Location, Location, Location

A shift for me which I have seen of late,
In which I’ve found a monumental break
From thoughts of old, maintained most commonly
By folks I know, has changed what I now see.

Take prayer – where once my view was up to heaven
Your Holy Word came to my world like leaven –
“He’s raised you up, you’re in the heavenlies,
And set with Christ – now look around and see –

How life looks now, not up, but down on life
(not in contempt, but pulled out from the strife);
You’ve Christ’s view now – from there assigned some task
To do for him, responding as He’s asked.

So prayer to me is still down on my knees
Before the King; but this location frees
Me up to see I’m not alone out there
In worldly swirl, and begging for His care.

But rather, now I’m here because He asked
Me do some task, that He might move at last
To free some person, trapped in worldly ways,
That they might live in freedom all their days.

That’s team to me, the cost’s irrelevant,
For God is rich in power and resource sent;
The mind of kings He bends like rivers bright,
As He frees folks from darkness into light.

O Lord you said before that day you died,
You’d raise all men, and draw them to Your side;
You’d come for us, that we might live with ;
I see it now, and I’m so glad it’s true.

Why climb the hill, if you’re already there?
Why search for home, if we’re all in Your care?
Why goods amass, if we’re so richly blessed?
Why fret so much, when raised about the mess?

That changes things, as we pray for our friends,
And those around with need we see transcends
Capacity, for reasons we don’t know;
We hear Your Word – “Respond, My love to show”.

Sometimes direct, our part is plain to see;
But often not, these steps that there might be
A better way to help which we don’t know;
You say, “‘Do this or that’ and I will show –

“You how I work a double, triple play;
When timing’s right six more will shout, ‘Hooray!’
I do my work through you efficiently,
Just look around, from here it’s clear to see.”

A channel, Lord, of grace to those around
I pray to be – it’s different now I’ve found
For you assign, bid us, “Do this or that”;
We act as team to free folks from their traps.

The Quakers wait in silence for Your Word;
With Catholics, through liturgy it’s heard;
The charismatics hear You as they praise;
The mainline folks, as stalwart prayer the raise.

But all are here, up here above the fray,
Unseen by most, as we live out each day;
Freed up by You, to act in liberty
In You with power, resource to act and be.

You gave a glimpse this morning as I rose,
Of how it works, for this, as heaven knows
Is not quite right – but “distance up above”
Is helpful still – a glimpse of how to love.

But heaven’s here, not up above the clouds;
Like in the prayer You shared with mountain crowds,
“” done on Earth as up in heaven,” You said;
But still for me, there’s help in scriptures read –

That “We are raised with Christ to heavenlies” –
That’s also true, for here and there in Thee
Are just the same – both useful in their place;
“Up here” right now is best in any case.

The line of Dawn again sweeps East to West
As morning light awakes us from our rest;
Lord in this world so twisted since the fall,
We need your leaven, salt – light most of all.

Help me to see this day from up above,
The longer view shaped now through acts of love;
Help me mature that I more fit might be
To do my part, as member of Your team.

navigation