Friday, December 5

Be Thou My Vision



I am like thin glass
frail, full of insecurities, 
and trivial desires, 
full of fear and anger,
easily hurt and broken, 
prone to wander,
so easily entangled,
money, power and popularity 
increase my insecurities 
and my self-doubt. 

What is surprising, 
is that i am surprised:
oh what pride!
Even my self-loathing  
grows from my self-love.
Self-love and self-hate 
head and tail of the same impulse.
Perpetually falling short 
of my own glory...

But then,
He opens my eyes to His glory.
In the light of the One,
the shadows of my trivial insecurities disappear,
in the brightness of His security, 
suddenly I am naked,
alone in the garden,
searching for my fig leaf of self-condemnation,
but alas, I am filled with true and real insecurity,
I fall on my knees and hide my face, crying out:

woe is me, for I am unmade!

from the alter in Thy presence
comes the fire that burns
the light that blinds

Looking to You
the creator and finisher
like Paul
my eyes are opened,
like Isaiah
my lips are healed
like Adam
my nakedness is clothed
I am a made new

3 comments:

Shellie In Miami said...

Gordon,
Is this your creation or does it have another author?

gs thorne said...

It's mine sis, thoughful day in Columbus.

Anonymous said...

The tears slide down my cheeks as I see helen, "in the presence of His glory", healed, quieted and clothed. Only words from someone I love could find my soul so quickly.