The Crossing of Nevertheless and Therefore

Over the years, the words therefore and nevertheless have laid hold of me. Therefore sought me out and became my first “Word of the Year” while nevertheless was introduced by a friend. It’s funny how peripheral something can be until you stare directly at it; then, once it’s seen, it cannot be unseen. That has been my relationship with these two words. While I used to visually walk right by them, now I all but trip over them at every turn. Though I try, with pen in hand, to tag them as I read, sometimes I have to let one or two slide by (to be captured at another time) so I can focus on the words around them.

Continue reading “The Crossing of Nevertheless and Therefore”

God’s Cross-Bow

As we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, it’s impossible to do so without first going to the cross.  I find the cross is an anomaly which epitomizes the “Law of Opposites” and, as such, will have a chapter unto itself.  But, until then, perhaps this poem will give you a little insight about the opposing nature of our Savior’s cross.

God’s Cross-Bow

If God were a Hunter, 

And His cross the bow, 

How far would He pull back,

Sin’s arrow to throw? 

 

Would He pull just slightly, 

 It’s flight to make short; 

Would His aim be careless, 

No effort exhort? 

 

Perhaps, would God launch it,

To clear half a mile? 

Would His arm pull further, 

Sin lost…for a while? 

 

Or would He pull way back, 

 Using all His strength ,

Send sin’s arrow soaring,

 Spanning a great length? 

 

With what would He guide it, 

To take such a flight? 

Would mercy lean far left, 

Would grace adjust right? 

 

And once He had launched sin, 

No more to be found, 

Would love’s arrow now fly, 

From Calvary’s mound? 

 

If the cross were a bow, 

And it’s arrow love, 

How far would God’s hand pull, 

From His throne above? 

 

Would He pull just slightly, 

So pain would be less? 

Avoiding the heartache, 

Eluding the mess? 

 

Or would He pull harder, 

Sin’s span to decrease, 

Aware that such stretching, 

Meant pain would increase? 

 

To scale the highest, 

Of heights with our Lord, 

God had to pull back to, 

Where misery’s stored. 

 

The further He pulls back,

The farther love goes;

For our sakes Christ suffered,

The lowest of lows.

 

If God were a Hunter,

And His cross the bow,

Would His arrows pierce me,

That my faith would grow?

 

Would I be a target,

His arrow to find;

Would love hit the bull’s eye,

Sin launched, never find?

 

If the Cross were a bow,

And I an arrow,

How hard would God pull to,

Hit the gate Narrow?

 

Oh, may God launch me,

And land me with care,

In salvation’s target,

For love shot me there.