Face of the Earth (Terra Cotta)

"And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God." - 2 Samuel 6:6-7


We hastily presume that our hands
Are cleaner than the dirt
Beneath our feet

But the reality is that the dirt
(Unlike me)
Is just being what it was meant to be
And that we’ve been deceived
Into believing the lie
That it makes us filthy
 

We hate the dirt
Because it is a reminder
That removes all blinders
Never letting us forget
Where we come from

Because you may very well
Be able to escape the ghetto’s aura
But you will never be able
To escape your skin color

Explore any avenue that you wish
But we all have to dismiss
The notion of black and white
And any shades of grey fade
In light of the knowledge
That we’re just different shades of brown
All made from the same lump

Molded and shaped
Fearfully and wonderfully made
“Oh, the distinctiveness of the human race!”
And yet, we bite off our own noses
In spite of the familiarity of the faces
Simply because they come from other places

And we leave it to the ground
To soak up the blood from wars
And we leave it to the ground
To soak up the tears from the scarred;

Age after age -
It bears witness to the trauma
And eagerly awaits redemption
From a history of violence and dishonor

But the ownership has been rescinded
And when the world is returned to its Sender
The face of the earth will crack a smile
As it relinquishes its descendants

I am the ground…
I am the dirt…
And I’ve been trying to find my way home
Since the day of my birth

(cf. Genesis 2:7; Romans 8:18-23; Revelation 20:13)


Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Zeros & Ones: Gospel In Life [Week 8] - Eternity (The World That Is to Come)

We wrap up our study on "The Gospel in Life" with a discussion about eternity. We discuss how the hope that is to come in the New Jerusalem changes how we operate in this fallen world. When the veil of this present world is rolled back, we will then see fully the ever-existent glory and light of God. Also, how the future reality helps to give us hope and and against the trials of this world. Seeing that the now is only temporary and that every single day we are moving toward the everlasting peace and communion with God and our fellow man...Live with the end in mind.
"for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection." - (Luke 20:36 ESV)



Isaiah 60:1-22; Revelation 21:9-22





Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Posted via email from THE CENTER (ROOM 116)

Altered Beast

For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

- (Romans 8:13 ESV)

 

There’s a bad moon rising…

Satan’s enticing me –

Telling me to feel the fire in my lungs

Let go of my tongue

And shipwreck this relationship

Over which I’ve so graciously been given stewardship

Emotions are running high –

Strung so tight

That it’s like a thick cord

You could cut with a knife

So I fashion my words into a saber

And keep taking slice after slice

Until there is nothing left

But death…

 

Relationship thrown to the wayside

In a moment of rage

Setting the stage for a catastrophic crescendo –

A cacophony of swearing and not caring about the outcome

Don’t really care if the premise of the beef dumb

Because it doesn’t matter who’s right or left

The only thing that’s worth caring about

Is that I’ve won…HELL YES!

No. 1 with a bullet…

Let the world know that I’ve got a hair trigger

And that I ain’t afraid to pull it

Instead of going out like a sucker

I’ll show my teeth

And suck the life out of another

Dig in deep – getting all the flesh I need

But when the blood’s been drawn

And the bones picked dry

The only thing left to kill is me…

 

So I turn my aggressiveness inward

On the oppression that stifles my conscience

Go savage on my insecurities

And rest in the surety

Of the Almighty’s benevolent abundance

He is omnipotent –

So His grace is more than sufficient

To cover the inadequacy of my emotions

To deal with the feelings

That someone’s disrespecting me

 

I’m reminded that I’m a new creature –

An altered beast who desires to be meek

Overcome my desire to win

By changing my perception of defeat

So instead of assaulting a perceived adversary

I put salt in my speech

Walk in peace with grace and forgiveness

Speak softly and turn the other cheek

 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

- (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)

 

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

 

 

Posted via email from THE CENTER (ROOM 116)