Presence

I need only be in his presence.  All else will let me down, all else is but a shadow and reflection of his reality.  He can be found everywhere, but is bound by nothing.  In my darkest night, in the gleamest hurt, his reality shines.  I must let go, I must recede control to him.  I need to trust his gentle call, to trust the true life in the midst of sulfur.

I see the presence, I move toward it, I hesitate, I fear, I notice the presence is moving towards me.  Maybe this whole time, maybe as I've been seeking it, maybe it's been seeking me more, harder.  Sometimes days are harder than others, some days reign like burning fire, but there is a stillness, a quietness, a solitude in the midst of storm.

This, be my home.  Let me grow in my capacity for rest, for true peace, for eternal joy.  I must let all else go, I cannot make suffering my god, I must give myself to the great Lover, the Lover of my soul, the Lover of all that is in all, through all, to all.

Once I ran, but now I must rest.  I used to desire fire, rain, decrepit shackles, now I must turn to peace.

I had a dream.  In this dream all was bright, all was good, all was love, all was one.  I will forever be changed by this dream.  Though it must be accepted by faith, nothing else will live up to this dream.  I'm drawn by it, called by it, taken by it.  Where the darkest night is replaced by the brightest light.  Where you and I are both here, and them and they all get along, and forever we lay our fighting down and join hands to sing a song, a song of love.  In this dream, the light seeks all, finds all, is in all, through all.  Nothing else seems as important.  Nothing else as deep.  Nothing as beautiful.  The dream encompasses all, is shining and is a dream not only dreamed by us, but to us, and through us.

We are farmers, we are miners, we are lawyers, we are homeless, we are wealthy, we are African, we are Korean, we are sinners, we are good, we are layman and preachers, women and men, forever a song being sung that no one can take away, written forever in the pages of eternity, we are art, we are beauty, we are God's creation, and we are forever stamped as good.

Let me grow in my faith, that is more precious than gold, though refined by fire, let me grow in compassion, in loving, in building bridges, in beauty and grace.  Let me grow to reflect the light more and more, I give myself to your hands Lord God.