The Summit

Struggles abound in life no matter how ideal one's situation may seem to be. Trials serve a purpose, but as much as I would like to think that I would eventually know the "why" behind every difficulty, there's no promise of such understanding on this side of heaven. Nonetheless, I pray for the faith to finish this journey.

Verse:

I wanted, Lord, to stand atop the mountain,

But not to scale its treacherous ascent;

But though I knew that vict’ry was for certain,

I had to learn what faith and patience meant.

Chorus:

For if I were to stand upon the mountain,

I had to know how best to fare up there;

So while Your perfect blessing is for certain,

It comes to only those who learn to bear

With all the twists and turnings of the pathway

That lead towards the summit’s glorious day

Verse:

So help me, Lord, to never be disheartened

When days grow dark and narrow paths grow steep,

To not compare how others may have charted

But bear the yoke you’ve given me to keep.

Chorus:

And as I climb along this mighty mountain,

Please grant me the humility to bear

The thoughts and feelings that would be for certain

Awaiting those who finally get there.

And help me realize that on this pathway,
I gain what I would need that final day.

A Self-Revelation

In a world that rants about "following your heart" and "discovering the real you," learning what is truly inside of oneself doesn't seem like a bad idea. Yet the fact is, what is inside is terribly ugly...and every time I read this poem, it pierces me with pain and terror almost like a horror film....and yet, God is still amazing.

I looked to God and said one day,
“I give my life to You,
All things I do, and think, and say,
I dedicate anew.
I know what I could give is few,
And undeserving too,
But all that can be done of me,
I offer now to You.”

And in my heart, I felt so sure
That He must have felt grand
To have a life so young and pure
Entrusted to His hand.
So great then was the shock I knew
When all I reckoned true
Was called unfit, the time when He
Was seeking for His due.

“Lord, isn’t there a little bit,
A little bit for You?
A little bit that could be fit
A bit that’s good and true,
A little bit that I could do
To sacrifice to You?”
His shook His head and look at me,
“Child, that was from me too.”

I cried, I shook, I closed my eyes,
I could not understand,
Were all my off’rings merely lies?
Had I nothing at hand?
“Lord, surely it could not be true
That all I’d say and do
Were merely from me and for me,
And not prepared for You?

“It couldn’t be, it couldn’t be!”
I hid my head in tears.
And it took quite some time till He
Could coax me to come near.
I shuddered at what I now knew
I sobbed o’er what was true
“There’s nothing, Lord, coming from me,
No, not one thing for You.

“The words I’ve said, the deeds I’ve done,
The thoughts of sacrifice
Were done for pleasure or for fun,
And for man’s earthly eyes;
I can give nothing good to You,
And all that I’ve been through
Was just a masquerade of me,
And nothing about You.”

I wept and dared not look above,
I knew I had been wrong,
Then after shelt’ring me with love,
For days and ages long,
He said, “Child, look and tell me who
You now can see in you.”
“Nothing but old selfish me,
A mess, unfit, untrue.”

He looked at me and smiled and said,
“That’s what I want of you,
That you should see how you are dead,
How ugly and untrue,
That you should see how I’ve loved you,
How faithfully and true,
So that You live accordingly.”
“I will, Lord…I love You.”