No Excuse

I came across this today as I was looking at some other things. This piece of poetry by David Bowden seemed to sum up where I have found myself a lot over the last decade. One line in the poem is particularly haunting for me and ties in very well with the thoughts that occupy my mind on a daily basis.

"For the wife has been bruised
Her body beaten and bludgeoned
She’s cheated on the man she once pursued
For the bride has now forgotten her husband"

This poem fits with the passage in John's revelation about the church that has deserted it's first love. The poem calls for us to remember who the husband of the church (The bride) really is. It's unthinkable that a bride who was so in love is now in undeniable divorce of heart from him who she was lover to. I found myself so moved with this poem that I just had to record it somewhere. 

I pray that in our generation we (The followers of Jesus) may embrace our bridegroom once again and discover our lost love and in doing so discover a renewed vision for the world and the kingdom of God.

I write to you
Poets and Martyrs
Disciples and Daughters
Elders and Brothers
Christians and Lovers
Pastors and Teachers
Prophets and Preachers

I write to you
Leaders
That you might gather the weapons from your armories
Grab your pulpits and mics
Your stages and lights
Your buildings and pews
Your resources be used

For the wife has been bruised
Her body beaten and bludgeoned
She’s cheated on the man she once pursued
For the bride has now forgotten her husband

I write to you for you have been summoned
That you might sacrifice your church services and functions
Your evening worship and your luncheons
Bring your members by the dozens
No matter your short-comings or dysfunctions

You have been summoned to bear this insistence
God wants to use every part of your existence
And none of you are any different
If your church is slowing or resurgent
Older or but an infant
You are part of the resistance
To stand your ground at the armies of apathy that are rising against us

I write to you because
I see Christians, but I don’t see Christ
I see people living, but not surrendering life
I see large buildings that cannot see strife
I see free salvation that is way under priced
I see a body called to poverty by wealth be enticed
And I know you see it too, our allegiance has been spliced
Unsatisfied with the riches of the world, when God’s kingdom should have sufficed

So I write to you
Who are soon to be
Revolutionaries
To encourage you in the cause
You will be influencing

I write to you to tell you that
You have all that you need
And that’s not another book, facility, conference, or degree
For Christ conquered death with only a tree
And if you have more than that
How much more will he want to see

You see
You have all that you need
For you have
Breath, feet
Blood, tears
Pulse, hands
Eyes, ears

You have
Brothers, sisters
Resources, givers
A world full of sin
And a God that is bigger

You have all that you need, and
You will need all that you have
For the life influence by Christ, cannot be given in halves
It will not spare a drop
It will not scare or stop
But will sell all it’s got for that treasure in the empty lot

You will need all you have
For you know the cost
The cause may cause you to toss away
Your money, your house
Your car, your clothes
The cause may cause you to lose all of those

You will need all you have
For you have all you need
And all you have is all he needs
For all you need is all he has
With great urgency I write this muse
For the one thing we do not have
Is an excuse

We have Mighty God who became poor and bruised
What we do not have is an excuse
We have the Holy Spirit inhabited for God’s own use
What we do not have is an excuse
We have a sure resurrection the power of death diffused
What we do not have is an excuse
We have the words of life the greatest of news
What we do not have is an excuse

That is why I write to you this insisting issuance
That you might lead with great prudence
To a world of darkness may we be a holy nuisance

As we lead the cause of Christ through the power of His influence.