Growth—
a challenging word.
I’m stuck
downward.
The flesh sets me back.
Flailing, falling,
stumbling, crawling,
daily growth seems stalling.
I know me,
God knows me,
all of me
yet loves me,
is for me.
The audacity.
Growth—
I’m afraid of the word.
Not enough,
never enough.
More and more,
there are more and more.
I feel less and less.
Rising, running,
dying, living.
Daily growth is not me.
It’s the Spirit in me.
I’ve been set free of me.
Greater is He.
Growth—
We wrestle with the word,
lament the word,
mask the word,
insecure, perturbed
by the Word.
Growth for growth’s sake,
man’s sake,
a church’s sake,
is a bad dream.
Let us awake.
Growth is God’s plan,
His Divine plan for man.
He the executioner,
we the receiver.
He the forgiver,
we the forgiven
He the life-giver,
we the Life-proclaimers.
Growth makes the liar linger,
linger to lie in our ears.
Fear
Don’t try, don’t trust,
don’t dream, don’t release.
Fear
Strain gnats,
hide from truth,
huddle in siloed clans
while the masses perish.
Fear
Growth is God’s Word.
Do not be afraid
Growth is God’s mission.
Do not be afraid
Though the mission is hard.
Do not be afraid
God wants all His kids back.
Do not be afraid
Jesus died and rose.
Do not be afraid
Jesus ascended and reigns.
Do not be afraid
The Holy Spirit is here.
Do not be afraid
Creating, sustaining.
Do not be afraid
Empowering, releasing.
Do not be afraid
Confessing, forgiving.
Do not be afraid
Proclaiming the Gospel.
Do not be afraid
His Kingdom is here, now.
Do not be afraid
The Days are short.
Do not be afraid
The King is coming.
Do not be afraid
Until then,
Growth—
God’s growth.
-Tim