Poetry: dichotomy
Chasmic distance grows
between me and consumer-driven christian culture.
Not wanting to denigrade
Or be arrogant, no, just to be apart from it.
Nearer to my following my Lord’s example,
Nearer to raking leaves for my neighbor,
Nearer to being available on my deck
For the man whose wife just left him
And doesn’t know how to live,
Nearer to helping the woman with her son’s confusion, and her own,
Nearer to sabbath rest,
less sheer activity, which substitutes poorly for meaning,
Nearer to walking my neighborhood on Halloween,
With other dads, drinking beer, talking of life,
Nearer to attending opening weekend of Harry Potter,
Talking about character, choices, good and evil, magic, dark and light
with my sons, so the culture doesn’t get that right before me,
Nearer to living less securely in my own country
Because my primary allegiance lies in another kingdom,
Further from the idolatry of freedoms espoused by the culture,
which is driven by fear of loss of lifestyle,
Rather than freedom from fear.
Who has believed our message? Isaiah 53:1a
If God is for us, who can be against us?
What can separate us from the love of God? Romans 8:31, 35
Little children, guard yourselves from idols… I John 5:21
Prh Carmel Thanksgiving 2001
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