A Strong Resemblance (Romans 7:25; 8:3, 39, 30)

“A strong resemblance” does not make me one
With culture here, when all is said and done,
Though raised by them, I’m still a TCK –
Almost a fit, I walk another way.

Folks come and go, across my radar screen;
They think I’m them, but I’m not what I seem;
No super-powers, like some bionic man –
I do my life, like them, as best I can.

So when Paul states (a TCK as well
Who felt estranged, that solitude of hell),
“Christ walked the walk in likeness to our flesh”
I grasped his thought – like me no more, no less –

Folks think a culture does not count for much;
It does – high walls make barriers of such
Proportions, we can scarcely penetrate
Their boundaries stout – outside their walls we wait.

But then Paul grins, says, “Neither height nor depth
Can separate, in life or coming death,
God and his help from our attempts to live
Here in this world, for He does surely give –

“Us aid in life beyond our wildest dreams,
For life is more than what to us it seems,
If only we would open up our eyes,
We’d see for real – oh what a grand surprise!”

Some thought too deep? “Nor depth can separate”
Nor any thought – like those which make us wait
Outside the walls of culture’s boundaries,
Where words decide our childhood’s memories.

Christ came through walls, still does, into our lives;
Just as with us, we penetrate, survive
A life amidst a mix of different folks –
God smoothes a way, makes light such heavy yolks.

“For years folks fought – “Just what does ‘likeness’ mean?”
“He’s one of us? Or does it only seem?”
Hey lighten up, your life’s a lot like His –
Just cross some line – you’ll see what problem is.

I much prefer the One who walks ahead
Across the ice, by Him I’m surely led;
And so He bids us take one hand in ours
Then stretch to folks new stabilizing powers –

As we go forth across thin ice of life;
He rescues us, conveys to us His might,
By being here through lives of people near –
Their hand in His – their other quiets fear.

The weakness of our efforts on our own,
Are in His life, quite insufficient shown
Not just in word, but in His saving grace
We take His hand – find life to be the case.

“A strong resemblance” – in our life is seen,
To Jesus Christ when through the mill we’ve been,
And suffered such, as He redeems the lost
Through us this way, regardless of the cost.

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