set in concrete

^“for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.”  Mark 6:52

since

we see no value

in being broken

to offer healing,

in feeding those

who could make

better choices, and

looking for you

in the storms of life,

we continue to pour

fear’s concrete into

our hearts, carving

our initials in it

as it sets

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

macedonias

“During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’” Acts 16:9

when, from

the borders,

the street corners,

the rehab centers,

and other broken places,

people cry for help,

have mercy on us,

dear Lord,

when we roll over

and go back to sleep

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

fear mockers

“God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.”  Psalm 57:3b

when fears’ bullies

taunt me,

hope and justice run up,

look them in the face, saying,

‘go away; you bore us’

and we skip hand in hand

down the paths

of your Community

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

one-off

 ^“Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’”  Matthew 25:44

preening in front

of the mirror, wondering

who’s the bestest sheep of all,

we lose sight of the fact

that caring for others

is not an act of

one-off grace

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

what???

“On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands!’” Mark 6:2

yes, we look for

signs falling from the sky,

wonders knocking us off our feet,

wisdom that will confound scholars,

and completely miss

your common sense ideas

that little kids can crawl into your lap,

that the outcasts are worth listening to,

and every single person

has a place at your table,

as well as a bed in your home

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

in the silence

“The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.” Acts 15:12

in the silence,

may we hear the

voices of humility,

instead of our own

filled with arrogance;

in the silence,

let us listen

to the chatter of kids

of the wonders they find

in their backyards;

in the silence,

whisper to us

of the signs we might

hear, see, taste, touch,

if we just spent more

of our lives

in the silence

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

plain & simple

^“‘On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.’”  Acts 15:11

no hoops

secret handshakes

memorization

private passwords – just

grace

plain as God’s love

and

simple enough

for everyone

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

why?

“He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’”  Mark 4:40

well,

truth be told,

fear seems to be

like melted chocolate

that sticks to our lives,

while faith slips

right through our

souls

like beach sand

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

seeds

“He also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?’  It is like a grain of mustard seed,’” Mark 4:30-31a

your Community

is like the post-it

note simply reading

‘you are loved bunches’

a parent puts in

the lunch box of

their child, who then

slips it into the

locker of the kid

picked on by bullies

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

proverbially

“As the ancient proverb says, ‘Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you.”  1 Samuel 24:13

tempted to respond

in kind, may we offer

compassion to cruelty;

songs of hope to chants of fear;

gentleness to mean spirits;

grace to anger;

and always,

love to hate

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

transformation

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  Romans 12:2

in the call,

‘come join us!’

to the immigrant child

who just moved

into the neighborhood;

in the fast food worker

who patiently listens

to the person with

difficulty speaking

give their order;

in the folks

who wander crowded

parking lots to make sure

no pets or kids

have been left in cars

in oppressive heat,

we are transformed

by the goodness

of those who know

your heart

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

more than just Sabbath

“As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people urged them to speak about these things again the next sabbath.” Acts 13:42

in a world

where cruel chants

are more and more acceptable,

let us whisper to others,

‘we value you, we honor you;’

in a time

when wedges are driven

into communities to fracture

people into them and us tribes,

let us continue

to build bridges

with words of justice

that are stronger than steel;

in places

where hopelessness

is offered as the only

lifestyle option by

the privileged and powerful,

let us gather the ignored

into our arms and shout

‘we are family; we are one;’

not just each holy day,

but every day,

every moment

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

praise songs

“O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.”  Psalm 51:15

may

my laughter

at the joke the old friend

has told a million times;

the words

i sound out

for the little kid

learning to read;

the gentle hello

i offer to the immigrant

everyone else snubs,

be the praise i offer

this day to you, Holy One

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

wayward

“will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?”  Acts 13:10b 

with our cold shoulders

and frozen hearts

creating potholes;

with our hope-breaking

words that give

the wrong directions;

with the signs we

knock down in our hurry

to do everything our way:

we do our level best

to make it as hard as possible

for others to find the

easiest way to your heart

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

even as

“Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
    even as we hope in you.”  Psalm 33:22

may your love transform

our deserts of despair

into pools of grace;

may our hope

not be lost in the

torrents of tweets;

may your peace

be the balm

a bruised people

need in these moments

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

friends

“And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him;”  Mark 2:4a

give us the courage

to tear off the tweets,

to push through the gatekeepers

who claim they know you best,

to take off the doors of apathy

and bring you the

families ripped apart by fear,

those paralyzed by injustice,

the broken, the forgotten,

the young, the veterans,

the rough sleepers and grief weepers

who long for your grace,

your hope, your peace,

and a welcome by your community

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

could we?

“A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’”  Mark 1:40

we could

feed the hungry,

welcome the outsider,

empty our closets for immigrants,

step in front of bullies,

challenge the oppressors,

speak louder than the haters,

but

we usually choose

not to get

our hands dirty,

our hearts broken,

our feelings hurt,

our faith challenged

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

softies

“The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” Psalm 103:8

when we are callous

towards others, model

for us what softies are like;

when we turn churlish

with the ones we love,

transfigure us with

your tenderness;

when we are quick

to fly off the handle,

cradle us until we learn

the peace of patience;

when our hearts are

empty of love, fill

them from that fountain

of yours which never

runs dry

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

immediately

“And immediately they left their nets and followed him.”  Mark 1:18

and

as soon as

we have finished

binge watching the

latest hit show;

we have tweeted

our outrage at

whatever and whoever

is trending right now;

we have beaten

our high score

on the video game,

we

will get up and

follow, as well

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

fresh

“The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Mark 1:1

may grace

be as fresh

as a lover’s kiss;

may hope

awaken in our hearts

each morning;

may peace

be the whisper

that challenges

our apathy;

may the gospel

never become as stale

as the bread

we left out

on the counter

last night

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

hoping

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;”  Psalm 130:5

when others are hard

on us, may

   we be gentle;

when folks are

malicious to us,

may we offer kindness;

when they yank

the ground out

from under our life,

   may we wait

   in hope.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

eyes wide open

“Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.”  Luke 24:31

in every family

torn apart at borders,

in every relation

fraying at the edges,

in every rough sleeper

standing by the side of the road,

may we taste your

brokenness

and recognize them

as you

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

rest

“On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.”  Luke 24:56b

while we daydream

about what used to be,

you are imagining

a future which will

be filled only with

life, hope, and peace,

and them turn your

thoughts into

creative action

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

long after

“For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
    nor the hope of the poor perish forever.”  Psalm 9:18

long after

our memory of the

vulnerable has faded,

you lie awake at night

figuring out how to care for them;

long after we have

put their hope in

detention centers,

you are picking the locks

to set it free for their lives

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

therefore

“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”  Romans 5:1

because God came down,

it is not up to us;

because the last enemy

has been defeated, we

can simply rest in peace;

because the door is always open,

we have a home

to go to at the end

of this journey we call life . . .

. . . therefore

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

gates

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving,” Psalm 100:4a

the classroom full

of wriggling toddlers,

the activity room

with hopeful retirees,

the waiting area

in the hospital –

as we go through

your gates to be

with your children,

may we rejoice!

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

the village smithy

“Now there was no smith to be found throughout all the land of Israel;” 1 Samuel 13:19a

may the smiths we find

be those who offer

hope in haikus,

who weave peace

from the strands

of broken promises,

who craft guitars

from guns and rifles,

who turn hollow trees

into free libraries

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

what?

“As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?’”  Acts 8:36

. . . only the hoops

we hold outstretched

in our doctrines;

only that proper mode

which is prescribed

by our traditions;

only your bona fides

which must match

our sola fide . . .

that’s what

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

listener

“When they call to me, I will answer them;
    I will be with them in trouble,
    I will rescue them and honor them.”  Psalm 91:15

a cry in the night;

a sign in trembling hands

   at an intersection;

a meltdown in a relationship;

when everyone else

turns away, you

run toward us to

scoop us up and listen

for as long as we

need

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

silence?

“for if you are silent to me,
    I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.” Psalm 28:1b

not silence,

but whispers of

wonder in the

fireflies of summer;

not silence,

but the gravelly

voice of grace

in the bullfrogs

down at the pond;

not silence,

but songs of joy

outside our windows

each morning;

not silence,

but you

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

heritage

“He chose our heritage for us,” Psalm 47:4a

not stockpiles

of weapons, but

open arms to carry

the most vulnerable;

not multiple accounts

overflowing with money,

but pockets emptied

to feed the hungry,

to heal the broken,

to shelter the rough sleepers;

not power and privilege

to tell others what to do,

but grace and justice

to share with those

too often ignored

our inheritance

is more than enough

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman