An Ultimate Question

[Brianmhager]

I asked the Lord, “Who should I be?”

He handed me the only key

which only opened one small door

deep within. So this and more

He showed me just inside my heart

the truth of where my search would start.

 

In trepidation I began

a sacred quest to understand

what my purpose is in life.

I did not think to ask what strife

awaited me through journey’s end,

for promised He to be my friend.

 

Once the hidden door unlocked

there flowed out pain I always blocked.

In dire distress I cried to God

to show me where my foot should trod!

He then in calm and even tones

bade me trust what’s in my bones.

 

Soon after pain, regret’s emerge

scolded me for every urge

unclean and base. I cowered in fear

as “Peace” He whispered in my ear.

No judgment was there made that day;

He smiled and said, “It’s not my way.”

Further on the Unknown Soul

reached out to seize me from its hole,

screaming how I soon would fail

it thrashed me with its pointed tail.

God knew how to soothe the beast;

He did what it expected least.

 

He reached His hand in Loving care

to heal the pain it could not bear.

In fear it fled before the light

causing me to mourn its plight.

The Lord could only shake His head,

“How can it choose the dark instead?”

 

There, underneath a clearing sky

I spied a tear fall from His eye.

“Your journey is not finished yet,

beware the shadows fears beget.”

His sage advice recalled to heed

when on a day I felt the need

 

-stopping at a crucial juncture-

pondering the earthly structure

of a world which man’s belief

created for his own relief…

now at the twilight of my youth,

can anyone, here, possess the TRUTH?

 

May 1996

[glintofpewter]

Brian,

 

Thanks. I followed the google trail and ended up at an article about Brennan Manning at Christianity Today. I was touched.

 

I did not think to ask what strife

awaited me through journey’s end,

for promised He to be my friend.

At one point in my life, when Jesus said he would take care of the problems I should have known it would be a difficult journey.

 

Dutch

[Yvonne]

Thanks for sharing that - I'm at a point in my journey where I do a lot of "pondering"...I have to really sit with a thought or a poem or a book for a good while before I can begin to process it. Maybe its a way for me to let my heart take it in, or maybe its just the slower way way my brain is working these days. Either way, I'm going to have to sit with that poem a while!

[soma]

Brian thank you for the Poem and the images deep within. Tomorrow is take a poem to work day so feel free anyone to post a poem.

 

A poem by Jelaluddin Rumi

 

"One went to the door of the Beloved and

knocked. A voice asked, "Who is there?"

He answered, It is I."

 

The voice said, "There is no room for Me and Thee."

The door was shut.

 

After a year of solitude and deprivtion he returned and knocked.

A voice from within asked, "Who is there?"

The man said, "It is Thee."

The door was opened for him