hope

Fear

Fear,
the bully,
waiting to tap you on the shoulder and remind you why he’s there.
He likes to whisper things like:
you can’t,
you won’t,
or
it’s too hard.
As evidence for his claims he will
use your past against you,
conveniently leaving out that the reason
things went badly was because you
listened to him.
He prefers
the dark
because he knows he doesn’t do well in
the light.
The light causes him to become
small and insignificant.
Knowledge
is his enemy.
Courage
is something he would much rather
not be in the same room with.
Words like:
joy,
truth,
love,
hurt his ears.
Try as he might,
when he digs around in his pockets
for the key
to a home filled with prayer,
unable to find one,
he walks away.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power,
and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

Light and Life

Those familiar with forest ecology will tell you of the miracle of renewal that a forest experiences following a fire. Many plant species require fire to germinate and flourish. People whose communities have been devastated by earthquake or storm gather together, and neighbors who may have never communicated bond to demonstrate true unity in the face of loss. Whether a particular tragedy is suffered by one or many, the ripple effect touches us all, first with sorrow, then with hope. Hope brings light to places we would never expect the darkness to leave once it has spread its cloak.

Lord, when the walls close in on me
and I think that I’m alone
when all I feel is despair
help me remember the life you’ve designed
to emerge from the ashes
remind me of those who have gone before
with your Son’s example to guide them
what might seem so fragile a breath could break
through a wasteland of fear still passes
the hands that tightly hold a flame
that fades and flickers and gutters
will once more grasp hands of hope
leading the way through foreboding passes
never alone on the journey
never alone on the journey
never alone on the journey