key-click prayer

sometimes just the act of writing 
gives me 
an uncommon peace. 

God i feel closer to You 
clicking these keys

as i still my spirit.

i sense You 
in the rhythm of the click,

on the wave of the exhale, 

on the smooth, the flow, the jazz of silent. 

You are here, inhabiting this space.  

flow.  ahhhhhhhh.

following down the current like water to its pool. 

settling me now

moment by moment. 

i sense You at work setting me right.

this feels like true prayer.  

connected to the body,

to the breath. 

sometimes my prayer is distracted..

i have to push toward heaven, 

pressing it uphill, 

not quite sure it's real--

was my heart was in it?  

today, i breathe this prayer.  it lives.  

i release it to the care of God.

i bid it bon voyage...

see you in heaven good friend.. 

do your work.  

this requires time
patience  

and no sense 

of needing to be somewhere else.

war zone

My friend Jay reminded me of something I told him long ago:  We walk, live and move on a battleground of the spirit. Sometimes I lose sight of the intensity of the conflict behind the scenes of our visible physical world, but some days it doesn't take much to remind me.  

the spiritual world 

it is a war zone  

it is skirmish and schrapnel

tripwires and rocketfire

it’s not the garden of eden 

not a game 

not lord of the rings 

it is scruff and red wound 

and life leaking away 

concussions and car bombs 

sabotage, innocent hostages 

and no cease fire in sight

it’s the flesh

the human souls

one or two at a time

walking heads up
eyes darting
in this battlefield 

every last soul is loved 

and worried over in Your sight 

You watch each cell

down to the DNA  

with maternal concern

You scrutinize the iris of every eye  

is there color in our face 

symptoms of shell shock 

battle fatigue

you are on night watch

scanning for any lurking ambush trap set  

around the next dark corner

and how provisions are holding out

who might be there 

if anyone 

to wipe the tear off

prayer is the lifeline

the GPS

chopper touchdown 

the airlift 

Christ is the soldier 

who gives himself for his friend

in a firefight

and so here are we...

singed
but still standing

thanks be to God