Prayer / Poem of the Week # 9
Come back each Monday night for a free prayer or poem from one of the books we have published.
Pentecost
Waiting
wondering – how long Lord?
their hearts yearning
for the sound of his voice
the touch of his hand
the sight of his face
and those eyes,
searching, compelling, loving –
above all loving.
It had seemed that love was dead
life empty, pointless,
worse for them who had lived
with the Lord of Life
living now with stifling grief
hardly to be borne.
Then, of a sudden – GLORY!
their Lord alive
breathing
moving
loving
unutterable joy
bursting in Easter light –
glorious excitement
of never knowing when
but knowing that he would come –
a warmth, a light, a joy, and a peace
and Jesus in their midst.
Then, finally,
their tear-filled eyes straining
for one last glimpse in the sky –
and he was gone.
Again Lord
the agony again?
from heights of happiness
to be bereft, empty, lonely again?
“But you shall have power,”
he had promised.
When Lord? When?
So they gathered
to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost –
and suddenly –
rushing
swirling
buffeting
the mighty wind of God’s breath,
leaping tongues of living flame
darting
flickering
alighting
empowering each, loosening tongues
hearts aflame
souls outpoured in love and praise,
the gathered world could hear
and comprehend
the mighty words of God –
a Presence, a Power, overflowing
the Holy Spirit of God.
And I Lord,
weak, fearful, doubting
even I Lord
would be filled –
but to be full of you
is to be empty of me?
So be it.
I wait, with outstretched hands
in awed certainty
as the promised power floods in
filling
warming
irradiating
equipping me
to be the face of Jesus
the hands of Jesus
the voice of Jesus
the love of Jesus –
for a hungry world.