oxymoron (Reign of Christ/Christ the King - C)

King of kings
Lord of lords
Glory Hallelujah!

    really?

are these word just
a neat, peppy praise song,
fun to sing
      but empty of meaning?

no kings around here
that i know of,
      but a lot of politicians
      who act as if folks
            are agin' 'em
   if you are not with them;

no lords around here
         except those who
         think they can
         lord it over everyone else,
   but debt and worry and fear
   control my life;

glory seems to be
      in short supply these
                      days,
   and hallelujahs
      don't seem to mean much
           to most folks;

but you

      you are a mystery solved
      in the impossibilities
               of life;
      an enigma wrapped
               in wonder;
      a majesty born
               in humility;
      a life blossoming
               out of death.

and you

      you i could follow
   forever.

(c) 2013 Thom M. Shuman

shake, rattle, and roll (Haggai 1:15b-2:9)

shake the heavens, the earth,
   the sea, the dry lands -
            shake them until
            your peace covers
      creation like a carpet
                of autumn leaves,
         and your hope burns
                    bright
  in the night skies of our
                    lives;

rattle the cages
      of those churches
   who are locked into
         always doing
      the same thing over
           and over and over
      (and never getting it right),
          always being trapped
          in that mythical
                  past, never able
   to take a step
      forward;

push the denominations
off their self-imposed
             pedestals,
      so they can roll
      down the hill,
   splashing into that pool
          of wonder,
       to emerge dripping
                 wet
             with your
                joy.

but me?

just nudge me gently
   so i can turn over
   and go back to sleep,
              content
      under the warm quilt
      of
         complacency.

(c) 2013 Thom M. Shuman