The Ride of a Lifetime

 The Ride of a Lifetime

(“The only thing that matters is this new life we have from God.” Galatians 6:15b)

He mentioned baptism again and
everyone who heard grew restlessly quiet.
Anxious to prove their fidelity,
scores etched their names on the cardboard notecards
and passed them on down the aisle.

He mentioned prayer with fasting again and
so many feet shuffled they wore down the boards
where they sat.
Anxious to prove their holiness,
a dozen dug in their heels and wished for
one more steak before the week began.

He mentioned worship again and
those who sang loud, sang louder. Anxious
to prove their piety,
others hid behind the hands that waved so
exuberantly and hoped God did not mind.

But there was also a gentle wind that,
barely brushing the cheeks of the assembled,
filled in the gaps of the absent,
spoke in accents discernable to the
few with
ears to hear something both
foreign and familiar, and some followed
the breezy narrow way.

But some stayed behind, wanting to
be washed by the water,
heard for their fervor,
seen for their song-styles;
truly they had their reward.

The barely audible breeze led the few
inside out, foolish and pacific,
down streets with no names,
where the residents had no houses.
Down roads without p.o. boxes,
where the sojourners had lost their fame.

Some saw the chance for sun and rain
outside the domain of wooden walls and
concrete doctrine. Some were not sure
where the wind would take them,
but mounted inside it like a basket
under a hot air balloon.

And so, all were offered the ride of a lifetime.

He mentioned that it was time
to begin again.