day 213

^“O Lord, God of my salvation,

    when, at night, I cry out in your presence,
let my prayer come before you;
    incline your ear to my cry.” Psalm 88:1-2

when our souls

are shucked open

like an oyster,

when our hearts

are peeled away

layer by layer,

when our hopes

have been ground

under the heel of

bitterness,

you come to gather us

up

and listen to

our shattered words.

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 212

“The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, ‘Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, “After three days I will rise again.”’” Matthew 27:62-63

there, in the dim

light of the tomb,

death sits before

the mirror, slowly wiping

off the fake tan,

slipping off the set

of falsely perfect teeth,

hanging up the

rented tux in the closet,

and heads out the

door,

its role as the

Great Impostor

of Fear

come to the end

of its run

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 211

“You silence the roaring of the seas,

    the roaring of their waves,
    the tumult of the peoples.” Psalm 65:7

may we mute

the angry voices,

may we put on the

noise-cancelling headphones,

may we stuff cotton

in our ears, so

we can hear your

whispers of grace

and hope in our

souls

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman   

day 210

“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae,” Romans 16:1

we put those who

signed the letters up

on the pedestals, but

you notice the folk

who set up the chairs

for worship,

who hand out the bulletins,

who scrub the dishes

after potluck suppers,

who clean the bathrooms,

all those whose names

we can’t quite recall

if we are asked on a

test

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 209

“I lie down among lions

    that greedily devour human prey;
their teeth are spears and arrows,
    their tongues sharp swords.” Psalm 57:4

they lie in wait

as i walk the streets

for justice, they

curl up on the front

porch waiting for me

to step outside,

they circle around me

just waiting to take

a nibble here,

a taste there,

but you hold the chair

and snap the whip

keeping

my fears from ever

devouring me

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 208

”’Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’”  Joshua 24:15

every day (and

sometimes, during

the day many times)

we must choose

between the petty gods

or the One who is grace,

between the petulant gods

or the One who is peace,

between the prosperity gods

or the One who is extravagant

in giving everything away,

between the hateful gods

or the One who is overflowing love

every day . . .

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 207

“Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God.”  Joshua 23:11

careless with hope,

   we risk harvesting

   a crop of despair

careless with grace,

   we could end up

   with a garage full

   of grudges

careless with you,

   we might let you

   fall out of our hearts

and never notice

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 206

"Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.

   LORD, hear my voice!"  Psalm 130:1

there is so much noise,

so much shouting,

such anger and bitterness

that we wonder if anyone

can hear us over 

all the cacophony, but

you draw us up 

in your lap, whispering

'talk away . . .

i have all the time

in the world for

you'

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 205

“We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” Romans 15:1

when we look in

the mirror, may we see

not ourselves, but

the lonely teenager

longing for friendship,

the rough sleeper in

need of a comfortable bed,

the forgotten hoping

for recognition by others,

the long line of folks

who have not had

the chances

the privileges

the choices

we have had

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 204

”Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another.”  Romans 14:13

we just cannot

seem to help ourselves,

but are constantly sticking

our feet shod with anger,

bitterness, and judgment

out so we can trip

those who are seeking

simply

to follow you

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 203

“Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions.” Romans 14:1

sometimes,

like a kitten creeping

along just waiting

to pounce on the

unsuspecting toes, we

rub our hands in delight

when we get the chance

to prove our superiority

in matters of faith, but

you would prefer we be

like the dog chasing its

own tale, until

we become exhausted

with ourselves and lie down

to take a long nap

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 202

“Owe no one anything, except to love one another;” Romans 13:8a

the mortgage has

been burned,

i paid cash for the car,

the student loans

have been marked ‘paid’

yet

my credit score

is still so low, as

i continue to deal

with my indebtedness to

love

which may take until

my final breath

to pay off

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 201

“I hear a voice I had not known:

   ‘I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
    your hands were freed from the basket.’” Psalm 81:6

when

we thought the

surgeon would remove

the grudges,

we were convinced

physical therapy

could strengthen our

muscles to carry them,

we were sure they

would never become

an inconvenience,

you came along and

pried our hands from

the box they were

all stored in, and took

them out to the curb,

and now, we can stand

tall, without any pain

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 200

“On the day I called, you answered me,

    you increased my strength of soul.” Psalm 138:3

give us strength

to offer compassion

not criticism,

to share kindness

not kibitzing,

to care for the vulnerable

not devalue their worth,

to welcome the forgotten,

not walk past them,

to be more like you,

and less like us

O Lord,

give us strength

to be as weak

as you dared to be

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 199

“If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” Romans 12:18

if peace

is depending on me,

it may be greatly

disappointed, seeing

as how easily i respond

every dog-whistle

calling me to run

to someone’s side

and feast on the treats

of anger, hurt, and

bitterness they hold

out to me

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 198

^“But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, ‘Why this waste?’” Matthew 26:8 

we keep old coats

in the closet, while

folks shiver in the cold.

we toss food away

because our eyes were

bigger than our stomachs

when we shopped, as

children gnaw on days-old

hunger.

we save our change for

that giant jar on our dresser,

rather than drop it

in the cup of the fellow

sitting against the wall,

and consider you a

wastral

for pouring jars of

grace

all over the losers

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 197

"'All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,'" Matthew 25:32

we are so convinced
you are too much of
a marshmallow, we
take on the task of
identifying the goats
and so, miss all the
opportunities we are given
to be the sheep you
keep looking for in us

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 196

“do not hide your face from me

    in the day of my distress.” Psalm 102:2a

in these days
of uncertainty,
of fears nipping
at our heels, and
worries stalking us,
may we see you
in the faces
of chalk-drawing kids,
mask sewing neighbors,
weary and lined nurse,
and friends caring
for strangers they meet.

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 195

“So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.” Romans 11:5

they may have the podium

with all the microphones,

but we will still

speak of justice.

they may seduce folk

with bitter words,

but we will still

embrace everyone.

they may be certain

that they will always

be powerful,

but we will still

serve in weakness.

they may be convinced

we are outnumbered

but we will still

be sharers of grace

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 194

“They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Mark 1:22

sadly, because

forgiveness

grace

hope

justice

peace

have become simply

fillers for sermons and

prayers, they

have lost their power

to knock us off

our apathetic faith

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 195

"'Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.'" Matthew 24:35

when our grudging

words are ashes,

there will still be your

grace.

when our shaming 

names have blown away

in the wind,

there will still be your

love.

when our hateful

hurlings are tossed

onto the landfills,

there will still be your

hope.

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 194

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”  Deuteronomy 31:8

wondering how we

made it past yesterday,

we only have to look back

to see you picking up

the litter of our fears

we left by the side of the road.

worried as to how we

will reach the end

of this long, weary day,

we only need to glance

ahead of us, to see you

filling in the potholes

of our loneliness, so

we will not trip and fall,

and so, we know that

tomorrow can hold no

terror for us, for you

are already there,

waiting for us

to catch up

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 193

“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”  Matthew 24:13

perhaps

it is not the rumors

or the reality,

the storms that shake us

the winds of worry,

the threats, the viruses,

the famines, the failures

that we need to be

concerned about, but

whether or not we

have the faith to

endure in grace

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 192

"'Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!  How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!'" Matthew 23:37

you patiently follow us
around, trying to gather
us in your arms of hope,
but we are too busy
running around, pecking
at all the cheap grace 
tossed on the ground
by those who care 
nothing for us

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 191

“What then are we to say about these things?” Romans 8:31a

simply this:

God

has not forsaken us

has not forgotten us

has not walked away from us.

God

has a tight grip on us

has wrapped us in love

pours grace into our souls

for

neither foolish politicians

nor those who make bad choices,

neither a virus we cannot see

nor the angry we can hear,

neither what yesterday, today,

nor tomorrow bring, nothing

absolutely not a thing (!)

will ever, will ever, will ever

separate us from the love of

God

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 190

“Every day I will bless you,

    and praise your name forever and ever.” Psalm 145:2

may my blessing

be more than words,

but justice for the forgotten,

listening to the voiceless,

walking with the lonely.

may my praises

be more than hollow songs,

but laughter with old friends,

welcoming the newcomers,

sharing compassion with the broken.

every day

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 189

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’”  Mark 1:14-15 

i use the bitter

words,

i see the cruel

treatment,

i cringe at the hateful

words,

i persist in my hurtful

ways,

and wonder

‘did i miss it,

the day the kingdom

came to town?’

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 188

“He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the greatest and first commandment.  And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39

unfortunately 

(all too often)

we go with the

variant readings of

loving ourselves before

our neighbors, and

loving you with a

sliver of our hearts,

a horcrux of our souls,

and whenever we

think about you, which

is often just a fleeting

moment

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 187

"Be gracious to me, O LORD,

         for I am languishing;

   O LORD, heal me, for my

         bones are shaking with

         terror." Psalm 6:2

there are days,

(okay, lately it is

most of these days)

when i can barely summon

the energy to move 

my little toes, much less

bounce out of bed and

get moving through the day,

so comfort my trembling heart,

energize me with your spirit,

walk with me through the day.

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

day 186

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

therefore

let us quit judging,

may we stop with

all the snark,

help us to embrace

rather than embargo,

simply open our hearts

to everyone with whom

we disagree

because

we are all in you

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman