Worn by ever-reaching fears
Torn by ever-fruitless toils
Shoulders sagging from worrying
From wondering and wandering
Figure frail from all the burdens
Death tagged to my chest with pins
Of regret, I stood to ponder;
I looked back at all I’ve had to bear
I looked back – how far I’ve had to run
I looked back – all I’ve had to live with
Which once I never imagined
And all I’ve had to live without
Which once I took for granted:
I looked back at all I had, all I lost
And all I must face alone
On this path I chose by myself
Against my Father’s will: I wept!

Food For Thought: I watched a reality program where a woman was in court to divorce her husband. The problem? He was too good, too kind. She wanted nothing, they had no problem and that in itself became a problem. It felt so unreal that she wanted out. Of course the judge cut her to size and the audience had a good laugh at her foolishness. Yet, step back and look inwards: is that not our nature? We have lived so long in rot and condemnation and disappointments and abuse that when life flows without any of these ills we have grown used to, we feel uncomfortable: like something is missing. Hence, we miss something we shouldn’t. Have you not observed yourself growing weary when things are going so good for you? Rather than relax and enjoy a great season, some consciously or unconsciously grow tense, awaiting something that must go wrong – life can’t be so good we surmise. Things can’t go this smooth. Our reasoning being that we can’t afford to be utterly happy, there must be tragedy lurking somewhere and we want to be prepared to brace it whenever it lands. Consequently, we restrain joyfulness so that we don’t get so used to being happy and be taken unawares when pain strikes. We ration our joy, watch for disappointment, wait for another hit because that is the world we know. What poor choices! Wisdom teaches that life is in seasons; we need discernment to understand each season of  life and to thoroughly enjoy it.

Scripture: There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. Luke 13: 28.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I am prone to make choices, as opportunities come my way: help me to choose right that I might live well, amen.