One Way
Quilted snow and leaves; woven together laythose before me chose a path and pioneered a way
this trail before me stretches wide
it yawns past sleeping trees
with ruddy bedposts short and tall
and white birches with skinned knees
The way to go is plain to see; so the pathway tells
as the maple stretch their gnarly limbs in protective swells
but something within me clearly knows,
this path is not what I see
and to follow where others have gone,
could be the death of me
Have I not faith to set my foot, on untouched earthen sod?
must I always follow, only where others have trod?
in angst I stop and wonder 'which way then should I go?'
'to my left or to my right, through trees and untouched snow?'
I wring my hands with worry, my brow; in anguish twisted
I cry out to God upon my knees
and beat the ground tight-fisted
“Oh God” I pray “I wish you'd show me...
PLEASE tell me which way to go?!"
“I want to do YOUR will... if only you'd let me know?”
suddenly I know, the direction my journey is to take
the answer was within me, where HIS truth is surely staked
there was no big arrow in the sky... giving me a sign
HIS truth abides within me, as part of HIS perfect design
I know the gate is narrow, through which few will surely fit
I know what I'm to do...so I get up and get to~IT
into the wilderness I travel, to gather up the lost
to let them know that Jesus heals
and He's already paid their cost
I know there are dark valleys,
through this journey I might find
but knowing what I know, I can't leave others behind
Jesus is the only way that we are heaven bound
and I know I can't get lost because I'm truly found
© Copyright 2011 Christine Maxwell
"...because I'm truly found". I love that. Beautiful, heartfelt piece, Chrissy.
ReplyDeletethe answer was within me
ReplyDeleteAnd I believe thay always are...
I find the directness and truthfulness of this very compelling.
ReplyDeleteWonderful take on the prompt...lovely
ReplyDeleteI love it when I get clear nudges! thanks.
ReplyDeleteAlways, if we still our soul, we will find the answer within ourselves, where they have always been.
ReplyDeleteThe more traveled road can, indeed, be the road to destruction. Your poem is a living picture of Matthew 7: 13 - 15! “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”. These false prophets will egg us on to the more traveled road with, “Everyone is doing it”.
ReplyDeleteBut Jesus didn't leave us abandoned to those false prophets with their "Everyone is doing it". Instead, He sent His Spirit as an inward witness to His voice. We hear Jesus’ voice and another we will not follow. We recognize His voice as it bears witness with our inner man quickened by His Holy Spirit. As Jesus said in John 14:17 and 26 “… the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you….. the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you".
Then again in John 16: 13 and 14, Jesus tells us that when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide us into all truth. He will not speak of himself; but He will tell us what He has heard from Jesus. He will let us know about things to come. The Spirit will bring glory to Jesus by taking Jesus’ message and declaring it to us.
Yes, the answer is within us, where HIS truth is surely staked
there is no big arrow in the sky... giving us a sign
HIS truth abides within us, as part of HIS perfect design
Yes, the gate is narrow, through which few will surely fit
And when we know what we are to do...we must get up and get to~IT.
WELL DONE!
This is so full of truth and genuinely spoken Chrissy. :-)
ReplyDelete