The promiser keeps the promise

I am not asking you

to take this wilderness from me,

to remove this place of starkness…

 

… but send me

tough angels

sweet wine,

strong bread,

just enough

                     Jan Richardson, In Wisdom’s Path  p. 54 (Wanton Gospeller Press)

___________________________________

 

my life is like riding a roller coaster

my friend shares

struggling each day with bipolar disorder

 

“I am in despair

and then I emerge into a kind of joy

and then plummet again into starkness”

 

This beloved child wonders

why is it worth to continue

to walk this journey called life

 

the relationships destroyed by mood swings

the physical pain that is present every day

the children alienated and silent

or connected and wounded

the lack of meaning and purpose

 

we all know this journey

although our valleys may not be as deep

nor our mountains as high

 

we know the journey through the wilderness

as we plod toward the promise

 

even Jesus knew this tortured path

the ecstasy of blessing

the torment of the wilderness

the miracle of loaves and fishes

the conflicts with the protectors of the faith

water into wine

words of hope on deaf ears

 

we have the promise of Love

given over and over

I will be your God, you will be my children

I will carry you home

I will be with you

 

the promise lies between us

pregnant with hope

heavy with disappointment

 

the promise lies between us

and all we can do

is hope against hope

 

keep plodding

left foot, right foot

left foot, breathe

 

the promise is there

and we are called to believe that the promiser

keeps the promises

 

and so we hope

hope in spite of our doubt

hope in spite of our fear

hope in spite of things that seem to make hope

a joke

 

we want to believe

we need to believe

we need just a little bit of God

a little bit of love

 

so Lord, send us

“tough angels

sweet wine,

strong bread,

just enough”