Month: September 2021

I wrote this one in the midst of the last year of coming to the end of my rope.

The word qavah is the Hebrew word translated “hope” or “wait” in places like Isaiah 40:31. It is a primitive root with a basic meaning of “to bind together, possibly by twisting.” I find that interesting. I also find it very interesting that (at least that I can see) the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) pretty consistently translates qavah as “endure,” or literally to “abide under (pain, suffering, etc.).”

As I put it in another poem, To wait is to hope is to endure pain / Sanctification like begging for rain.

This poem helped me trust God more and see some of his design as he taught me to start enduring through the junkloads of shame that have needed excavation in my life. (I am by no means done with this lesson.)

My last post, “Asking for Orbit” dealt with “It’s about God, not about us” as it applies in my highly-prone-to-implode life. This one is my (much longer) poem with me wrestling out some of how that sentiment might play out when the God it’s “about” is the God revealed in Jesus Christ, one who is in his very essence agape love.

(My theological “Spidey-senses” go off sometimes at some of the places or ways we take the concept of God as supreme, the source, the end, the only one worthy, etc. )

Hope you enjoy it. As always, your comments or thoughts are welcomed … it’d be fun to grab coffee and talk more about any of this!

Oh and P.S. if you’re on a mobile you may only see the left column … make sure you read the whole thing.

How many times over my 34-year Jesus journey I’ve heard some form of saying “It’s all about God” or “It’s not about us.” A true sentiment indeed.

This particular form (this poem) comes from my own life — as an Enneagram One who unhealthily goes to a Four, I seem to be unusually skilled at making it all about me. And it turns out that at least I can even make not making it about me … about me.

Lord have mercy. I’m so glad he does.