Poetry

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This is my life, O Lord —
 Bound by lust,
 Bound by shame,
 Bound by guilt,
 Bound by unfaithfulness.

This is my life, O Lord,
 this shattered heart,
 this hidden pain,
 this God-shaped hole,
 this man I am.

But I have dreamed of the farthest star, Lord,
 and I have heard the wisest men say
 that star is much too far away to see.
But what is too far for You, O Lord?
What is too far for You?

Am I too far from you, My God,
 to find my way home again?
Is this wall too high?
 This rift too deep?
 This ocean too wide?
 This shame too great?

"No!" You shout to the lust I feel.
"No!" You shout to my shame.
"No!" You shout to shatter my guilt.
"No," You say, with utter faith in me.

"Yes," You whisper to the light inside me.
"Yes," You whisper to the yearning I couldn't see.
"Yes," You whisper in a voice heard forever. "Yes."

So break this man, Lord, to break his chains.
Break this man, Lord, to live and love again.
Take this man, Lord, to bear Your pain.

"You are wanted," I hear when I am lonely.
"You are qualified," I hear when I doubt.
"You are strong," I hear when I fear.
"You are worthy," I now hear.
"You are loved," I hear, "And have always been."

Because of Your Love, O Lord,
Because of Your Word on my heart,
Because of Your Son, My Savior —
 I can love deeply,
 I can follow freely,
 And I will sacrifice willingly.

This is my life, O Lord,
 this open heart,
 this healing pain,
 this God-shaped soul,
 this new man I am.

This is my life, O Lord,
 unbound from the world,
 unashamed to face myself and You,
 unafraid of Your Will,
 unleashed to love and to serve.

This is Your life, O Lord.
What's next?

— July 9, 2006
© 2006 Glenn A. Pettit-Noel

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