I wrote a few poems while over in the middle east. Hopefully my relfections will be helpful
GALILEE
It’s hard to understand
why such a blessing would be bestowed upon me,
to be floating upon this boat
in the middle of the sea of Galilee.
Such calm waters,
how could they rage?
Such rolling hills,
how could they hide the hurting masses?
And as our hosts begin to sing,
I can’t help but sing along
To this beautiful mixture
of English and Hebrew song.
Carried away by the melody,
I can imagine Jesus walking on water,
traveling the countryside,
healing all who come to him.
But the hearts of Galilee
could not contain the flood of his mercy.
So he emptied himself upon the cross.
So all the world could drink
from the fountain of life.
And as I think about
the love of the Risen Lord.
The amazing grace
of the infinite yet intimate God,
I dream of a day
when God’s love will fall like rain.
When Earth and heaven are united
and remade in the wisdom of the eternal Word.
Not an after life
but a transformed life.
Not a dying world,
but a redeemed creation.
And we as servants of this salvation are called to reach
the hungry, the hurting, and the hopeless.
The liars, the lepers, and the lame.
For them we must walk across the stormy sea,
all for Jesus’ name.
THE WALL
Gray stone,
and towers of death,
separate the Palestinians from their livelihood.
And us from the birthplace of the Savior.
Upon the ominous wall a sign reads,
“Peace be with you.”
But peace is at home here
as a fish out of water.
It is about as tangible
as the morning mist.
On the other side of the wall
I see a different story painted on the dark stone.
Dark images,
Nightmares of an entire people brought into the light.
A ravenous snake,
a savage lion,
a dove in the crosshairs,
cries of hypocrisy and rage,
of a people crammed into this city,
this urban cage.
A people who have endured an unspeakable horror
have now been given free reign
to divide families and strangle cities
They have vowed never again to endure another Holocaust,
so they strain as much security as they can
by force of arms.
But peace through fear
only boils bitterness,
and the pressure threatens to blow everyone’s dreams to bloody pieces.
Walls may protect us from our enemies.
But they can never protect us from ourselves.
