We all have a dingy chamberdarkening the deep stone walls
of our broken hearts
where behind the doubt encrusted bars
screams a familiar voice
it screams louder than you ignore
stronger than you can avoid
it is your voice
it is our voice
we are all wrapped up in a prison
without a lock and we scream
we moan
and scream again for something
for more
for God
we are all born broken people
with specifically aching hearts
needing God
to come
closer
we need more than myths, fables, and fairy tales
forcing God into a book
we need someone real
we need more than philosophy
some god in outer space means
nothing to us
so we scream come
closer
so welcome
you and your locked up voice
come on in
welcome to the possibility of closeness
we do not pursue a generic god
with a generic faith
we will not be 'spiritual' in a generic way
the possibility of closeness is not
'whatever it means to you, it means to you'
it is going to require a bit of faith and faith
is pretty simple, really
it is nothing you muster up
it is divine illumination
an operation of God
whereby we stand on tipped toes
extending twitching fingers for
something we could never reach and God
makes it apprehendable
he makes it
possible
faith is learning to trust a God giving
promises he intends to keep
promises
to hear your voice
promises
to make possibilities of closeness
so today cannot be filed down
to farm animal figurines atop your fireplace mantle
today is not the hope
of shopping God closer as if
closeness to God tasted
like 34th street miracles and credit card debt
no, today is the celebration of an explosion
so silent it wouldn't wake a sleeping baby
it is the arresting eruption of the reality
God became flesh
so ssssssstop for a second and soak it in
God came close
as the skin and bone of your own
forearm. God became flesh
so the Light of the World could be seen
as clearly as you see
me
The possibility fo closeness is here
and not one of our words contain his name
the message is too majestic for our methods
so he said, 'call me Jesus
call me Immanuel, God with us"
the possibility of closeness is nothing more
than seeing Jesus and responding
to what you have seen
God showed up to shepherds
because he goes to those
who have time to listen
the possibility of closeness is only closed off
from those to busy to pay attention
God came close enough
to be broken
to be tired, weary, and fearing failure
to catch a cold and a case of hurt feeling
and your locked up voice
is going to keep him distantly divine
but don't you listen to that
let God be as human as he was because
if you do not let him in He cannot
get you out
Christianity is not an ethic
it is not a morality or philosophy of life
it is a love affair
the thrill of falling in love and being loved
by Jesus Christ born to bring
us closer to God
So today is for those who need God
to come
closer
because Christmas
is the possibility of closeness
* check back tomorrow for a gift
1. Go to my bandcamp page and listen to each track.
2. Write a blog post about the EP. Talk about what you like or dislike about it. Talk about your favorite track from the EP and why it is your favorite. Encourage your readers to check it out. (be sure to include a link to ragamuffinpc.bandcamp.com)
3. Tweet me, Email Me, or post to my facebook wall a link to your post.