The blessed life isn’t
The perfect life,
It’s the forgiven life,
The guilt-erased life.
You know you’re living the sweet life
When Yahweh forgets your faults,
When your soul
Has come out of hiding,
Has traded shame for truth.
I wasn’t living that way,
Wrapped up in silent shame,
My body falling to pieces
Because of my soul’s agony.
There wasn’t a minute that went by
That I didn’t feel the weight of your hand
Pressing down on me, God.
Depressed and drained
Like heatstroke,
I withered under the glare of your sun.
But then I came clean,
Quitting the secrecy of shame.
I said, “I’ll speak plainly,
Honestly,
No longer using a pretty face
To cover my ugly,
Soiled soul.”
And you forgave,
Wiping the slate clean,
With no hint of my sin left behind.
So, hear me, reader:
Pray now.
Don’t wait a second longer.
God is right here,
Listening.
Don’t wait till the consequences
Become too big to handle.
God, you are my secure place,
My safe place.
No one and nothing
Can touch me here with you.
You sooth me with lullabies,
Singing my salvation.
Reader, listen closely.
I want you to learn
From my mistakes.
My heart goes out to you,
so please pay attention
To this hard-earned wisdom.
Don’t be stubborn, like I was.
Don’t be stupid, like me!
Don’t require a bitter bit
And bridle
To steer you in the right direction.
Stubbornness leads to sorrow,
A waterfall of sorrows.
But trust Yahweh
And find yourself in the center
Of a relentless, never-stopping love.
You’ll end up dancing and singing,
Laughing and shouting for joy.
For Yahweh puts the pieces together,
Making hearts whole
And holy.