One day, one day I will be old -
And what will be the stories to be told?
That Jesus, Lord, consumed me all in all?
That I lived a life worthy of His call?
Or did I fall in love with other things,
Wealth in kind of which the world brings
Yet does not satisfy the longing soul –
And still yet chased, despite the toll.
When I die, who will be magnified?
My sinful self, or Jesus Christ crucified?
Will they say that I did love the least
Of these in a way that Jesus was made pleased –
Or will they say I lived a selfish life,
Free of toil, suffering, and strife.
Or are these words themselves misplaced?
Is this the selfish thing, to think of such disgrace?
Or do I truly, deeply long to glorify His name?
When I die, will others see His fame?

Only time will tell, I know –
So send me out, I’ll go.
Determination must accompany desire
So that Your name be lifted higher,
If indeed that is my heart’s desire.

I need Your help to do this, God.

I cannot make  it on my own.

 Do not let me put my life to waste. 

I like running, or rather, the feeling after finishing a run. This is about running. 

_________________________

Molecules of air separate,
Break apart as I run through space –
Space, that is, of an atmospheric kind.
I feel the burn of being alive
As my legs move in rapid motion,
Muscles tight and lungs heavy
With the weight of life.
The pain is temporary,
And invigorating – Step,
Breath, Step, Breath –
Movements made in
Syncopated rhythms,
Like some illustrious and
Lost dance that reminds us
That we are alive.
Breaths turn into steps,
Turn into laps,
Turn into miles.
The mind pushes the body,
Overrules it, says it can be done –
Tells the body that when fatigue
Comes like a plague that strength
Will come like a rain,
Washing over in revitalizing
Waves of cool.
I flee the former shape
Of who I was and pursue,
With longer strides,
My new archetype.
Breathing out the old,
Breathing in the new,
Chest and lungs expanding
For new waves of life.

Today, as I walked across solid, hot pavement, a feeling of fragility suddenly overwhelmed me. I do not know why I felt this way, but all I could do in the moment was thank God that He was holding the ground beneath my feet. It was a good thing to feel. I wanted to write about it, and this what I wrote. 

_______________________

The ground beneath my feet is firm, unfaltering –
Held in place by the grace of God.
God made it to fulfill exactly what he willed
And it does nothing less, and every
Step I take in confidence
That God is in control.

But if earth were to crumble to dust
Beneath the soles of my feet,
The ever-flowing peace of God would carry me
Through rapid movements of molecules of air,
And I would fall without a care to know that
God still has control.

So I walk this ground with thankful,
Trembling heart, knowing my God holds
The molecules of earth together
And could, if He would choose,
Rend them apart - I am thankful
That in His grace He has not.  

blakebaggott:

John Piper is awesome primarily because of his love for God. He is awesome secondarily because of his hand gestures. 

(via byebyebaggott-deactivated201305)

My heart breaks
To see so many
Seem to walk away.

I could wish myself
Accursed and take
Their place, but
God does not work
In such ways.

I pray and plea
For them to see
What they would
Leave, But only God
Can do that work.

They are dead
And not alive,
And I cannot
Give them life.
That is a miracle
Of Christ, work
Of faith and
Opened eyes.

Please, God,
Make them alive.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 
- Romans 8:1-4 (ESV)