Why?

Why?

I am flooded with questions that start me on a trail of doubts…

.

You said that you would humble the proud

and raise up the humble

but i,

i am humble!

Is that statement too proud?

.

the proud are after me

crushin’ me –

or am i crushing myself?

.

Internally im boasting about all i am

all ive done

all i will do

im secretly happy in my greed and when you take away my happiness i slander you.

.

i dont seek you out in my happiness

i dont consider or acknowledge you

.

there is no room in the inn for you

.

i turn you away

searching for satisfaction

and you become food for the hungry

the searching

who call on you.

you satisfy them with pleasures at your right hand.

.

i flourish

like the grass

and wither as the seasons change 

.

in my moment of prosperity 

nothing is impossible

nothing is impossible

.

happiness is my possession

– and so you shake me

.

the earth opens its mouth

and life strips me suddenly bare

.

my mouth is full of curses

and lies

and threats

.

if only you return what you have taken.

i will worship you.

.

your eyes turn to me with grace, and compassion

.

do not tempt the Lord your God, you say

.

have i become those i distain?

How then can i judge what i myself am?

.

The devil stands here

in my shoes

i open my mouth to speak 

and conviction closes my throat

Desperation turns us all ugly.

we argue, fight, and quarrel

desiring and undesirable

we kill and covet

our mind throwing thoughts like javelines through the walls of friendship…

We do not ask

so we do not have

and when we ask 

we ask with lust

 – self centered eagerness.

ugly self rears its head.

like an uncharmable snake

ready to strike the charmer.

.

we will crush anyone in our path for self satisfaction.

i am witness to my own depravity.

we talk ourselves through it 

claiming God is blind

or indifferent

or hasn’t remembered 

our sins forgotten

as far as the east is from the west

.

we click just one more time

ravishing with our unmonitored thoughts

.

Dont let me live like this.

i am helpless under my own influence.

You do see

my grief

my trouble

you know all my reasons

you’re with me through all my seasons

you consider it all.

.

i am the victim and i am the perpetrator.

break the arms reaching up out of the grave for me

break my habits and strip off my habiliments

call me out

judge me

tell me how it is so my soul can break with sorrow

the king let us strip him of everything

.

he dances like crazy with joy for us

he sings over us

– redemption

– wholeness

– forgiveness

.

he died to himself

for us

.

you do know

you do listen

.

you hear the desires of my afflicted heart

you still consider me worthwhile

you pull me up from the pit i have dug for myself

you encourage me

you mend my broken heart

you listen to my sobs

i, the oppressor, am the oppressed

– i do not deserve any of this –

and you save me.

you save me from myself

in order that the dust

may see itself as dust

and cease from its thoughts of false grandure.