God

God Hears Israel’s Groaning

~ misslatin ~ Leave a comment

I am afraid most of the time.
Most days.
All the days, really.
Israel has never been more relatable.

Distrusting, falling into fear
Every other minute,
Because imminent danger always seems stronger
Than past salvation.

I cling to this hope:
“During those many days
The people of Israel groaned
And cried for help.
Their cry for rescue
Came up to God.
And God heard their groaning.
And God remembered his covenant.
And God saw the people of Israel.
And God knew.”

Weakest of nations,
The least of these is Israel.

And yet
When they felt alone, abandoned,
God knew.
He knew and he never really left.
He knew and he stretched out his hand,
And through every obstacle,
Despite all their fears,
He made a way.

*Exodus 2:23-25

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Path of Most Resistance

~ misslatin ~ Leave a comment

Annoyingly
You are more inclined to change my heart
Than my circumstances.

You could move a mountain with ease,
Yet are content
To take on the tangles
Of my attitudes and
The dirty corners of my soul.

Of course you choose this way,
Assuring my dependence on you.
You keep the trials in place,
Removing all my illusions of control
Or ability;
Allowing me to know,
Fully and deeply,
That I do not operate well without
You.

Prayer Continuing

~ misslatin ~ Leave a comment

Realizing this will be my prayer all my mortal days:
Satisfy me in you.
Forever asking
Because my foolish heart is forever distracted
By the glimmering dreams of this world.

Perhaps their glow and temptation will lessen, someday.
This is the hope which underlies my prayers,
That each morning will find my heart
More drawn to you,
If only by the smallest fraction.

Is this hope enough for you to work with?
I only desire you insofar as my mind
Tells me it is my best option,
This state where you are the context and comfort
In all my joy and all my sorrow.

Yet my heart is vain
And deceitful above all things–
Refusing to know truth,
Believing it can find anchor in creation,
Trusting only in itself and no other.

So here, my prayer and my confession eternal:
I do not love you as I ought.
I am easily led astray by empty promises,
By shadows and shallow pleasures.
Lord, satisfy my heart and mind in you alone.