Cleansing
___
Scripture: Mark 7:1-23
The Lament: “Psalm 51” NIV
Take It Further: “The Good Little Church Girl” by Kim Cameron
the picture perfect model
daily, hourly, ticking off each good deed
a lifetime of acting the part, being the part
show up at nine,
yes sir, yes ma’am
play with the children
visit the elderly
give at every turn
sing in the choir
lead the worship
be the first to pray
stay late
memorize the verse
lead the team to first
excellence or nothing
yes to every ask
never look to the right or left
avoid all sin and where it haunts
multiply the deeds
keep busy
rebuke all things, all people that don’t measure up
any, every slippery slope avoid.
But then ideas clashed
look away, but what about the Good Samaritan
don’t speak, but what about the woman at the well
the rules, just love each other
tradition, this is my cup
teaching, read my word
preaching, discern
intentional, well meaning
and still totally lost
a lifetime of not understanding
while doing right
why are things still not right?
nothing to make sense of the gray
the parts of this world that don’t measure up
the parts of me that are unlovable unforgivable
a knowing without a relationship
a striving to be something, anything, for everyone, for anyone
but then there is nothing
but anger, betrayal, fear
there is longing, lostness
there is danger and there is defeat
finally giving up
But then he spoke
You are wonderfully and beautifully made
I formed you,
I have always loved you
no act can add to it or take it away
you do not need to hide any longer
you should not be something for someone else
you need to only love me,
You need to accept, believe,
to shine
But then wait, this can’t be it
a lifetime wasted if this is so
so much pain for nothing
Not wasted my daughter, this is what it took for you to find me
###
We’d love to hear from you. Please share with us below your thoughts and insight. We would love to see Take it Further be a place where as a community we dialog, and together we all take the conversation further.
*Note: If you wish, you can look up this and other Bible passages online at youversion.com
Copyright © 2020 Warehouse 242