonder of her hair!
She knelt beside him as he woke…
Adam was now… a pair!

He watched her breathe…
He watched her eyes…
He watched her rise!
Crafted without flaw…
They swooned… in splendored awe…

He drew up close… their eyes were locked…
he took her hands and blessed
He brushed his lips against her cheek
and gazed upon her breast

In luscious garden open light
they loved as lovers will
Two made one in warm shine sun
to peering angels’ thrill

They rose to play and dance and sing
to raise their virgin joy
The Maker’s eye was warm delight…
the dragon’s thoughts were coy

Why they parted… no one knows
but soon she lulled alone
The wily fiend made double time
to gouge her from the throne

Toward the awesome tree she felt
and trembled close to look…
The wonder serpent slurping now
what it should not have took

Entranced, she strained to watch it die
but die it did not do
Just sweetly slithered from the tree
“My girl, this one’s for you!”

Her lover gone and heart a-whirl
she raised it to her face
and pressed into her shaking lips
to marr the holy race

No longer one in holiness
he felt his lover fall!
and sprang in chase to her beside
to long upon the sprawl

He froze to stare on Death Day eyes,
and wept her darkened sway
What passion thrashed within his soul
to pond her slink his way!

She reached his side and pressed in close
’til chest to chest they stood.
Though two hearts beat their flesh to flesh…
no longer love they could

Fruit still dripping in her play
was squished into his hands.
Life or Death to choose this day
To eat… or stay her bands…

He should have run!
He should have tried!
He only groaned
and GROANED inside!

What love they could have shared!
Two lovers entwined within three LOVERS!
Loving intensely…Loving completely… Loving eternally…

Why had she eaten???
Oh damned lies!!!
Loveless confound Paradise!

Adam was, aloss!

Alone!

He raised it to his heart
and fell
to be with her
in Hell

1 Timothy 2:14

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Adrift

Blankly adrift on the quiet glass
As far as the eye can see
The water is smooth in a silent calm
There’s only You and me

The moon shines bright on the crystal deep
No purpose at the bow
I sit in my boat and drift about
There’s nothing to do here now

Nothing to fight, nothing to win
Nothing to lose or gain
Sifted to death, a silent heart
I can’t even feel the pain

When shall I touch and feel again?
When shall I cut and bleed?
When nothing but You is left inside …
When You are all I need.

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