Having nothing of my own to offer but wonder at gifts vouchsafed to others, here is a poem I found on Jim Swindle's poetry blog Vine and Fig, which touched me deeply, and so I want to pass it on.
Give me no garage-sale Jesus,
Pasted onto kitsch
That matches my decor.
Give me the real Jesus--
God and sweat,
Mercy and fire.
Give me no corporation Jesus,
Carefully groomed,
Packaged in hypo-allergenic plastic.
Give me the real Jesus--
God's pure image
Dining with prostitutes.
Give me no philosophy-class Jesus,
Limned in lofty phrases
Signifying nothing.
Give me the real Jesus--
Speaking God's deep truths
In simple images.
Give me no politically-correct Jesus,
Founded on fads,
Sketchy on sin.
Give me the real Jesus--
Convicted criminal
Bearing my sin, not his.
Give me that Jesus, the real Jesus--
Or no, don't.
Already I'm his; he's mine.
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."--John 14:6 HCSB
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
--Hebrews 13:8
Photo and poem ©2009 James L. Swindle. You may print up to 100 copies, provided that you include the copyright notice, you don't alter the text of the poem, and you don't sell them.
2 comments:
"Give me no philosophy-class Jesus,
Limned in lofty phrases
Signifying nothing.
Give me the real Jesus--
Speaking God's deep truths
In simple images".
Ameyn~ ;)
I'm glad to know you like good poetry and not just my stuff. :)
I don't know anything about poetry. I can't tell good from bad, but I love it when folks share the good stuff.
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